My son (15) has an 81 Camaro. We are getting the 350 engine rebuilt and because of budget and age of the driver, we were planning on doing a stock rebuild. The rebuilder asked if we wanted to have them put in a "mild performance" cam for around $70 extra. We could use a little (maybe even a lot) input. What cryteria should we use for deciding on a cam. It will be a daily driver with a quadrajet carb and headers.

Thanks,
Dave

It depends on the rest of the drivetrain. If the rest of the drivetrain is basically stock, then I'd keep it stock or as close to stock as possible, especially for a first time driver.

If it was someone with more driving experience and the car not so much a daily driver, then my answer would most definitely be different.

A nicely built 350 with headers and a good manifold/carb setup will put out plenty of power and sound great. I've got a totally untouched 350/260hp Goodwrench engine in my 80 Malibu. It has an Edelbrock Performer Intake, Holley 600 carb, Headers and a 2.5" Pypes exhaust. It's perfect for cruising & daily driving, makes plenty of smoke and exhaust music.

Stock is trouble free for break in, will require no carb rejetting, and have zero driveability issues. If you choose a different cam, keep it under 205° duration @ .050" intake, no more than 10° extra exhaust duration, on a 110 lobe separation or greater. Melling MTC-1 falls into those specs, is cheap, and works fine with stock engines.

Ah, yes!

The old generic "Performer" cam Summit sells for about that including lifters!

The 204/214. 112/107, .420"/.443" jobber!!

Great old cam for a stocker, one up cam!!

pdq67

A little bit of cam can go a long ways in these cars. A more modern grind that does not have a lot more duration will make the car more powerful while maximizing gas mileage (efficiency) .
Something along the lines of the Isky 262/270HL (208/216@050 .435/.445 lift) is bout as big as I would go. If you kid wants some rattle in the idle... what am I saying if he's 15 of course he does; order the cam on a 108 lobe seperation. The narrow lobe seperation will give him a little bit of a rough idle without ruining the powerband.
Part # 201262/270-8

Ah, yes!

The old generic "Performer" cam Summit sells for about that including lifters!

The 204/214. 112/107, .420"/.443" jobber!!

Great old cam for a stocker, one up cam!!

pdq67

Exactly what we put in my sons 80 chev pick up a few years ago. Woke it right up, even with stock cast iron exhausts.

I would also recommed, along with the cam suggested above, that you pass on the "stock replacement" dished pistons in favor of a set of flattop pistons. If you're buying pistons anyway (overboring the cylinders as part of a rebuild) a set of flattops won't run you any more money than stock dished pistons. This will raise the compression ratio with the stock smog-era heads out of the toilet (low 8s) and up to a slightly more resonable level (high 8s). Not only will this give a nice bump in power across the board, especially with a mild performance cam like that suggested above, it will also increase fuel economy- and yes, you can still run cheap gas in it.

Use this to figure your CR.

http://www.campbellenterprises.com/Race%20math%20calculators.htm

Dish at -12 cc's and -5 cc's for 4-notch flat-tops. Then use either the .015" to .020" thick shims vs about .039" composite headgaskets w/ like 76 cc heads and a DITH piston of a stock, right at .025".

64 cc heads w/ flat-tops and .020" shims will put you right at 10 to 1!

Add a CC 270 Magnum or Harold design'ed 268 VooDoo for a SOTA cam, a stock Q-Jet intake system and a set of headers and you will be looking at probably right at 350hp easy, imho!!

pdq67

I put this one in my 77 Z28 - stock LM1 - intake, heads, exhaust manifolds. I also put new flat top pistons in it as well.

This cam was recommended by my good buddy doechsle (Dennis)

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=SUM%2D1103&autoview=sku

I would certainly do a one-up "mild performance" cam in during the rebuilt...why not?:rolleyes: You can still achieve good mpg #'s and that,headers,and a nice 4bbl carb will wake up a stock rebuilt up nicely.

Just Du It...

Imho, right Shane, that 214/224 Summit cam is a dandy in a mild about 9.5 to 10 to 1 engine.............

It is a two-step up from GM's old -929 cam at 195/202!! The old Performer 204/214 is right in the middle!

pdq67