Big Inch Short Block
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 19,445
Likes: 353
From: Athens GA
St. Jude Donor '12-'13, '15- '16-'17-'18-'19, '21
AND they show the specs at .050, .100, .200 and .300
But I don't see any solid roller cams.
But great info for hydraulics.
Thanks for the post. Here's the link https://www.claysmithcams.com/
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 767
Likes: 74
From: Blaine MN
The first Cam that I got from Straub was ground with Lobes 0.010 taller than the Cam Bearing Journals, during the process of getting another Cam ground I had to contact Clay Smith (they do the grinding) to get shipment tracking info. I had a nice chat with one of the guys at Clay Smith because I wondered how it was possible to have a Cam go through Quality Assurance with Lobes so tall you couldn't get the Cam to go past the number two Bearing, he said sometimes a Custom Design (they grind for other Designers besides Straub) will have that happen (Lobes too tall).
I'm very happy with the performance of the design Straub put together, all of my vacuum doors work fine with 0.620 233 dur. and 109 LSA single pattern HR.
The Motor made 597hp un-tuned (pig rich, ran out of time on the Dyno), I'm curious if any other folks have 109 LSA and workable vacuum.
I'm not endorsing Straub or a particular grind, just saying a custom Cam from Straub is custom. Just because Clay Smith shows grinds similar doesn't mean Straub is purely re-boxing.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 9,063
Likes: 2,736
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Clay Smith
Just to stir the pot, I had Straub design a grind for my 460 BB. I can tell you for a fact that he designs the Lobe profiles, unless you think the Clay Smith folks are liars.
The first Cam that I got from Straub was ground with Lobes 0.010 taller than the Cam Bearing Journals, during the process of getting another Cam ground I had to contact Clay Smith (they do the grinding) to get shipment tracking info. I had a nice chat with one of the guys at Clay Smith because I wondered how it was possible to have a Cam go through Quality Assurance with Lobes so tall you couldn't get the Cam to go past the number two Bearing, he said sometimes a Custom Design (they grind for other Designers besides Straub) will have that happen (Lobes too tall).
I'm very happy with the performance of the design Straub put together, all of my vacuum doors work fine with 0.620 233 dur. and 109 LSA single pattern HR.
The Motor made 597hp un-tuned (pig rich, ran out of time on the Dyno), I'm curious if any other folks have 109 LSA and workable vacuum.
I'm not endorsing Straub or a particular grind, just saying a custom Cam from Straub is custom. Just because Clay Smith shows grinds similar doesn't mean Straub is purely re-boxing.
The first Cam that I got from Straub was ground with Lobes 0.010 taller than the Cam Bearing Journals, during the process of getting another Cam ground I had to contact Clay Smith (they do the grinding) to get shipment tracking info. I had a nice chat with one of the guys at Clay Smith because I wondered how it was possible to have a Cam go through Quality Assurance with Lobes so tall you couldn't get the Cam to go past the number two Bearing, he said sometimes a Custom Design (they grind for other Designers besides Straub) will have that happen (Lobes too tall).
I'm very happy with the performance of the design Straub put together, all of my vacuum doors work fine with 0.620 233 dur. and 109 LSA single pattern HR.
The Motor made 597hp un-tuned (pig rich, ran out of time on the Dyno), I'm curious if any other folks have 109 LSA and workable vacuum.
I'm not endorsing Straub or a particular grind, just saying a custom Cam from Straub is custom. Just because Clay Smith shows grinds similar doesn't mean Straub is purely re-boxing.
That was not my beef at all with him. My beef is I wanted to know what numbers I was getting before I paid for it, and he would not tell me.
I do know Mike Jones grinds his own cams, and I am ordering a cam this week from him. He willingly gave me every detail I asked him without reserve.
Last edited by Shovels and Vettes; Dec 9, 2019 at 03:13 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,403
Likes: 95
Look at the "GTA" cams listed on Straub website, under "Semi-Custom Cams", and the cams listed on Clay Smith Website....exactly same numbers. But that is perfectly fine. Straub might design hundreds of cams with different specs, way beyond these semi-custom web cams. And I don't care if Straub grinds his own cams or not. I am not sure he ever told me he did. And It is perfectly acceptable that his expertise is specifying cam numbers for a customer engine and even designing special cams that someone else grinds. In other words, from my point of view Straub doesn't have to grind cams at all to be a cam designer. His business could be strictly based on "numbers". That was not my beef at all with him. My beef is I wanted to know what numbers I was getting before I paid for it, and he would not tell me.
I do know Mike Jones grinds his own cams, and I am ordering a cam this week from him. He willingly gave me every detail I asked him without wenreserve.
I do know Mike Jones grinds his own cams, and I am ordering a cam this week from him. He willingly gave me every detail I asked him without wenreserve.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 1,052
Likes: 389
From: Woodinville WA
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 9,433
Likes: 124
Why? I strongly disagree, I have 10 of these in the works right now, with numerous in winning circle track cars, and customer street cars. It's the cheapest small block power you can build.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 9,433
Likes: 124
Comp Cams has responded with their cam recommendation. Its one of their Magnum Cams, 230 at 0.050, .560 lift, single pattern 110 LSA. I like most of it except the 230.......I think it needs to be down in low to mid .200, i.e. 224-225, with same lift. 110 LSA is going to be a middle of the road cam, and very popular.
Still waiting for Tony Mamo, and hope Chris Straub decides to tell me what he would sell me. I am also waiting for Crower.
Still waiting for Tony Mamo, and hope Chris Straub decides to tell me what he would sell me. I am also waiting for Crower.
You don't have to spend a ton of money to make a 400 SBC run.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 496
Likes: 153
From: San Francisco Bay Area
Look at the "GTA" cams listed on Straub website, under "Semi-Custom Cams", and the cams listed on Clay Smith Website....exactly same numbers. But that is perfectly fine. Straub might design hundreds of cams with different specs, way beyond these semi-custom web cams. And I don't care if Straub grinds his own cams or not. I am not sure he ever told me he did. Many others like Vizard are about specifying numbers and having big cam companies do the grinding. Maybe the cams advertised on Clay Smith website were designed by Straub for them? . And It is perfectly acceptable that his business is specifying cam numbers for a customer engine and even designing special cams that someone else grinds. In other words, from my point of view Straub doesn't have to grind cams at all to be a cam designer. His business could be strictly based on "numbers".
That was not my beef at all with him. My beef is I wanted to know what numbers I was getting before I paid for it, and he would not tell me.
I do know Mike Jones grinds his own cams, and I am ordering a cam this week from him. He willingly gave me every detail I asked him without reserve.
That was not my beef at all with him. My beef is I wanted to know what numbers I was getting before I paid for it, and he would not tell me.
I do know Mike Jones grinds his own cams, and I am ordering a cam this week from him. He willingly gave me every detail I asked him without reserve.
Last edited by platinummaker; Oct 23, 2020 at 10:26 PM.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 9,063
Likes: 2,736
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
This is my thread. Glad to see some are reading it, but I started it earlier this year, and I lost a summer of driving because I just could not find the motivation and time to complete the install. The engine was built by Jim Barth, and its in the car now, with most everything connected and hooked up. At this point in PA, driving season is over. I will have it up and running for the first good day next spring, and we will see what my 406 does. I used the Mike Jones cam,....and I will get a good list of my build posted soon,.....just too busy now with other things (I just bought a 69 Vette convertible project, that I intend to rebuild to big block427, black paint with red interior)...!!!!!
Last edited by Shovels and Vettes; Oct 24, 2020 at 12:08 PM.