alright, well in the stages of building a good ol 400.. stock vortec heads, 9.5-9.8 compression, 750 holley, HEI, 700r4, 4.10's, all in a 4000 lb. 1950 chevy pickup.

trying to keep the heads as stock as possible. i know about the nothing over 460-470 lift, but i suppose if i can get the power, i will cut them down if needed.

first selection, the L-82 cam out of the 350hp 350, G.M.# 3896962
2200-5500 RPM Range, 291 intake/287 exhaust Adv Dur, Duration @.050 224 intake/224 exhaust, Valve Lift .450 intake/.460 exhaust, Lobe C/L 114.

second, either the comp cams extreme energy 268 or 274.
these i know i will have to do some work on the heads, but jesh, the lopey idle would be nice to have, and plus, if they make more power, then why not.

third, crowers 00904 cam...
1800-6000 RPM Range
288/298 Adv. Duration
444/467 Gross Lift


fourth, bracketmaster II PN 00011
Advertised Duration (Int/Exh): 285/285
Duration @ .050 (Int/Exh): 230/230
Gross Valve Lift (Int/Exh): .455/.455
LSA/ICL: 114/109
Valve Lash (Int/Exh): Hyd/Hyd
RPM Range: 2000-6000

this cam, i have a build sheet of this cam used on an almost identical build that im doing that made 427 hp and 525 tq.

the reason im wondering on all these, is because i know what this bracketmaster can do, im just curious to see if anyone KNOWS if the others can do better???

thanks!

I have ran the Comp 268 in a daily driver, idles almost dead smooth and ran great, works good with a stock converter, if your stall speed is a little over stock I would go with the 274, if its a stock converter I would stick with the 268.

Mike

Install no more than the old -151 350hp/327 cam in your MILD 400 motor and go, imho!

Sucker should pull like freight train!

At least it did in my stock 350SS L-48 engine 1200 miles from new for several years as my DD!

pdq67

I have an 8.5:1 400 sbc with stock vortec heads in my 5200 pound 4 wheel drive pick up. I use the old 268 high energy cam that is 218/218 @ .050 on a 110 lsa. The engine makes a lot of torque right off idle and idles smooth but it is out of power at 5,000 rpm. With 9.5:1 I would use more cam. I saw a build like you are talking about but I thought the cam was on a 109 lsa. If you want the lumpy idle I would look for something in the 230/230 @ .050 duration range with the lsa in the 109-106 range.:bowtie:

converter is a tci 2300-2500. ill stay away from the 268 then with the seeming smooth idle and the needed cutting down on heads. anymore imput?

converter is a tci 2300-2500. ill stay away from the 268 then with the seeming smooth idle and the needed cutting down on heads. anymore imput?

I've got an XE268 in my 9.6 to 1 461 with a 2000 stall, 700r4, and 3.73.

Idle is very smooth, with just a little bit of a lope. It runs VERY well.

It also provides enough vacuum that I can start up and drive it anytime, and anywhere, even with power brakes

If you want a good street cam, this is it.

If you want a lumpy idle but want to use your stock valve train, look into the Crane 274H06 cam #100172 218-218-.450 lift, 106 lsa. This will give you the rump rump you are looking for in your 400 motor but still be totally streetable. This is one of the few cams that will give the idle you want without a lot of duration that can kill your low end and a mild lift that will not tear up your valve train. In my buddy's Vette with a 260 hp GM crate motor with 8.5 cr(if not less than that), a 600 Edel. and intake, headers, 4 speed and 3.73 gears, this cam sounds like a real radical cam but pulls 14" of vacuum at 1000 and 11" at 800 rpm. With your added 50 cubic inches and higher compression you would pull even better vacuum. I think you might be able to get by without a higher stall with your 4.10 gears. You will be getting the same sound as a comp 280 230-230 cam but without the extra duration and can still use your current valve train. This cam is also listed in Crane's catalog as a Saturday Night Specail for oval track cars with .450 lift rules.

...I'm running the CCXE 268 in my 76 400 ,stock lower end,with vortec bowtie heads and it has a nice lump to it ,in my 4000lb 76 monte carlo cruiser, runs 14 flat with 2;73 gears and a stock converter, I like it ,pulls nicely, DC:bowtie:

FWIW, I think you can avoid machining the heads if you use the beehive springs, or maybe different retainers. Read the Vortec sticky for better info, because I don't recall offhand.
I don't know how the other cams perform, but the XE274 should be a nice cam for that combo.

There is a Crane Energizer cam PN 10018 that specs at .465/.465 lift 230/230 @ .050 on a 106 lsa. This is an older grind but will give you that choppy idle and good performance. :bowtie:

xxx

I wouldn't use any of the old GM grinds. The old 151 350HP/327 cam was excellent..in 1970. Several articles have compared these cams to modern versions with identical lift/duration figures and the modern cams made a ton more HP. It's about the lobe shape and area under the lift curve. I use the Xtreme Energy 274 in a 350 with mildly ported Vortecs, a 454 TBI, roller rockers etc..in a full size Blazer. I get decent mileage, very good driveability and so much torque I've wrecked 3 rear diffs now. ( going to a 14 bolt now!). As for the lift issues....I'm well past .510 and never cut my heads. Beehive springs with a shallow steel retainer and I used keepers from Crane that are designed to raise the retainer .05 up the stem giving me extra clearance. So a head with clearance for .450 will now go .500 with no other changes other than a minor loss in spring pressure and a touch less retainer to rocker clearance ( cured instantly with Beehives and the smaller diameter ratainer. )

just do the gheto grind on the retainers and use a cheapy z28 style of spring.

well its been just about a year since ive had the motor running and i figure'd i'd post up what i all ended up doing in case anyone ever wants to know for another combo. sorry i havent been on here..

beehive 26918 springs. *expensive route, but figured i'd do it the right way the first time* 787 retainers, needed some raised locks that i got from comp. products to get the right height per spring pressure. new s/s, undecut valves,scorpion 1.5 rockers, magnum pushrods and the XE274.

the truck absolutly LOVES being at 80 mph or better vacuum wise, and the best mpg i've gotten that i've tracked was 14.8 up to Minnesota.

10ish inches of vacuum at idle 700-750, right at 15" off and on at cruise.

still have yet to get it to a track or a dyno, but if i do, i can let you know.

some eye candy..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqFCnxTtszA

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q47/tim_bo16/503.jpg

Truck looks awesome!

Install no more than the old -151 350hp/327 cam in your MILD 400 motor and go, imho!

Sucker should pull like freight train!

At least it did in my stock 350SS L-48 engine 1200 miles from new for several years as my DD!

pdq67

same cam i had(and going to put back in with these heads to see how it runs)
but i really liked the mid range and drivablility of that cam