Building a S̶t̶r̶o̶n̶g̶ ̶3̶5̶0̶ 383 for Frank the Tank…

You would not believe the performance with a Solid Flat Tappet camshaft delivers .
Street Race power.

The Olds 425 has a mild cam . Stock.
A Torque Monster.
Faster 0-120 mph than my 1987 Corvette Roadster.
I Blow past all on the Highways.
 
while I personally VASTLY prefer a well matched, flat tappet solid lifter cam if moneys tight, and the engine application will be at least occasionally pushed past 6000 rpm, over a flat tappet hydraulic in most performance applications I know from experience that darn few hot rodders are willing and able to properly adjust a flat tappet solid lifter valve train, and in this particular application the advantages are minimal
due to the intended rpm range, and the fact that almost all the engine performance required will be limited to well under 5500rpm
 
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My experience is Flat Tappet Cams deliver more real world torque Grumpy.
Off idle to 3,000 to 5500 & more if duration is there and Overlap.
I do agree the cam must be matched to what Jimmy has now.
I do agree 99 % can't set a Solid Lifter Cam.
Every Diesel Semi Truck I must set the Valvelash.
I did again this week. A Caterpillar 3406 E.
I completed a Full In frame engine overhaul .
 
toolspec.jpg
Are those (2) .140" grooves for o-rings? If so, good idea.
 
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ch-is-best-steel-or-aluminum.3124/#post-12385
I think the cam I under lined in RED would be about as wild in duration as Id select for that car,
and Id add 1.6:1 roller rockers if I could afford to, as the added lift helps air flow.
ID also point out that even with that milder cam I underlined in red it will run noticeably better with a 2800 rpm-3000 rpm stall speed converter and a 3.55:1-3.73:1 rear gear ratio and a shift kit on the auto transmission.
that cam is also FAR more radical that the original 307 engine had and youll notice the BIG difference, even in the larger engine.
you always need to keep in mind the completed combo and how parts match, if your going to use a flat tappet hydraulic cam, and reasonably mild compression and a fairly low numerical rear gear (2.57:1-3.07:1) you can,t expect to throw a fairly radical cam in the engine and maintain really nice lower rpm torque, and enough plenum vacuum for power brakes and a smooth idle etc.

Ok cool thanks. I'll aim to get the 11367 cam and 1.6 roller rockers.
 
Lost in Grumpys archives is an old article on actual street driving performance throttle response.
I read it in the past.
I know it as transient throttle response.

Your talking about just a 25 Hp theoretical loss going with 180's vs 200's.

Its a long forgotten secret.
I know it works better dirt track racing smaller port high velocity heads.

Its been 4 years now but with Dart 215's on a 419 ci sbc we actually ran slower lap to lap.
Non consistent throttle response.

Ass backwards to all.
Its true.
Brian, I'm curious about the rest of this 419 SBC combo, because I have a pair of
Canfield 220's and I am wondering what size engine would best suit them.
I bought them planning someday to build a large c.i. Gen 1 SBC STREET engine.
5500-6500 rpm torque monster, maybe even with a HYD flat tappet camshaft,
although I have no problem going with a SOLID FT. But I do have that brand
new set of Crane solid roller lifters.....
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...es-vlb-solid-roller-lifters.12258/#post-60158
 
We were Dirt Track Racing Mike.
Street Stock. 2008-2011 Seasons.
Turning 7,000-8,000 Rpm steady lap after lap. Often 9,000 rpm when tires spinning or car spun out.
Did it with a Holley 2-bbl as Class rules.
Some tracks we could run a 750 cfm 4-bbl Holley.
In the End we were running against 434 ci SBC.
The Real Cavet was no aluminum heads allowed.
Had to use Cast Iron heads. Stock GM Or aftermarkets.
Canfield makes Good Heads.
Also we used 6.14 to 7.38 gears in the Ford 9 inch rear.
Saginaw 4-speed. Quater Master or Tilton Triple disc clutches.
 
I'm on page 13 of Frank the tank. I might start a bench engine build around those
Canfield 220's after Jimmy is all set.
 
All cars were supposed to be 355 cubic inches.
But were not.
Best Engine we ran was a 369 ci SBC 010 Block. ISKY FLAT TAPPET CAMMED.
Dart Iron Eagle Heads.
Vintage Carillo Long rods.
Lasted 2 race seasons.

Dart Little M block was the 419 ci.
Full Roller. .750 lift. Race Roller.
Ultradyne...I was pulling out of the game then....
Just not competitive like the 369.
We always ran against 406, 421, & 434 sbc.
369 Beat them most of the time.
 
Traction is key dirt tracking.
Too much HP Torque and can't hook up.

419 Never responded instant.
I can hear an engine with right port velocity and response.
Car shoots forward like a 44 Magnum Bullet.
Wrong combo too big of ports you get passed..Then 419 hit hard.
Brutal kick. Tires spin. off the gas.
Gas it. catch up.
Still not enough to pass. Next turn there. Braking hard.
 
The shift has been to Big CC volume SBC heads. What sells.
Most will never know ....160-180 cc heads had there place.
Pontiac guys recall yet.
Not here. Max Pontiac Forum.
 
We were over gearing intentionally with 7.38.
Steve thought he was going faster.
In reality he ran slower.
But he could drive it because the rear tires hooked up better.
Really Zinging the engine.
I remember him losing the Season championship.
Kicking the Car & punching it.
Yelling Mother Ficker.....
Ficken Ports too Ficken Big.
No one understands.
But I am a Pontiac guy.
Small ports on all.
Still blow away 426 Hemis.
 
Thanks for the story. We now return you to your regularly scheduled program: FRANK THE TANK.
 
Less is often more.
Grumpy hints to that fact often in his own style of writing and posting.
Things change when Forced induction is used and intercooled.
Bigger is better . The engines tend to be short lived too.
Your pocket book can keep up so long for most.
 
Ok cool thanks. I'll aim to get the 11367 cam and 1.6 roller rockers.
With that cam and 1.6 rockers you will have .496/.520 lift and duration will increase 2-3 degrees to about 227/237, pretty good combo I'd say! I have it at about 414 ft/lb tq @ 4500 and 404 hp @ 6000. Pretty good numbers, torque breaks 360 at 2500 and stay above to just before 6000. Not bad Jimmy.
 
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The machine shop even commented that my RPM intake manifold may have been better to have been the airgap version, to allow improved cooling... temperature is worth keeping in mind..
I'm still at page 20 - almost caught up. I just had to comment that the intake ports on the Perf RPM Air-Gap are raised
higher and may not align with the intake ports on your heads. They align well with those Chinese Pro-Comp heads.
Go with the Performer RPM non Air -Gap intake manifold.
 
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