Well I have been trying to sell my 78 big block truck with out success. I decided to pull out all my go fast goodies and put them up for my future 500+ cu. incher. I am removing the 305 dur. .580 lift cam and lifters. and putting them up. I am going to remove the tunnel ram and dual holleys and I have another set of heads that I am going to get worked and put up my good heads that are set up for the 305 cam. I will leave the 2500 stall in place because I dont want to have to pull the tranny. It stalls 2000 under normal driving and will flash aroud 2800 if you nail the gas. I will replace the intake with a factory 4 barrell intake or an edelbrock performer (if I can find a good used one reasonable) and a 750 vac. sec. Holley. I have a new set of 3.89 gears that I am going to replace the 4.56 gears with. I have 2 questions.

1. What would be a good size cam to run for towing and torque?
2. What is the max lift that stock rockers will handle?

I dont have to change heads. I was just going to put the ones that are already set up for the 305 cam.

 

Hello, Im no 460ci pro, a camshaft with say alittle over 500 lift would be a good starting point, as the stock 460ci camshaft has 480 lift i am lead to belive, with the stock rockers i once read good for around 540 lift, but like i said I'm no expert, check out comp cams or the Edelbrock Performer RPM range of camshafts.

 

good cam for towing thatll work with stock heads... something around 200-210 duration @.050, and under .520 lift (with stock springs and retainers)
since you already have a 2500 rpm stall you could go a little more duration (like 215 maybe) but i wouldnt push it much more than that because then youre pushing the limit on stock pistons and heads (valve interference much beyond 220 duration@.050)
also, the stock cam has .487 lift... cant remember the duration offhand though.

 

My current heads that are on the truck will handle up to a .650 lift according to the machine shop that put them together for me and they have a screw in stud conversion kit with crane rollers. I have about decided to leave these heads in the truck. I was thinking about the Summit Racing Cam shaft that is about 214 @.050 and has a .520 lift. The power range is 1500 to 5000. The lobe seperation is 114 degrees so it will have good vac. That should be a good drivable cam.

 

sounds good to me too... but with the heads on there you could just as well pull them off and ebay them or something, and pick up a cheap pair of stockers for the engine to sell

 

If I pull them off I will put them up for a future 500+ incher.

 

If you are selling it why not just put a stock cam back in? It would be cheaper and easier to set up. Unless you want it as a feature to sell the vehicle.

 

Well, what I had in mind was to make the truck more usable. Right now it is just an expensive toy that is about useless for anything other than being a toy. I will sell it if somebody come along that wants to buy it or I will keep it and use it, This way I can do more with it than crank it up occassionally and show out in front of the house. If I am going to keep it insured and tagged I might as well be able to use it. I also dont have anything to haul it on or with to make it a strictly racing vehicle.