30/30 cam question

[chev-obsession]

i have heard of a 30/30 cam before and people tell me they sound wicked. Does any one on here have any experince with them?? If you do, could you tell me a little bit about the cam and what makes it different from another performance cam?

[swb85]

It was a long duration solid flat tappet cam with baby valve lift (by today's standards). It was something like 254* @ .050 and .485" gross valve lift. Lots of overlap so it chopped pretty good at idle. Not much torque at all below 4500rpm but pulled to 7500rpm in the little small blocks.....took lots of compression, short tires and super low gears with a 4spd to make use of it.

[Marv D]

I ran one in a little 11:1 327 in the early 70's. Like said, they loved RPM and were pretty soft down low, but not undrivable or anything,, just soft below 3000.
I remember IU used to have a little 'dyno label maker' sticker on the air cleaner that read,, caution this engine will self destruct at 7000rpm. Had to keep changing it. That thing would pull to 7800 and the highest I remember ever seeing was right at 8000 and I know it was beating the springs up and floating the valves,, but ohhhh what a beautiful song! As far as idle,, it was really kind of tame for the 'growl' of muscle cars of the era.

Great cam for 3000-8000 rpm. If that's your operating range, but today's hydraulics are more aggressive, have more lift and torque in a usable range.

[chev-obsession]

so its baisically an old car type cam and not for a truck right? and how much compression??

[Marv D]

You have to think of the combination,,,
3500-3800 pound car,

small cubes (remember the 350 didn't come around till mid year 68 and the 69 model year)

high compression (fuel to support 11:1 was readily available at the corner Union 76, Conoco and Sonoco stations at 100 REAL motor octane)

Most (definately not all but most)cars with the 30/30 were 4spd manual trans cars with a 26" tire and 3.73 gears if not 4.10's. Operating RPM around town was in the 2500-4000 range, and the 85mph freeway speeds we say int he mid 70's had the little motors buzzing in the 4500rpm range.

Premium fuel being $0.35 a gallon... who cared! We had the power to smoke the ol red stripe 'wide ovals' on command.


Now compare that to a 4200 pound pickup, with a TH350 automatic, more cubic inches, 30-33" tall tires, 3.4's or maybe 3.73 gears, 9:1 compression with luck, and fuel in the low 80 MON range. The 30/30 cam is dated technology and the date passed LONG ago. We don't build or use motors like that any more. Todays motors need low rpm grunt, not high rpm scream. If you want the best of all 'STREET' worlds, go hydraulic roller. Better valve action, more reliable life, no flat cams because of todays crap oils.

[chev-obsession]

well i was thinking about putting one in my 66 chevy with a 327. but i guess not now.

[Captainfab]

You would be much happier and better off with a modern technology grind. Call a couple of cam companies tech lines like Comp Cams, and Lunati. Tell them all the info they need to know and they'll make a recomendation on what cam will best suit your application and wants.

Originally Posted by chev-obsession

well i was thinking about putting one in my 66 chevy with a 327. but i guess not now.