Cam Grind Suggestions

[blykins]

I like this Howards cam suggested by Frnkeore:

252342-10 CL252342-10 265 265 230 230 .560 .560 110 106 .022 .022 1,13

Is anyone using this cam? Id like to know how the idle and idle vacuum is.

Without doing some measuring, you can't just choose a camshaft that easily. 

What if your CJ heads have been milled to death?  What if your compression ratio ends up at 10.5:1?  The cam up above would never work with something like that. 

No single pattern cams for most Fords.  You're just leaving horsepower on the table.  In some cases, lots of it. 

Here's an example of where I would start the conversation on choosing a cam:

*Application (street, street/strip, drag race, pulling truck, etc.):
*Desired camshaft type (flat tappet, roller):
*Any specific journal diameter or core requirements?:
*Desired peak horsepower rpm (what rpm where peak hp is produced, not shift point):
*Desired idle quality:
*Vacuum brakes?:
*Vacuum rules?:
*Forced induction/Nitrous?:
*Engine Family (Windsor, Cleveland, FE, 385 series, Modular, etc.):
*Bore & Stroke: 
*Rod Length:
*Lifter bore diameter:
*Cylinder head manufacturer and model:
*Valve sizes (stem and head diameter, length if possible):
*Compression ratio:
*Intake manifold:
*Carburetor:
*Transmission:
*Rearend gear:
*Vehicle weight:
*Fuel that you're running: 
*Rocker arm ratio:

That usually gets enough information to get the ball rolling and initiates further conversation on desires/expectations. 

There's several guys on this thread that could spec and sell you a camshaft, I'm not jonesing for business, I'm just saying that you can get in some pretty bad trouble by pointing at a cam in a catalog without knowing exactly what you have.  The compression ratio is a big thing that I have to really stress with my customers.  These engines have been rebuilt, milled, and cut to death over the past 60 years.  You just can't take at face value what you have.  It all needs to be checked out and measured.

In addition to all of that, a solid camshaft will lose duration at the valve due to lash.  Depending on the lobe, you can end up with manners that you're not expecting.  Everything has to be taken into account.

[Rory428]

If by "good idle", you mean fairly stockish, I am very happy with the mild Oregon flat tappet solid that I have in my .030" over 428. It has .528" gross lift, and 228 @ .050 duration. It idles almost like a stock Cobra Jet, pulls strong from idle up to 54-5500 RPM, has the solid lifter "sound" and is very street friendly. In my 4025 pound 59, it has gone 12.5s at 108 MPH thru the mufflers and full tailpipes, and on the dyno, it made 470 HP and 515 ft/lbs of torque. It has a pair of TFS heads, a Performer RPM with a Holley 780 vacuum secondary carb, with iron adjustable rocker arms, a Duraspark distributor and module, with a pair of FPA mid length headers. I am running a wide ratio 4 speed Toploader and 3.50 gears., and it is very driveable in town, and decent on the freeway, although I do change to 2.91 gears for longer freeway trips.

[Hotrodjohn71]

Thank you.

I greatly appreciate and highly value all the advice. I take everything into consideration.