Gary, Agreed - I always consult my cam grinder for guidance (not that I always heed their advice!). Hughes is particularly fond of using cranking cylinder pressure to dictate maximum duration - their website has some good examples. That said, my personal experience with low compression motors (I was low compression before low compression was cool) was that bigger camshafts still resulted in increased performance, even when larger than recommended by the cam grinder. True, we monkeyed with the timing, generally advancing the cam to move the power band down a bit. Will the power increase be as dramatic if the engine has lower compression? Probably not. But IMHO more power is still more power... Sure, you can over-cam, over-carburete, I remember a guy years back who had WAY too big a cam in a tiny, low compression motor (in a heavy car, no less) and it didn't make enough power to fall out of a tree. I don't think that's a danger here. Camshaft selection is a lot like choosing a woman - everybody has their own opinions and preferences. When it comes to Poly Motors, you're the guy I'd call for advice so I would certainly defer to your judgement! SC -----Original Message----- From: Gary Pavlovich [mailto:glpavlovich@xxxxxxx] Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 2:25 PM To: 1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: I'm starting a poll Steve, One concern was having enough compression to allow the camshaft to work properly; my thought was 274adv.dur.w/(230@.050") with 9 to 1 and a maximum of 284/290 with (234-240@.050") w/9.5 to 1. Just so happens Rich corrected me that he indeed has approx. 9.5 to 1 with 185lbs. cranking cyl. pressure. I am running10 to 1 in my 402" Poly Stroker with a (250@.050") Hyd. Roller w/.600" lift. Gary Pavlovich ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steven Charette" <stevec@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 6:31 AM Subject: RE: I'm starting a poll > > Rich, > If you have the converter for it, my vote is max out the camshaft. > My left brain embraces "More's Law" - "If more is good, too much is just > right." > > My first attempt at racing was just after I got out of college. My > '63 Fleet Special was bone stock, and I wanted to go fast. Being a 20 > year > old Expert at Everything, I read the Mopar Performance Bulletins and knew > that the cam and converter had to be matched, so I ordered a 3000 rpm > stall > converter and had Crower grind me a fairly radical hydraulic camshaft that > started making power at 3000 rpm. Man, I was gonna tear it up. > > Once we got her to the track, I was really disappointed with the way > the car left - no matter how I launched the car it would just kinda > "drone" > for about 30-40 feet, then all hell would break loose. The first 1-2 car > lengths reminded me of the way a city bus sounds when it pulls away from a > stop. It finally occurred to me that the motor didn't make enough below > 3000 rpm to actually stall the converter. > > Long story short, I ordered a Turbo Action 3800, and it really woke > the car up. At the same time I had removed the pushbuttons (I know, > horrors, but that's how I ended up doing what I do today!) and put in a > B&M > Series 60 shifter with a manual shift valve body (anybody remember the old > Kokomo manual valve body?). After the first two passes I was incredibly > disappointed - although the car was launching at a higher RPM, it still > just > didn't leave hard. > > A little bench racing with buddies revealed that the weight of my > right arm was pulling the shifter into second gear as soon as the car > moved > - once I physically took my hand off the shifter the thing left like a > rocket. > > Bottom line - be sure you have enough converter to let the camshaft > work and go nuts! > > SC > > -----Original Message----- > From: Rich Kinsley [mailto:rlkinsley@xxxxxxxxx] > Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2010 5:50 PM > To: 1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxx > Subject: I'm starting a poll > > > OK guys here's a poll for you. I'm discussing with Gary P about upgrading > the camshaft, at least, in LeRoar. I have the 264 cam and he's got a 274 > cam > which can be had with solid or hydraulic. But I think there is another cam > that is a step up more to I think 284deg. I'm not getting any younger and > I'd kinda lean towards the "I want to go too far" side. What are your > thoughts? Let the voting begin. > > Rich Kinsley '64 Dodge Polara 4dr 318poly w/goodies > > > ---- > Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person -- > directly to that person. I.e., send parts/car transactions and > negotiations > as well as other personal messages only to the intended recipient, not to > the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect your privacy, > reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content signal to Mopar > topic. Thanks! > > 1962 to 1965 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines: > http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html and > http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/general_disclaimer.html. > > > ---- > Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person -- > directly to that person. I.e., send parts/car transactions and > negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended > recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect > your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content > signal to Mopar topic. Thanks! > > 1962 to 1965 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines: > http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html and > http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/general_disclaimer.html. > > ---- Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person -- directly to that person. I.e., send parts/car transactions and negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content signal to Mopar topic. Thanks! 1962 to 1965 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines: http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html and http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/general_disclaimer.html. ---- Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person -- directly to that person. I.e., send parts/car transactions and negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content signal to Mopar topic. Thanks! 1962 to 1965 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines: http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html and http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/general_disclaimer.html.