cam question

[kennyhammond]

OK I have three threads...and I am trying to combined them into this one to help me ..... this is what I got.... 98 Chevy 350 motor vortec motor .... truck is a 81 c10 with 2.72 gears and t 350.... now I am not trying to make a race trick just a nice drivable truck with some good torque to drive around town and open roads....any suggestions realty appreciated... mainly need help with what cam to use
Posted via Mobile Device

[Blue Rat]

Something along the lines that operates from idle to around 5500 would do good.

[kennyhammond]

OK. Wild make enough to spin the tires....have read reports about some people building these motors and not enough power to spin tires..... later on I want to upgrade to 3.55 gears with position traction
Posted via Mobile Device

[Super73]

There is more to spinning tires than cam choice. Example, a buddy had a bone stock 350 in his 62 C10. Would not even spin a one leg rotted bias ply. Replaced the factory converter with a 2,400 rpm summit brand (not by choice, by budget), and what do you know, good smokey burn outs.

Point is, you can't hit the tires very hard with out a converter unless you have a lot of motor and/or, if you put the motor closer to its peak tq by either putting a converter in it or bringing rpm up before letting the clutch go, it will go faster or make smokey clouds of rubber.


Believe it or not, you might go faster with the stock set up adding the right converter, the right gears/posi and a good tire compared to a cam.

[kennyhammond]

Well that I do have to agree with....I was looking at. A Howard's cam.... somewhere like 214/218 duration and 488/495 lift. Rpm range is 1000-4800.. should be a OK cam. What converter would you recommend ...was looking at a 1000 over stock stall converter .... thaughthanks for the eye opener on that
Posted via Mobile Device

[Super73]

Hyd Roller I assume. What is the intake center and the Lobe Seperation?



Now, let's start with the real question: What are your true goals with your truck? This will really help answer things.

You have freeway gears now but want to go to a midrange, somewhat less highway friendly gear. Guessing to add to the SOTP feel.
You want to go posi (not a bad thing any way you go), guessing again to add to the SOTP feel. Do you plan on putting a tire on it? If so, what?
You want to do a cam for TQ, yet adding overlap tends to reduce TQ and gas mileage (well, at least move TQ up in RPM). What is the point of this, sound? Are you ok with a mileage loss for 10-15ftlbs in the mid range, if that?

I and many other in this section are happy to answer honest questions, IF, you have an honest goal.

[kennyhammond]

ok the real goal for this truck is a toy around town.. nothen extreme but a fun toy for me and the family (wife and son to play) i will drive it around to work 30 miles one way... not a daily driver but not a race truck either.... does that make any sincee.....sorry and all these are real honest questions

[hotrod 80]

Originally Posted by kennyhammond

OK I have three threads...and I am trying to combined them into this one to help me ..... this is what I got.... 98 Chevy 350 motor vortec motor .... truck is a 81 c10 with 2.72 gears and t 350.... now I am not trying to make a race trick just a nice drivable truck with some good torque to drive around town and open roads....any suggestions realty appreciated... mainly need help with what cam to use
Posted via Mobile Device

What intake and carb combo are you leaning towards ?

I will suggest a 94-96 F body cam for the combo above with like stock Q-jet or edelbrock 600 . ( doing this now on my 91 TBI truck )

slight Gear change (3.23-3.42) , posi , small converter . 625 road demon= ZZ4

Much more and you are out of the "nice drivable" range . Most of us in this section will tolerate alot more camshaft, gear and converter cause that's what we do .

If the Vortec motor were in my garage , id put a true flattop ( 2 or 4 relief ) in it with a GM hot cam ( My choice would be a Hydraulic roller ) and a 650 double pump . Before putting it in i would at least add a loose converter and do a gear swap to a minimum of 3.42 . This may not be for you as fuel mileage would likely drop and the camshaft may be to "radical" for you taste .

I dont want to tell you put cam "X" in it and you not be happy because it is a turd with 2.72 gears , Tight converter and a huge cam . I also don't even know if the truck is driveable . If it is im with super 73 , a gear change , matching speedo gears & posi would be first for me .

[kennyhammond]

I have a 4.10 gear. Set on the shelf I can. Change it out.... .. this is not a daily driver its a toy ..... the. Motor combo you made sounded pretty ffun...
Posted via Mobile Device