What camshaft do you like?

[corvette66]

I am looking to put a new cam in my 1980 vette but not sure what cam i want to use. There are so many choices, i have used many cams over the years, but want to try something new. I just put a .480 lift Compcam Xtreme energy cam in my 1980 camaro and I am not impressed at all. it's coming out!!!! But i'll do the vette first. There is plenty of GREAT reveiws about Xtreme energy cams, but i don't see it. It has no tone, and runs like a stock camaro. I was actually suprised, i have used many comp cams, this one is not so great.

I have a set of dart iron eagle heads that are going to go on the vette so i can go as high as .650 lift but want to stay in the 500's. Looking for a cam with a nice exhaust note. lumpy and bumpy. What have you used?

Any thoughts about the VooDoo cams from lunati?
or the Comp thumper cam?

thanx

 

[Hib Halverson]

I'll guess the reason you didn't like the Compucam with .480 lift in your 80 camaro is that it was way too much camshaft for an engine like that.

As for your 80 Vette, before you can select the cam, you need to post more about the engine.

compression ratio
induction system
exhaust
axle ratio
transmission

Post that and someone might be able to offer some useful information.

 

[corvette66]

To start off I guess i should say, I can modify the engine to match the cam, thats why I am just looking for what other people have liked, not necessarily what is best for my engine.

Well as far as the camaro goes, there is plenty of room for .480 lift, it's no stock motor. I put in a 68' 327 with forged rotating assembly, modified stock heads capable of about .530 lift edelbrock intake, 650 carb, flowmasters and headers. It should be able to run that cam. but who knows, i may have screwed something up somwhere.

OK well to be more on top of things with the vette.....
the trani is a 400
intake- edelbrock RPM performer
carb- edelbrocks version of the quadra jet
rear gear.....you tell me? 3.??
64cc chamber
hooker side mount headers
heads- Dart iron eagle

 

[Hib Halverson]

(snip)
rear gear.....you tell me? 3.??

Is the 80 Vette's rear axle stock?

 

[corvette66]

as far as i know it is.

 

[wallyknoch]

A good choice would probably be the GM factory 151 camshaft with a set of new springs and lifters. I put one in my 84 4+3 and it was like night and day because it finally feels like a Vette rather than a dog, :L

 

[glen242]

Why don't you use the same setup as in your 500-600 HP '69?

corvette66
Member

Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: tucson AZ
Posts: 497
My Corvette(s):
white 81' brown LS4 74' red 69' silver 80'

I fully agree with Tom, go with the vortec heads. I have a large set of vortecs on my 69 (202 valves, bee hive springs, 1.6 rockers etc) The big flow vortecs can be had for less than $1000 complete and make tons of power!! Not bad when considering the Edelbrock RPM are a grand a piece! I wish i had a video to show you. THey really do keep up with the aluminum heads. Better than you would think.

If you consider using the vortecs send me a PM I can give you my .02 on them, My engine makes between 500-600 HP easy. yup with vortecs and a holley 500

 

[Hib Halverson]

as far as i know it is.

An 80 came stock with a 3.07 axle.

That tall axle ratio, with the cylinder head and intake package you have, plus the high compression you may end-up with via 64cc chamber on an engine originally equipped with heads having 75.5 cc chambers, IMO, you're headed for a possible mismatch of your engine set-up.

What you need is a short duration, hydraulic roller to give the engine some performance and response down low but...a cam like that makes quite a bit more cylinder pressure than a longer duration flat-tappet hyd. cam and that higher pressure is may present a problem with the high compression you get with the 64cc heads.

I think the first thing I'd do is consider an axle ratio change, but...unfortunately...ratio choices with the early D44 in an 80 are limited.

Next, I'd make my head choice based on the resulting compression ratio and, with iron heads and today's gasoline, you need to shoot for 9.0-9.5:1.

Once you have those two issues stettled, then you need to select a hydraulic roller with modest overlap and lift in the .450-.500 area.

My first choice for a carb would be a properly calibrated Rochester Quadrajet. My second choice would be a properly calibrated vac. secondary Holley of 650-800 cfm.

 

[KANE]

... I think the first thing I'd do is consider an axle ratio change, but...unfortunately...ratio choices with the early D44 in an 80 are limited...

Hib makes a good point about the selection of gears. The early 44 doesn't have a huge following in the after market.

However, a 700R4 would help overcome the factory rear end with its 3.07:1 first gear.

 

[grumpyvette]

that LOPEY idle your looking for sounds that way because it runs like crap at idle speed due to intake port reversion and excessive overlap at idle speeds, that can be the result of too tight a LCA or too much durration for the application,
while the correct cam for an application MIGHT lope at idle speeds , baseing your choice on wanting that lopey idle is not the best plan for maximizing the power curve and in many cases,it COSTS you performance
your cam sellection should be based on the gearing, average RPM band and compression ratio and flow charicteristic of the intake and headers

BTW your not alone, COMP CAMS sells the THUMPER cams designed to produce that lopey idle, but your car will probably be faster with the correctly match cam, with the correct lift and durration and LCA vs a cam designed mostly to produce a lope at idle

 

[corvette66]

good info guys thanx.

Grumpy vette, I fully understand where you come from, Unlike most, im actually not looking to maximize the power output, rather just have a nice running car but with the killer sound.

As GLEN242 said quoting me "Why don't you use the same setup as in your 500-600 HP '69?" Well glen that motor is not really streetable. It has a stockcar cam in it that makes peak power at about 8000 RPM. But that motor setup with a different cam would be awesome, i just can't afford to build another one. I would post a video on that vettetube but i don't have the first idea about how to do that.

I really have been considering the thumper cam. any more thopughs on that cam?
thanx

 

[Vette79]

I've learned that bigger is not always better when choosing a cam or cylinder heads seperately. The cam, cylinder heads and intake must match to produce optimum performance. I begin my big project like this in a couple of months and I went just a tad bigger with the cylinder heads because I think I will want to upgrade again afterwards so I'll be ready. All of this is nerver-racking but fun...

 

[69vert]

cams

Look into elgin cams they have been building cams forever

 

[corvette66]

elgin? hmm never heard of them, i'll look'em up. have u ever used one?

 

[Glensgages]

I have a buddy, whose low-mile '80 L-48 wiped-out a lobe on the OEM cam last year, so while it was being repaired, he added vortec heads & an RPM Air Gap intake from SDP, headers, Holley 670 cfm Street Avenger carb, and a CompCams 270H (after the initial choice, an XE268, wiped-out IT'S lobes on break-in ):
he says it is night-and-day difference from stock, even-with the 3.07-gears, but he plans to swap them out for 3.55s or 3.73s

 

[69vert]

cam

elgin? hmm never heard of them, i'll look'em up. have u ever used one?

Yes i am running one now competition products has them catalog or go to elgins web site not a big name but they have some good grinds and will grind one for you
the one i am useing is not to crazy .465 on intake .488 on exhaaust #e10115p ck them out an engine builder in NorthPort fl. told me about them the one i am using he uses in his strokers I have it in a 350 .030 over in 69

 

[69vert]

cams

Look into elgin cams they have been building cams forever

did you ever ck out the elgin cams

 

[69vert]

cam

elgin? hmm never heard of them, i'll look'em up. have u ever used one?

were you able to find elgin cams just wondering what you found out

 

[wallyknoch]

Look into elgin cams they have been building cams forever

I sold the whole line. Very good exact replacement products...engine and chassis.......