I have stock 305(LB9) heads on my car and I want to put in a new cam. I plan on getting heads over the winter so I don't want to have to buy springs that are specific to the cam I buy just to through them aside when I get new heads(that already come with good springs).
I am also siamesing my intake approx 4" while it is off so I shouldn't have any problem getting enough air through the higher lift of the new cam. I know that my heads will now be the restriction and they will be next


So I need to know how much lift the stock valvetrain can handle without any modifications.

Thanks
Hodge

 

ttt

 

keep it under .480

 

I agree, anything more than that and you'll need to use screw in studs. You need to check for coil bind and make sure you ain't mashing the stem seals. Why are you asking? are you putting a cam in before the new heads go on?

 

Yeah, I'm thinking about it. I already have the intake off and I'm going to be replacing the water pump too so I'll really just be valvecovers and timing cover away from doing the cam now. I plan to get some L98/ZZ4 aluminum heads since they will go onto the 305. Then since everything I am doing will bolt right on to a 355 or 383 I'll just get a short block and throw the aluminum heads and siamesed intake on that. At that point I'll want a different cam anyway so then I could get one that is better matched to the new combo. That is all probably more than a year down the road though so I'd like to have a better cam to cruise around with until the 355 or 383 block goes in.
So I'm looking for a cam that'll work with the stock heads and then the L98/ZZ4 aluminum heads until I get a new short block

So you think .480 is safe with the stock valvetrain for about 6 months then?