Comp Cam
the down side, can be idle quality. I happen to like a slightly lumpy idle. It does take a little tuning and perhaps a fairly good ignition lead due to the low cylinder pressures at idle, but I feel the strong mid range and slight extension of the top end rpm is worth the price. For the same duration .the 108 offers slightly more overlap. Get a nice high lift cam ( relatively) and it can take a bigger gulp of the intake charge.
my vacuum at 800 rpm is 14" on most days this is at 3500 feet. So at sea level it would be slightly higher. Even in gear it's about 11" still plenty to run the brakes and all the vacuum accessories.
My earlier comment about getting his car dynoed (directed at jb78) was pointed at him quoting his car having 440-450 hp all the time, which to me is just a shot in the dark based on what some other motors have done with similar parts. It always twists my gut a little to see people saying "my motor makes xxx horsepower!" when they have not tested it at all, how do you KNOW it makes that power? It is far more impressive to me to see a lower dyno-proven number than an inflated Gross horsepower guess.

This is similar to people claiming they have a 10 second car or an 11 second car when they've never been to the track.
If you look through GM, Edelbrock and Trickflows 'crate/top end' packages you'll get a good idea of what it takes to get 4XX hp. Surprisingly the GM ZZ4 cam or a 'cheater' version of it can get you 500+hp. There are a lot of threads on Speedtalk about modifying the 604 crate engine which uses the ZZ4 cam.....
Call Straub or Mike Jones....
PLUS, there literally article after article of SBC Gen 1 355 builds with AFR 180 heads and very similar cams to my Howards Roller cam specs with LESS compression making an easy 425 Gross HP dyno numbers. Here is just one:
http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/148...-engine-build/
Finally, I have raced a few sedans and formula cars in my experience and know HP versus weight and what it feels like with certain HP levels...I really don't care about a dyno number for my engine, personally, and not so sure why some are wound up about an estimate for MY engine. The 505 Net HP in my 10 C6Z06 with 3,100lbs weight also gives my a good comparator for the 78 C3.
Just to be clear, since I have all ready spent way too much time explaining for something I should not have to explain, my Gross HP number I did not just make up............It is my estimate based on more than a few parameters. Makes zero difference to me if you buy that number or not............
Last edited by jb78L-82; Jun 20, 2018 at 01:46 PM.
PLUS, there literally article after article of SBC Gen 1 355 builds with AFR 180 heads and very similar cams to my Howards Roller cam specs with LESS compression making an easy 425 Gross HP dyno numbers. Here is just one:
http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/148...-engine-build/
Finally, I have raced a few sedans and formula cars in my experience and know HP versus weight and what it feels like with certain HP levels...I really don't care about a dyno number for my engine, personally, and not so sure why some are wound up about an estimate for MY engine. The 505 Net HP in my 10 C6Z06 with 3,100lbs weight also gives my a good comparator for the 78 C3.
Just to be clear, since I have all ready spent way too much time explaining for something I should not have to explain, my Gross HP number I did not just make up............It is my estimate based on more than a few parameters. Makes zero difference to me if you buy that number or not............
Not caring about a dyno number (as you say) is all well and good, but then why quote horsepower numbers for your motor? And along those lines, I see you quote "425+" and "440-450". There is a 25 horsepower swing in there, which again to anyone with knowledge of engines just sounds like throwing numbers out there.
And while I can respect the "butt dyno" of having driven multiple cars at different power levels, it is far from an accurate measure. My C3 FEELS significantly faster than my brother's 2016 STI (which has a dyno proven 402 whp on an AWD dyno), but in reality his car pulls on me a bit. Comparing one car to another and saying your C3 FEELS as fast as a Z06 and therefore has to be making a certain power level (I realize you are not saying that, just using the cars in your example) is no different than when teenagers do "ricer math" and say "I beat car A, and car A beat car B, therefore I must have X power and be faster than car B!".
All I'm saying is, your estimate is based on what a magazine article (using different components than you and has a vested interest in making a good power number) and an engine builder (who DEFINITELY has a vested interest in telling you a good power number) have said your engine should make. Why not prove it so you can tell people the number your motor makes? Or if, as you say, you don't care about dyno numbers, why quote numbers that you haven't proven with your motor?
I know this is the internet and my comments might be taken as insulting, so trust me when I say I don't mean to be offensive or rude to you. All of this is stuff I would say to a friend over a beer.
Not caring about a dyno number (as you say) is all well and good, but then why quote horsepower numbers for your motor? And along those lines, I see you quote "425+" and "440-450". There is a 25 horsepower swing in there, which again to anyone with knowledge of engines just sounds like throwing numbers out there.
And while I can respect the "butt dyno" of having driven multiple cars at different power levels, it is far from an accurate measure. My C3 FEELS significantly faster than my brother's 2016 STI (which has a dyno proven 402 whp on an AWD dyno), but in reality his car pulls on me a bit. Comparing one car to another and saying your C3 FEELS as fast as a Z06 and therefore has to be making a certain power level (I realize you are not saying that, just using the cars in your example) is no different than when teenagers do "ricer math" and say "I beat car A, and car A beat car B, therefore I must have X power and be faster than car B!".
All I'm saying is, your estimate is based on what a magazine article (using different components than you and has a vested interest in making a good power number) and an engine builder (who DEFINITELY has a vested interest in telling you a good power number) have said your engine should make. Why not prove it so you can tell people the number your motor makes? Or if, as you say, you don't care about dyno numbers, why quote numbers that you haven't proven with your motor?
I know this is the internet and my comments might be taken as insulting, so trust me when I say I don't mean to be offensive or rude to you. All of this is stuff I would say to a friend over a beer.
And for the record, I'm jealous of your AFR heads and roller cam! I'm hoping to have more power under the hood soon, and I've been flip flopping between trying to make my Gen 1 as good as I can make it (within reason) and put a nice retro-roller setup and some higher compression pistons in, or just say screw it and start working on converting to fuel injection and run an LS motor. Got my Quadrajet running so good after an extensive overhaul (courtesy of alot of new carb knowledge from Cliff Ruggle's book) that fuel injection seems less important now...
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
I think most of here, if asked, could whip up a 400hp 350 without thinking too hard. Flat top pistons, 170cc+ small chamber heads, performer RPM intake and an off the shelf roller cam. How could you not get 400 out of that?
use this calaculator to determine you dynamic CR with various cam specs.
http://www.jeepstrokers.com/forum/calculator/
at at a true 11:1 CR , actually measured, not assumed, the quench will have to be spot on that means near to .040” as you can get or slightly less depending on clearance with the valves. A good cooling system and good mixture control along with proper timing to avoid detonation issues on pump fuel.
i can actually run 87 octane with no detonation issues, but usually run 91 to avoid ethanol. My quench is at .038” with AFR heads angle milled down to 55.5 ccs. and still have valve clearance.
since your block has been bored it may be zero decked as well, something that will have to be known to get proper head gaskets for that quench.
For example, I put in a 280 cam on a 108 with 7 cc flat tops with your 4.060 bore and came up with a 10.28CR and a dynamic of 8.28 at sea level.
285 cam gives an 8.1 DCR.
play around with the calculator see what you come up with.
not sure how you are getting 11:1 what pistons, and chamber volume you using?
Last edited by REELAV8R; Jun 20, 2018 at 10:42 PM.
well the vacuum advance did have to be altered to accommodate the low idle vacuum.
but if it concerns you get a 110 LSA
Last edited by REELAV8R; Jun 20, 2018 at 09:22 PM.





