Cam selection for 383 (385) stroker
Old Pro Solo Guy
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 8,095
Likes: 4,449
From: Marlton NJ
I bought my dream car C3 BB 3 years ago with the intent of driving it every summer and fixing it up every winter. Still have not driven it yet! When I looked it over good I did not like what I saw. So I decided to rebuild everything. It evolved into a full frame-off $30k in parts restoration.
Oh well, I am still having fun! And it will be worth it in the end.
This weeks high point...My TREMEC arrived!
Oh well, I am still having fun! And it will be worth it in the end.
This weeks high point...My TREMEC arrived!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 646
Likes: 295
From: Blairsville, Ga
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 646
Likes: 295
From: Blairsville, Ga
You bought your car for $3800??? Dude....You are so far ahead of the curve you can afford to make a few mistakes. I didnt realize yours wasnt the earlier
years. I've been going off that because mine is a 72. You do have a little more room under there to play with. If it was me, I'd wait till you have
the motor in the car to test the height and before you buy something. Start by using what you have, and then order from one of the big stores.
You'll have what you need in 3 days, or in your case just drive down to ATL and pick it up.
BTW, I've been doing this **** for over 60 years and I still need help. Anybody who says he knows everything is full of ****
S.F.
years. I've been going off that because mine is a 72. You do have a little more room under there to play with. If it was me, I'd wait till you have
the motor in the car to test the height and before you buy something. Start by using what you have, and then order from one of the big stores.
You'll have what you need in 3 days, or in your case just drive down to ATL and pick it up.
BTW, I've been doing this **** for over 60 years and I still need help. Anybody who says he knows everything is full of ****
S.F.
He called me back the next day and offered it for $3,800 not a dime less.
So I made the 2+ hour back down there to pick it up.
Yeah, I’d really like to use the intake I’ve already got, if possible.
Semper Fi, brother!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 646
Likes: 295
From: Blairsville, Ga
I bought my dream car C3 BB 3 years ago with the intent of driving it every summer and fixing it up every winter. Still have not driven it yet! When I looked it over good I did not like what I saw. So I decided to rebuild everything. It evolved into a full frame-off $30k in parts restoration.
Oh well, I am still having fun! And it will be worth it in the end.
This weeks high point...My TREMEC arrived!
Oh well, I am still having fun! And it will be worth it in the end.
This weeks high point...My TREMEC arrived!
Enjoy!!
Im just wanting a simple weekend cruiser for myself without taking out a second mortgage. 😬
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Sorry I was wrong to be so harsh. But I was in the navy 
.
Ive always told people in the past that full roller motors add about $2000 to the building cost. That cost number is much higher today. You need. Longer valve stems, better springs, steel roller rockers. 7/16th ARP rocker studs, better push rods, roller lifters, and the best billet steel timing chain sets.
. Ive always told people in the past that full roller motors add about $2000 to the building cost. That cost number is much higher today. You need. Longer valve stems, better springs, steel roller rockers. 7/16th ARP rocker studs, better push rods, roller lifters, and the best billet steel timing chain sets.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,031
Likes: 1,121
From: North tonawanda NY
IDK I think many performance builds already have decent head components and double timing chains. 2 grand just to install a roller cam alone is an exaggeration IMO, Unless your just assuming everyone doing so only upgrades those other components when going to a roller.. Factory roller engines didnt need all that just because they were roller cams. My comp xe270hr retro roller upgrade was about $500... $295 for the cam shipped, $128 for the retro roller lifters from rock auto, and $45 for the howards pushrods.. $16 for the cam button and maybe $30 for gaskets. Everything else I already had from my flat tappet setup..A I know some believe there is no benefit to going roller on cams with less than 278 duration but thats simple not true from my experience. going from the vodoo 262/268 tappet cam to the com 270/276 roller cam was a pretty big jump in performance. Sorry for the condensed response... My "return/enter" key has stopped functioning a few days ago..
Last edited by augiedoggy; Jul 9, 2021 at 06:04 PM.
