[Lenox273]

Just got Jim Hands book this week and have read it through twice already. I have a 70' 350 that came in the car that I am building and has been recently rebuilt. Want to utilize the engine I already have since it is in good shape. I am going to use the #11 heads that are on it. I have pulled them to check and thought I might do some port work while I am there. I was wondering what should be the extent I should go to since I plan on using the 1.96/1.66 valves over. They have recently had a valve job and look fine. Seats and guides are fine. I know that the small valves will be a restriction, but this will primarily be a street driven car that will se limited track time. How much porting would be too much or should I just do everything Jim Hand has laid out in his book in reference to port mods? I don't want to over do it. Once this step is completed what suggestions does anyone have for a cam? Engine is stock 70' 350 2 bbl, #11 heads, Performer RPM intake, 200 4-r trans with 2,00 stall, 3.23 gears(may go 3.55), headers and dual 2.5" Pypes with xpipe in a 70 Lemans. I want a cam like Jim Hand suggested, agressive idle with a moderate cam. 108-110 lobe separation. I have read posts in the archive on cams for a 350 and am still not sure. One post suggested a cam with 220/226 duration 465/465 lift and 111.5 lobe separation. I think this one sounds interesting. I sent a cam reccomendation form to Comp Cams and they suggested the XE-274. This seems a litle too much. I want it to sound good and perform well. My main concern is enough vaccum for the power brakes. I really apologize for the long post, just want to give as much infomation as I thought necessary. Thanks in advance for any input.

[Hillard]

I believe in Jim Hand's book he mainly talks about the bigger valves and uses templates to size the bowls. Basically you want the bowl size about 80% of the valve size. So with the 1.96 valve, you need a bowl size of 1.57. My point being that you can use his book as a guideline but scale it back proportionately. The 220/226 cam sounds like a decent choice to me (go with the 3.55 gears) but you might call Bullet Cams. They are more helpful and knowledgeable about cam selection for a Pontiac. Hope this helps and good luck.

[Z Code 400]

Lenox:

The .465"/.465" - 220°/226° - 111.5° LSA is a camshaft I designed for my 413 project. I had it custom ground by Bullet Cams. The 111.5° is a compromise between the eraly intake closing of a 110° LSA and the broad power of a 112° LSA. By careful selection of lobe profiles, I was able to achieve 0° of overlap @ .050" for good cylinder filling and better idle.

I haven't used it yet, so I can't tell you what to expect. I decided to put a moderate hydraulic roller (.517"/.517" - 222°/224° 111.5° LSA) in my 413 and I paln to use the flat tappet in my 350.

I'm still not sure how it will idle...Robert

[Will]

A properly ported set of heads, ala Jim Hand's book, will not hurt you in any way, they can only help. As 1050goat said, revise the bowl size to fit the diameter of the valves you'll be using.

I would go with the 3.55 gears (that's why you have an overdrive trans) and a higher stall converter. 2000 RPM really isn't anything.

If you can get your compression ratio into the true (calculate it, don't just rely on the published numbers) 9+:1 range, then a cam with up to 220 @ .050" is not a bad choice. The XE274 is way too big.

[69LeManster]

heck, maybe even 3:73 gears with that deep overdrive on the 200r4. You would also probably be happier with a stock or standard performer intake for better bottom end, as the small valve heads on a 350 probably won't flow enough to utilize the performer RPM, imho.

[Lenox273]

Thanks for your input guys. I have been sick this weekend so I have had more time to troll the net looking at cam manufactures websites. I think I will go a little conservative on my cam choice. I found an Isky 264 Mega cam 214/214 @.050 264/264 450/450 lift on 108 lobe center that seems to fit what I have. I will call them and Bullet this week. I think I would rather go smaller on the cam than to have to change converter and rear gears to suit the cam. I tend to get this thing about how it is going to sound stuck in my head and forget about everything else. Again thanks for the input.

[Hillard]

I would recommend that you stay away from the straight pattern cam. You might try something like the 068 cam. JMO.

[Z Code 400]

A dual pattern is a better choice for stock heads. Isky makes a great product without the jerky Comp Cams lobe profiles. Call and ask for Nolan at Isky. They will grind you anything you want. I recently had a 264/270 Mega Cam ground for a friend. It was .450"/.465" - 214°/221° @ .050" on a 111° LSA.

John Partridge @ Bullet cams will also execute custom grinds and their quality is very, very good...Robert