Hi,
I am going to put a 1988 Camaro 305 roller cam engine into my 1970 shop truck. I will have the heads checked, new springs if necessary, valve seals and use a 600 Holley on an Edelbrock manifold.
I would like the idle to have a little lumpiness to it, don't care how much HP gain. I will add glass packs and maybe headers.
It has a gas-guzzling 250 six cylinder in the truck now, gas mileage can't be worse!
Does anyone know specifically what LT1 cam I should get, can I use the 305's roller lifters? I'll probably put a new (possibly double) timing chain and oil pump.
Any specific part numbers or advice would be greatly appreciated. Please don't suggest I get a 350 instead, I have this 305 sitting in my garage and am trying to make this as cheap a project as possible.
Thanks in advance.

 

Why would you buy a cam based on the noise it makes instead of the power it makes? You WANT it to run bad at idle?

 

"Why would you buy a cam based on the noise it makes instead of the power it makes? You WANT it to run bad at idle?"

OK, maybe a poor choice of words.
This is my shop truck. I'm retired and owned many hotrods and muscle cars in my life. I don't think the 305 is much of a performance engine, but the one I have was pulled as a running reliable engine. I'm going to use it without a computer, with an old Edelbrock hi-rise and Holley carb, keep the stock roller lifters, and put a cam in it. I probably will gain only 25 HP with the cam, since I have stock heads etc., so I am not expecting it to be a street racer, and don't want it to be. I like the sound of a cam with a nice overlap, so that's what I'm looking for. I don't think of a "lumpy" idle as running badly and don't want so wild a cam, that it will run badly. I want a cam that will smooth out as the speed picks up and sound like our street cars sounded in 1969.
I have heard the LT1 cam is a good choice, but don't know much about it's idle characteristics.
Thanks for your concern.

 

TTT