Paul L

To what extent would a #3863151 (327/350hp, L79) cam perk up a base 327/300hp engine without other mods?

Stewart's74

Paul, I havent seen him here for quite a while.

Gordonm

It would definitly help but I would go with a more modern grind. The old cams were good in their day but cam manufacturing has come a long way. The ramps and profiles are a lot better and make more power. Unless you are going to extremes in correct restoration I would put in a different cam.

Paul L

Quite true. I thought I would try.

Paul L

I was thinking of this unit. I thought it was an up-to-date version.
http://www.gmpartsdepot.com/store/pr...roduct_ID=1469

Gordonm

Not a bad cam. The duration numbers look OK but it looks a little low on lift. I would like to see about .460 to .470 lift on a cam of that duration. You could use 1.6 rockers to get that cam up to about .470 lift.

Paul L

I wish to stay with the rest of the valve train stock.

gdh

that cam has the same duration (222) as mine but I have .50 lift. For my 383 stroker it is a fairly mild cam (1.6 rockers) I have no complaints as it is good for street/cruising and will also not embarass on the track.


[Modified by gdh, 11:39 PM 12/19/2003]

Smokehouse69

Paul, I had one in my 69 350, with a TH400 and a 3.08 rearend. It is not a good cam for an automatic equipped car with a stock torque converter and a 3.08 rear end. Not much low end torque, I could barely bark the tires, but it pulled like crazy from 4500+.
One of the real cam experts can probably help you find the right cam for your car. One of the more modern cams that emphasize low and mid-range torque is probably the best bet for your car (it does have a powerglide, doesn't it?)

Paul L

You make an excellent point. And touch on one of my concerns. I do have the 327/300 with Powerglide and it rarely sees 4,000rpm. For most driving conditions the transmission shifts (its one time) well below 4,000. So it is indeed low- and mid-range torque that I am looking for. It could be that I am simply expecting too much from this engine and that a different cam (I do not know what is installed at the moment) will not alter performance a great deal. But I am open to comments and suggestions. At the moment the car idles smooth as a .... bum but feels "heavy" on acceleration: it lacks a bit of zip. This is not a tuning question as - touch wood - there is no sign of miss or bog.

In March of 1964 Road & Track tested the 327/Powerglide combo and came up with 0-60 at 8.0 seconds and the 1/4 mile at 15.2 seconds @ 85mph. So perhaps this is what I should be expecting! And I am seeing.

Ganey

Paul

That was a very popular cam for a long time w/ guys who liked mild cams. That cam is more similiar to the L-82 cam. You would like a more modern cam like a 260H or XE256.

Assuming the engine & cam are in good shape, what would probably make you happier is a 3 speed auto. first.

Paul L

Ganey,
Great to hear from you! I will have a look at the specs on those two cams. I wish to keep the car basically original so I am afraid a TH350 or 400 is not an option.

The Money Pit

I ran the 151 cam in a 327 that was in my 76 Chevelle.The low end does suck but once you hit 4000,hold on to your hat.The car was heavy,poorly geared and had soft springs which made for a wicked 1-2 shift at 6800rpms.Got 22 mpg too,which in my ARMY days came in handy due to lack of funds.

In your case I'd opt for something tamer if you plan on keeping only 327 inches and a two speed.You shold be able to hit 275-300 hp with lots of torque with a modern grind like the Comp XE-260.

Paul L

I checked the specs but I do not see much advantage in replacing what I have (?) with a "modern" cam like the 260H. Am I wrong on this?

JRD77VET

Hi Paul,
I checked at GM Parts Depot and item #12353918 http://www.gmpartsdepot.com/store/pr...roduct_ID=1471 is a marine cam.

Perhaps this may be more to your liking. I'm thinking more in the line of a marine/RV cam for what you described.

Take care and Merry Christmas
:seeya Jeff

Paul L

Jeff,
I wish I knew more about cams to make a reasoned choice. At this point I am retreating back: the car runs well, leave it alone. I had a flu shot yesterday and that may be clouding my judgement. These shots are to prevent the flu and not give it to you?

JRD77VET

Hi Paul,
They make the flu vacine from *killed* flu virus. It may make you not feel well as your body builds up antibodies.

You still have some months to gather information on the cam.

Hope you feel better soon,
Jeff