Here's what we were trying to achieve:
1 Quiet exhaust, but free flowing
2 Smooth shake free idle, but not wimpy
3 Gobs of torque down low plus great power up high
4 Emissions legal
5 Low underhood noise (stealthy)
6 Wife, girlfriend, police approved

I got a call a few weeks ago from Geoff at Thunder Racing. He said he felt like he had come up with the ultimate "sleeper" cam (or Old Man Cam as I like to call it). The key elements to making power everywhere while keeping a super smooth idle would require using all the latest technology and experience Thunder Racing has developed for the LS1. Here's the cam:

214/220, .600/.527, 115 LSA, -2 degrees ground in

Now look at the specs for a little bit. At first glance, it looks like a conventional "split duration" cam. It is and it isn't. The ramps on the intake are super, super fast. The total area on the intake is quite a bit bigger than the exhaust. In essense, this is really a "reverse split" cam in execution (just like the ones Thunder Racing has had so much success with). The big lift on the intake side allows my SAM ported heads to breathe, but the short duration and wide LSA keeps the idle smooth. Most people make the mistake of running a short duration cam (like a 214-218 cam) with several degrees of advance ground in. This is wrong. When you're running too small a cam, you want to close the intake valve later (to keep peak power up high). We accomplished this by having the cam ground 2 degrees retarded. This allowed the intake valve to close at the same exact time as my 230/224 111LSA cam. Guess what? I still was able to make peak power at 6200-6300, just like my 230/224 cam. Most 214 cams make peak power at 5700-5800 rpms. Not this one. The rwhp numbers stayed with the 230 cam all the way to 6400 rpms (where the 230 kept on pulling). By extending power to 6300, I make at least 10 rwhp over a 214 cam ground +4 degrees advanced. The 214 cam was done by 6500 rpms, but the low and mid range torque and hp matched or exceeded the 230/224 cam. It's like having your cake and eating it too. No small cam I've seen ever made this kind of power everywhere. It flat kicks ***. Idle is smooth. Torque down low is abundant. Pull to 6400 is incredible. I now shift at 6400 vs. 6700 with the 230 cam. Under hood noise is noticably less (since only half the valves have super fast ramps).

Thunder Racing is encouraged by the results. Next they want to install it in a 6 speed car. Keep in mind, this cam was made for MY combination. My heads flow well to .600 lift, so I could use this kind of lift to my benefit. Also, I run double springs. I'm afraid 918 springs aren't up to the task on these super fast intake lobes. Gas mileage has improved, no more stinky exhaust, got to lower idle speed from 900 to 800. Sounds completely stock. Can't ask for much more than that. Call it a 2002 ZO6 cam on steroids, haha.