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Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 45,474
Likes: 892
From: Texas
CI 1-4-5-8-9-10 Vet
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '10, '17
Ive always told people in the past that full roller motors add about $2000 to the building cost. That cost number is much higher today. You need. Longer valve stems, better springs, steel roller rockers. 7/16th ARP rocker studs, better push rods, roller lifters, and the best billet steel timing chain sets.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 45,474
Likes: 892
From: Texas
CI 1-4-5-8-9-10 Vet
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '10, '17
Good luck. Cars are an expensive hobby, but many hobbies are. It’s also very rewording as you work through troubleshooting and solving the issues that will arise.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
I'm talking about lifts exceeding. 560. Larger diameter and taller springs run cooler. So your typical after market head like AFR come with. 100 longer valve stems. Both of my vette motors have. .200 longer valve stems for 2.050 installed height to accommodate over .700 valve lift
The push rods are also longer than standard to keep the valve train geometry correct
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,031
Likes: 1,121
From: North tonawanda NY
See thats what im talking about.. I had the .100 longer valves already as well. A lot of aftermarket heads require them regardless of cam.
Last edited by augiedoggy; Jul 10, 2021 at 02:35 AM.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 646
Likes: 295
From: Blairsville, Ga
Sorry I was wrong to be so harsh. But I was in the navy .
Ive always told people in the past that full roller motors add about $2000 to the building cost. That cost number is much higher today. You need. Longer valve stems, better springs, steel roller rockers. 7/16th ARP rocker studs, better push rods, roller lifters, and the best billet steel timing chain sets.
.Ive always told people in the past that full roller motors add about $2000 to the building cost. That cost number is much higher today. You need. Longer valve stems, better springs, steel roller rockers. 7/16th ARP rocker studs, better push rods, roller lifters, and the best billet steel timing chain sets.
I understand completely. I tend to be a little harsh myself. It runs in my blood!
😎
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 45,474
Likes: 892
From: Texas
CI 1-4-5-8-9-10 Vet
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '10, '17
to me, post 105 implied that if you switched to a roller cam, then longer valve stems are required. Period. The post said nothing about valve lift > .560.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,031
Likes: 1,121
From: North tonawanda NY
And thats a negative...The length of the valve stem has nothing to do with whether one has a flat tappet, solid or roller cam. many aftermarket heads are set up for lager lift cams regardless of type and that is one reason the stems are longer. Another is the actual head thickness if I understand correctly.. Again my point is the difference between a retro roller cam and equally sized flat tappet is the cost of the cm, retro lifters and pushrods.. the other high lift, high performance stuff is usually required regardless.
Last edited by augiedoggy; Jul 10, 2021 at 08:04 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 45,474
Likes: 892
From: Texas
CI 1-4-5-8-9-10 Vet
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '10, '17
And thats a negative...The length of the valve stem has nothing to do with whether one has a flat tappet, solid or roller cam. many aftermarket heads are set up for lager lift cams regardless of type and that is one reason the stems are longer. Another is the actual head thickness if I understand correctly.. Again my point is the difference between a retro roller cam and equally sized flat tappet is the cost of the cm, retro lifters and pushrods.. the other high lift, high performance stuff is usually required regardless.
absolutely.Also, It used to be that one took a major *** pounding when buying retro roller rockers. The price you mention in post 108, shows that is no longer the case. That’s an awesome price.
BTW, I’ll be “going roller” next year, but it will be done with a roller 383 block swap
Last edited by need-for-speed; Jul 10, 2021 at 08:34 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Not correct, from the valve seat to the spring seat is the same distance. Aluminum heads are milled for bigger 1.46 or so springs. Aluminum heads require spring shims to protect the aluminum
Generally people don't invest in aluminum heads to put in flat tappet low lift cams
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 923
Likes: 155
From: North Port, FL
What is the benefit of LS lifters? I just bought a GM, ZZ383 gen 2 block vortec alum heads and a roller setup. Anybody know what lifters are in here?
Part # according to the spec sheet is 17120735. Also, anyone know who actually makes the alum heads and camshaft ?
Thanks
Part # according to the spec sheet is 17120735. Also, anyone know who actually makes the alum heads and camshaft ?
Thanks