Car is a 91 T/A 305, but will be installing 305 block from 86 T/A. I'm redoing the 91 heads to put on the 86 block, reusing the 91 TPI setup, and I want to make the 86 block a roller.

Since it's a 305, budget build, and I am not really willing to trade mpg for minimal hp gains, I'm looking for a near-stock replacement cam that might be a minor upgrade from the original. Was very interested in the Summit cams because of the price and reputation, but apparently they don't make a roller cam.

Basically just looking for something that's cheap (not $300 like all the ones I'm seeing), reliable, and close to stock specs. I'd reuse the one from the '91 engine, but the idiot that owned it before me locked it up by running it with no oil. Any ideas?

 

roller cams arent cheap, then you have to match them with lifters and valve springs. let me do a quick check

 

roller cams for that motor are around 290, valve springs around 130, and lifters are around 300. building even a "stock replacement" roller motor isnt cheap. just for my mild 355 roller setup is around 1300. but thats cam,lifters,valve springs, pushrods, and other odds and ends

 

Thanks for checking -- I did some checking of my own, and it turns out that my 86 block can NOT be retrofitted with a roller cam since it's missing 3 "special bolt holes" in the intake valley. Oh well.

So I guess I'll just go with another flat tappet from Summit. While we're at it, same question applies...I'm looking at the Summit K1102 kit, which looks to be pretty mild, and sure is priced right at $99 w/lifters. Anyone have any experience with this kit or any others from Summit?

 

Not quite right - you can't use a factory roller setup on a ft sbc, due to the lack of spider retainer bosses as you mentioned, and no cam retainer.

You CAN do a retro-roller, using the link-bar style lifters, shorter pushrods, and a cam button in front. Lifters are pricey though.