i have a 312 engine in my 56 and would like to increase the power some.it has been bored 30 over and balanced and has a 57 dist. and will maybe run duel 4 set up like jim rowe has.my question is what cam do you guys think i should use.it will be a street car but i want it to scoot.it is a standard shift with overdrive and has a station wagon 4.09 rear end  carl 

I would check with John Mummert at Y-Block.com.  I believe that he will give you advice on anything that you might need.

Jan  Urbanczyk  Major USMC Ret.

                                                                 Bowie Maryland

Carl, Comp cams has a grind from their Max Area series (MA259-1) 232 @50 110 degrees +4   Be sure to state they add .002 rake to the lobes on the cam because the lift with a 1.5 rocker ratio is .495 and a 1.6 ratio is .528 and the rake helps the lifters rotate better and keeps the lobes and lifters from going south.  Keep in mind that this is theoretical lift and when you adjust the valves .019" the lift isn't quite as high.  I've run this cam before and it is very much alive and still streetable.

-Gary Burnette-

Carl,



My 312 is bored .40. I used a S270 ( Clay Smith Cam) from John Mummert. I also used the 105 pound springs, tubular push rods. My 1.54 rocker arms were well worn, so I used new 1.45 rockers with my ECZ-C stock heads. Also used the copper head gasket to increase the compression.

The cam likes to be advanced 3 degrees so I am told. I installed mine using the stock timing chain. I don't know if it's advanced or retarded as I didn't degree it. At first I wasn't impressed with the idle. I just put more ign. advance in about 12 degrees and it idles fine in gear at about 750 RPM. With a stick and a 500 RPM idle it should lope some.

The reason I choose this cam is the lift was .440 ( check John's sight) so I didn't have to cut the guides. With the stick and the gears you have a bigger cam will work for you. But remember when going up in lift and duration you will have more power both HP and torque at higher RPM's. I wanted plenty of mid range power for my street driver, mine is a cruizer.

Car runs sweet and the cam comes on at around 2200 RPM and pulls easy to 5000 ++.

My car also has the 57 dist with a pertronics and the flame thrower coil they recommend.

Would I use this cam again......Yes! It works for me.

My next step will be ECZ-G heads and headers along with the 1.54 rockers.



Good Luck and keep on "Y"ing..



Jim

  Jim Rowe Elkhorn, NE

thanks for the advice.i will probably call mummert and give him my combination and see what he recommends.couldnt find anything on comp cams. carl

Comp cams have the blanks. They can give you any grind you want.1-800-999-0853  and sak for Gordan Hollaway.  John Mummert is good as well. My reason for using comp is they have so many grinds to choose from and really get close to the small details in your needs. They can sale me a street and strip cam that will outperform an old school race cam of yesteryear that was only good for the track.

-Gary Burnette-

Gary - I have often thought about using Comp cams.  What would I be looking at as far as a base price goes, and what kind of grinds/specs are you running?

Dan

Daniel Jessup

Lancaster, California

aka "The Hot Rod Reverend"
check out the 1955 Ford Fairlane build at www.hotrodreverend.com

Daniel, I'm also running the beehive springs from comp cams but the heads have to be machined for these springs and my cam would be a little big for a stock engine.  My earlier post using the MA259 cam is a cam that really wakes up a mild to strong y-block.  These cams have excellent lifts @ 050" while keeping the running duration low enough for excellent torque on the street and carry the rpms thru 5500 no sweat.  The thing is what are you looking to do with your engine?  How big will it be?  what stroke, auto or stick, what gear ratio?  The MA259 cam is 232°@.050" 110 lobe separation built in 4 degrees advance, the lift is a little over .500" with 1.54 rockers.  I used this cam and it did great but with my bore and stroke I went to a larger MA267.  Keep in mind I've used the 270° 224°@.050" and the MA259 will clean it's clock.

-Gary Burnette-

finally made up my mind on a cam. i ordered a comp cam ma 259-1 and it came in today only trouble it arrived in two peices what a bummer.i called comp and they are going to grind me another one.the package wasnt damaged but comp seemed to think it had been dropped.hope this isnt a bad omen of things to come  Carl

I hope their not getting their cam blanks from China, that would scare me.I don't like the sound of one breaking from being dropped. Maybe Ted or some of the others can chime in and give there opinions?

-Gary Burnette-