Last edited by Sigforty; Jun 20, 2018 at 10:52 PM.





Last edited by Buccaneer; Jun 21, 2018 at 08:17 PM.
Those who don't Need To Know, usually don't care and don't feel the need to bost.
I've dyno tuned a couple of my motorcycles with EFI just to get them spot on and tune the best performance out of the machine, but never even asked what the motor put out or collected the dyno sheets.
I probably won't dyno my 496 either.
It really won't matter what it puts out as long as it runs good, strong and is dependable.
I guess that depends on the use of the motor. I couldn't care less what power my street car makes but as a racer I dyno'd every single motor I built (multiple times throughout the year as conditions change) not only for tuning but also to see that graph so I know exactly where the torque and HP curves are so that I can optimize the starting RPM for my launch. It also serves as a benchmark for wear so I know when the motor starts to drop in HP that I will need a rebuild.
Just tossing another view out there.
Anyway, back to the OP: I have run Comp cams in the past and chose to go with them in my current build because it is a company that I know and have had good luck with. While I agree that there are a lot of quality cam companies out there I think there is a general 'elitism' on this board in general; my corvette is special so I need a special cam.
While I don't begrudge anyone that attitude and absolutely believe that 'to each their own', I think you will find that any 'production' company here tends to take a back seat to the boutique shops in terms of public opinion. I suppose if I were looking to squeak every drop of power out of a mill that I would be more picky in my choice however, like you, I am putting together a pretty mild motor by today's standards and just want something that will provide decent power, sound good, and not break. I feel that Comp meets all those requirements.
In the end the choice is yours.
http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/148...-engine-build/
Sallee Chevrolet used to offer a “Super Sallee Chevy ZZ4” back in the day that I can’t seem to find the old specs for at this time. They ended up with AFR 195s (angle milled to 58cc for ~10.1 comp.) with the hot cam kit and put out pretty impressive numbers.
Just to add my 0.02 cents to the above, I think it’s ok and appropriate to call a very street friendly Chevy 350-355 that makes solidly in the 400s/400s a beast. Sure you can get there as well with a 383, but then you can get a lot more as well (something about no replacement for displacement and such). I find the fun is in optimizing the performance around the given displacement (overall performance that is still drivable) .
Didn't mean to offend you, was just saying almost zero and Ray is long gone. WOW
Just tossing another view out there.
Anyway, back to the OP: I have run Comp cams in the past and chose to go with them in my current build because it is a company that I know and have had good luck with. While I agree that there are a lot of quality cam companies out there I think there is a general 'elitism' on this board in general; my corvette is special so I need a special cam.
While I don't begrudge anyone that attitude and absolutely believe that 'to each their own', I think you will find that any 'production' company here tends to take a back seat to the boutique shops in terms of public opinion. I suppose if I were looking to squeak every drop of power out of a mill that I would be more picky in my choice however, like you, I am putting together a pretty mild motor by today's standards and just want something that will provide decent power, sound good, and not break. I feel that Comp meets all those requirements.
In the end the choice is yours.
http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/148...-engine-build/
Sallee Chevrolet used to offer a “Super Sallee Chevy ZZ4” back in the day that I can’t seem to find the old specs for at this time. They ended up with AFR 195s (angle milled to 58cc for ~10.1 comp.) with the hot cam kit and put out pretty impressive numbers.
Just to add my 0.02 cents to the above, I think it’s ok and appropriate to call a very street friendly Chevy 350-355 that makes solidly in the 400s/400s a beast. Sure you can get there as well with a 383, but then you can get a lot more as well (something about no replacement for displacement and such). I find the fun is in optimizing the performance around the given displacement (overall performance that is still drivable) .









