Want to put a cam into a 350 that came out of an 80-85 chevy pick up 4 bolt main. Stock componenets accept for intake, carb, headers, oil pump. Any suggestions on a good cam that will work with the stock set up? want it to thump but want it reliable to. thanks

 

What heads are you running?? What injection/carb setup?? I would say Compxe256/Xe262 or maybe the stand buy Xe268. All depends on application and use?

 

just the stock heads, no bore. i want to be able to drive it everyday and have it be reliable, but at the same time give me some thump. i've got a 650 holley carb attached to an eldebrock RPM performer aluminum high rise that is going on it.

 

I wouldnt recomend to much cam, with the low compression your going to be running. I would think something in the 218to220 dutation with about 450ish lift on a 110lsa would work alright. The comp 268 line should work out ok and give you a bit of an idle. Im sure others will chime in, just give it a little time.

 

The XE268 should do. The XE262 would be a little more street friendly, less likely to have interference problems with the valve guides.

You'll need new valve springs.

 

A roller cam is highly recommended regardless of how aggresive you want to get.

 

In a pre-roller block it is an expense that is nearly impossible to justify in anything but a full-out race car.

 

I learned the hard way. Rebuilding a block because a cam lobe failed is very expensive.

 

i found a summit cam (SUM-1105) that a guy i know recommended to me. Its 224/234 duration, .465/.488 lift.... Comes complete with lifters for 90 dollars....seems to cheap to be true...but i do want to spend under 250 on the cam...would this one work?
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also the other one im looking at is a crane cam.. (CRN-100172) it has 218 duration and 450 lift. for 130 and also includes the lifters.

 

You'd get better torque/power across the RPM range with the XE. As the old saying goes, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

I've never wiped out a flat tappet cam. It's a matter of proper installation and break-in.

 

how much will the XE run me, and who makes it? cant find a price or anything for some reason...

 

This was a matter of longevity.
Over 50 thousand miles of steady abuse ( but with regular oil changes ) it finally gave up. Probably wouldn't have happened with a roller.

As far as roller vs. flat tappet. I've read that more power under the curve can be had with a roller. Similar lift values with shorter duration which builds low rpm torque. Isn't that what we're after in a street car?
Maybe it dosen't apply in this situation.