I have rhoads lifters and I love them. They were stock equipment on Vipers for a long time to broaden the torque corve. That said, they're not for everyone. They're LOUD. Plus, hyraulic lifters, Rhoads or otherwise, usually don't like being revved much over 6500.

Your engine is not suited for what most people would call a 'streetable' motor. Small displacement and large intake/exhaust runners mean that it'll make great power, but you need to wind the **** out of it to make that power. You might find a slightly milder cam to move the power band down slighty, but I wouldn't go with anything smaller than a Comp Cams 280H (what I'm running now).

 

Wow a bunch happened here last night.

Lifters...Solid are going to be better for higher RPM. That is all we had years ago, which is why rocker adjustment was part of a tune up. Yes, you will need to adjust the rockers (more right at first), but they calm down and do not need a bunch of attention after things break in. Hydraulic lifters will help limit the adjustments, but they do not like higher rpms (really for plane janer motors).

Springs...Yes stuffer springs will help prevent valve float or rather soft springs create valve float. You should still match your springs to the cam...Comp or the cam manufacturer will tell you what springs to run for your power band. Light valves also help but do not get soft valves!

Don't take this the wrong way, but as for streetable, you are really wanting you cake and eat it too aren't you ? With huge Cleveland head runners, you just threw streetable out the window. The reason why is the larger the runner to CID ratio is, the lower the velocity of the incoming air. Engines need air velocity to fill cylinders and atomize fuel. Your motor is going to need rpms to get the rpms to a level where it will work right. You are probably going to have a very high idle and will not make power down low. THAT is why Boss 302 motors were race motors, not street motors. They lived at high rpm and could move some air at those levels and create some horsepower, but they were cr@p off idle. That is why we are telling you to use a high stall converter and low gears to help it get moving. You want it to spin 2500-3000 at highway speed, but that is for all intensive purposes just above idle for a Boss302. I think you should set it up for 4grand or so at cruising speed, IMO

If you are wanting to build a Boss302, you are asking for a high reving no lowend power motor. Sure you can put a really mild cam in the car, a good dual plane intake, and small carb and it will tame down a Boss302, but you just killed what they were made for and that is highend power. If you want lowend street power, build a stroker. That is what most power are doing these days because you can build one that will spin to 7k and still make killer power below 4grand. They are not street race motors though.

 

your forgetting that the aussie heads he's wanting to use have significantly smaller ports than the 4v original boss heads, that makes a big difference in the motors characteristics in the lower rpm range. also, he has a manual trans so it should be easier for him to maintain a good idle rpm and he doesnt have to worry about a high stall.

i think the crane z-cam i listed would be a better choice for the sake of streetability, but i think either cam would make good power.

*edit* and yes you should make it a point to match springs to the cam, but running an extra 20-30 lbs of seat pressure will not hurt anything and will help keep everything stable at higher rpms.

 

With that hydraulic cam, you will get lifter float starting at about 6k, in fact the usable power band is probably not much more than that. You've received some good advice on the balance of comonents, but for street driving you will spend 95% of your time under 5k rpm. Why spend the extra money and hassle? Now if you are serious about high rpm, forget the hydraulic flat tappet cam and step up to a solid roller. A roller gives you more aggressive ramps and the solid lifter prevents valve float. Don't be half pregnant!

 

Two comments:

First off, if you will be driving this car a whole lot, stay away from the Voodoo cams. The profiles are hyperaggressive so they won't be conducive to long cam and lifter life. For a car that will be a toy for cruising and strip work without lots of miles piled on, the Voodoo along with a good ZDDP additive oil such as Chevron Delo or Mobil Delvac, it will work out fine for longevity.

The other comment is that for the RPM range that you originally stated, I think that's too much cam. Yeah it will work well above 4K RPM, but you will have quite a low speed penalty. If you will be using a stick and really low gears, you can get by with it though.

 

Even Aussie heads still have massive ports compared to standard sbf heads. They're not tennis ball-sized like the 4V heads, but they're still big, and a 289 is going to need to wind up a lot to make use of them.

Any way you look at it, the car is going to need low gears.

 

as far as how much i will be driving it, the longest will be in april 1200 miles to the 45 anni show if we can get her ready. other than that, it will be a weekend warrior.
im prettymuch going to listen to you guys about what cam to run and whatnot, so if you really think sold lifters, i will go that way.

the tranny is a wide ratio toploader. i was hoping for cruising rpms at highway speeds to be around 3500-4 if possible. since were driving so far.


the other thing i need to firgure out is carb. i was thinking of a holley 750 double pumper?

i plan on using the crane ign stuff. dizzy and box. 8.8 wires... custom headers made by me unless i fail hardcore :P anything else i should think of?

heres everything i have so far

289 block free own

255 crank 172.79 rockauto.com

289 rods free own

TRW Boss pistons ???? L2324

aussie 2v 351c heads 500 ausfordparts.com. pair

performer rpm 319.95 part number EDL-7129. edelbrock. summit

crane dizzy 324.95 part number CRN-1000-1601. summit

Crane hi-6 ign box 227.95 part number CRN-6000-6440. summit

Crane coil 74.95 part number CRN-730-0092. summit

ARP rod bolts 97.69 part number ARP-254-6402. summit


i havent priced out all the bolts cause i got tired. nor have i the cam, pistons, or carb since i am having a hard time finding pistons. and dont know what carb and cam i should run

 

Ok...the carb. The original Boss 302 had a 750cfm carb. By all accounts that was WAY too much. I have a hard time with the tuning with my 750 double pumper on my 383. I would think based on the rpms you will be spinning and the heads you will be using, you are going to max out the VE at 88%. If you figure a max of 7500 rpm, that puts you needing between 600-650cfm. At 100% VE at 7500rpm the calculator says 655cfm. With a manual tranny, you can get away with a double pumper. They require a little more work to tune, but are give fun and keep you busy with something! You don't want your hobby to be too easy! The 0-4777c or even the smaller 0-4776c would probably work for you.

 

Yes and the original Boss 302 had 4V heads. For wind it up, all out driving, the 750 wasn't too much, but on this Clevor it might be.

Don't get me wrong because I'm salivating over the thought of a Boss 302 or even a Clevor, but I can't imagine driving 1200 miles at 3,500 to 4,000 RPM at Cruise speed. If you have an 8" or 9" rear end in this car and if you're not planning on doing some racing when you get there, I would find some junkyard stuff and put a reasonable rear axle ratio in it just for the trip.

That 1200 mile trip is another reason for the cam being too much. I would personally not go over 220 degrees or so at .050.

Also the comments about the 2V heads were somewhat valid, but the 2V heads will not make the same engine as 4V's would. The Boss 302 was almost unstreetable with those heads. The 2V will match up better with less cam IMHO.

 

okay.. ill go for a 600 DP

back to the cam and lifters. if i were to just get the lunati cam. can i get sold lifters as well or do i need a cam for that?

EDIT: MB. i have a 9in with stock rear gear, not sure which. and i also have the stock 8in. the 9in does need to be shortened, but i was gunna do that anyways.

for the cam. what do you reccomend? i want to make good power but also able to make the trip. thanks!

ill take all the help i can get as i know just about nothing about cams