Thread: cam for 383

Tweet

I'm building a 383 sb for a friend of mine. it's a street/strip 1966 el camino. the eng is 9.8 compression w/RHS vortec heads. He wants a nice cam sound so i want to know how that comp xe 268 sounds in a 383 sb. Does anyone have any experience with this cam? Should I maybe step up to the 274 xe?
ihaven't built too many smallblocks...i've built more big blocks. The car has a 3:55 gear and a 2200 coverter so the 274 will be fine but i would rather use the 268 for a bit more torque. thanks for any help.

I would say with the 9.8.1 C/R and your 355 Gear / 2200 stall the XE268H will work better and yes you will have more Low end Torque with it .

ok thankyou. will it have a noticeable idle?

if sound is all your after theres always the thumper cams

yes you need to get one of them comp cam s big mother thumper cams

I had a 406sbc built about 2 years ago. D-dish hyper pistons, 9.7:1 comp, heavily ported 461 feulie heads, air gap intake, 1 3/4" headers with 2 1/2" full exhaust with Dynomax super turbos, etc with a XE274 cam in it. Yes the idle was noticable. Like a mild anger! Not pro stock evil or anything, but healthy. Certainly enough to get a few disaproving looks from some neighbors. I imagine a xe268 in a 383 would be a little bit tamer than a xe274 in a 406.

Rumpety-rump is a function of lobe separation angle. Call up Comp and have them grind the 268 on a 106 degree lobe separation angle.

Most of the short track camshafts are 106-108 L/S . But you will have very Low vacum . If you have power brakes don't run a camshaft Like this !

could you run a vacuum canister to help cleat this up?

Crane still has some of their Energizer series cams ground on 106 l/s.
These cams are symetrical but they are "shelf-cams".



An example would be Crane part #274 H06.Specs. are .450/.450 lift duration at .050 is 218/218, l/s is 106.
Basic power band is 2,200 - 5,200 rpms.



Another Crane part number is # 282 H06,specs. are .470/.470 lift,duration at .050 is 226/226.l/s is 106.
Basic power band is 2,500 - 5,500 rpms.

I'm going with the tried and true: isky 280 232/232 450/450 108
i've used this one before. It pulls hard and sounds good. Also, it will bleed a little bit of cylinder pressure off. Thanks for all of the replies.

Thats a really out of date cam profile.........I would think for almost the same price you could get a custom cam ,with alot more torque and power.

Originally Posted by shawnlee28

Thats a really out of date cam profile.........I would think for almost the same price you could get a custom cam ,with alot more torque and power.

X2,
That is an 80's symetrical grind.
I would look at some of the new Lunati Voo Doo cams or the Comp. Cams XE cam.
I.M.O.,you are giving up 25-35 hp with the Isky cam.

i've never built a 383 before. it's good to hear all of the replies of advise. I'll give crane a call on the custom grinds. I prefer crane but may go with the 274 comp grind. thanks for all of the help guys.

Originally Posted by flanker1970

i've never built a 383 before. it's good to hear all of the replies of advise. I'll give crane a call on the custom grinds. I prefer crane but may go with the 274 comp grind. thanks for all of the help guys.

If you are having one ground you might as well have one ground on a small or reduced base circle to help clear the rotating assemble.