bob4197

Working on a 66 coupe that I acquired. My first project is to remove the engine and do some minor modifications. It's a stock 289 with 2bbl carb. I want to go with a 600cfm carb and shorty or mid-length headers. It has the stock c-4 automatic which I plan to put a shift kit in. Also thinking of going with a 355 rear. My question is which cam to go with? I am looking at either the COMP cam xe256h or the 268h. Don't want to go wild on this. Don't want to have to go with a special torque converter. Would like it to be able to idle without a lot of lope. Any input would be helpful.
Thanks

norcal_ryan1966

Edelbrock performer kit. You get heads, intake, cam, and a carb. Easy setup that works. They claim 3hundredish hp at the crank. Either that or I'd go with a roller 302.

bob4197

That sounds great but it would be cost prohibitive to me. I don't want to give away my age but I worked on these things when they were new. Now getting by with my pension and social security. My wife is threatening "you need to get a job if you want to play with those toys". I just want to make some minor modifications so it has some spunk to it when we go out cruising. I might even let her drive it sometimes. I'm thinking mild cam with some work to the heads and a small (600) carb with street headers would be good for a drive around car. At this point looking to just step up a notch or two from stock cam. This will be the first thing I am buying. I'm sure there will be a lot of questions in the future.

Gun Jam

I went with a roller setup. I had some issues with the lifters breaking internal oil metering discs and then collapsing as the metal fragments jammed open the check valve inside the lifter. The cam is a 35-421-8....Although this isnt really applicable from your stand point.

I guess what im thinking now is cams can be an issues. I do love the roller setup very much and I would suggest that if you want to spend the money on a cam go roller but it sounds like you are on a limited budget and lifters alone would probably exceed that.

http://www.compperformancegroupstore...evelandLifters

Flat tappet systems seem quite pissy and break in failure rates seem high and they require a zinc oil (which I always run anyways) like a Valvoline VR1 racing oil in 10-30.

My suggestion is unless you have a 1000+ budget you may want to hold off on the cam. Im not sure if your heads could even take much advantage of a more performance oriented cam anyhow...SO really you should be matching a cam to intake, carb, and heads and really that means all that stuff should be new. I think I spent about 3,000 on the top end stuff and it makes right about 300 RWHP...compression is a bit low because of larger combustion chamber size and my cam is fairly mild. The heads are trick flow aluminum and would kick much more *** if compression and cam were increased in size...but it suits me well for right now.

-Gun

bob4197

Hate to sound nostalgic but back in the old days hydraulic lifters had a problem with 'floating' at high RPMs. The alternative was to go with solid lifters. The problem with solids was you were constantly doing valve adjustments. I see they still have solid lifter cam kits. Any problems with that? I'd love to go with a roller cam but ??
I understand the biggest thing with engines is they need to breathe. I can do the head work myself. I guess you can still 'port and polish' the heads and match them to the proper size intake and headers?
Some guys didn't understand this and you would see them putting a double pumper 750 holley on a small block and wondering why it ran like crap.

groho

read the cam spec's carefully, you need to build around the cam and its abilities. I just broke in my cam (XE268H), and its not that mild. together as a package with heads, torque converter, the right compr ratio and good carb, its an impressive set up. It requires a 2200 stall converter. A good custom converter is not cheap. . .you can go B&M, Hughes, or Fleabay, and pick up a converter for $300, but a GOOD converter is easily double that cost. If you're looking at something milder, go with the 256H because it permits you to re-use many of your existing parts. You sound like you know what you're doing, bigger is not always better.

As for solid lifter setups, I've always viewed those as cams primarily for a motor that want to operate at the upper RPM, makes a buttload of power, but makes it rather uncomfortable for stop light to stop light street use (at our age).

Judging by your comments are you building a weekend fun car to run out at the drags once in a while? What's you objective?

bob4197

Yep, my thoughts are local cruise nights and weekend parking lot car shows. Other than that just having fun riding with the old lady. She thinks she's getting to old to hop on the back of the bike. Maybe someday going back to the Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise in Michigan.
I was leaning towards the 256H but some of the comments on these aren't too encouraging. If you are using the 268H and you are happy with it, unless I hear more bad stuff I think I'll go with the 256.
I plan on using that .040 head gasket to increase the compression some. I talked to an old friend a couple years ago who was still doing this stuff and told him my son was thinking of making modifications to his small block chevy. I mentioned going with the 12 to 1 pistons and head set up and he asked me where I was going to get gas for it. I was warned about going too high on compression, at least here on the east coast, because you can't get the octane you need and our gas is all 10% alcohol.

barnett468

.
COMP XE262H

crane anti pump lifters

chromoly push rods

valve springs

2 valve relief flat top pistons or the 4 relief trw's.

quench distance between .034" and .042"

get compression to 9.5 - 9.7

you need screw in studs or install pins in the studs.

stock 4 barrel or eddy performer ok or stealth street intake.

quick fuel 600 - 650 carb or summit 600 carb.
.

bob4197

Picked up a pair of hipo heads at a local swap meet last weekend. Casting marks C-50E. 289 with 2 dots. I bought them because they have the screw in studs and valve spring 'pockets'. Also larger intake valve. I guess they might help with a mild cam??

barnett468

They won't do diddly squat for a cam because they are basically the same as stock heads, but if you got them cheap enough they can do a bit for your wallet if you sell them then you can buy some real heads.

GT40 and GT40P heads off of later 5.0 engines will far outflow those heads and you can get those used for $150.00 if you look around.

New Edy street heads are around $850.00 a pair.