Cam Grind Suggestions

[Hotrodjohn71]

Goodmorning,

I would like to ask the group for suggestions on the specs of the cam for this engine that Im going to be putting together to go into my 67 Mustang GT.

I want to use a solid lifter cam and utilize stock ford adjustable rocker arms.

The engine is the 390 original motor from my 67 Mustang GT. Standard bore. It will have 428 Cobra Jet heads, Ford low Riser dual quad intake with 600 CFM carburetors, and Tube headers.

This will be a street driven car, not necessarily for going to the track every day. I'm looking for a decent idle.

Thank you

[hbstang]

i would suggest a stroker crank of 4.250 and a hydraulic roller cam.really runs better and more power than flat tappet.

[Mike_Senar]

Well...
  That was a helpful suggestion to a new member (4 posts).  Should keep him around, right?!!
                                                                                      Mike

[Hotrodjohn71]

Thank you,
I appreciate and welcome all input.
I am new to the forum but not to FE Fords.
Been out of the game a couple decades.

Im trying to recapture the feel of the solid lifter 67 mustang I used to have and have lost alot of knowledge over the years.

I respect the experience shared here.

[frnkeore]

Are you wanting to stay with flat tappets or up grade to rollers?

SFT lobes are harder to source for street cams than HFT's. Are you looking for the tappet noise in your build?

[frnkeore]

Ok, what RPM range are you looking for?

[FrozenMerc]

For a street driven cruiser, and to capture that late 60's feel, you may just want to stay with a stockish cam profile.  Something that came in the 428CJ (which would be a bit rowdier in a 390), or an early 60's 390HP solid lifter cam, or a faithful reproduction there of.  Flat tappets are getting hard to come by these days as everything is transitioning over to rollers.  Talk to Brent Lykins about having one custom ground for your application. 

[e philpott]

Automatic or 4 speed ?
If it's an automatic what stall speed do you have ?

[frnkeore]

Need the CR, too but, all the info you have for the engine helps. Do you have power brakes?

[Hotrodjohn71]

Thank you.
I didnt realize the SFT's were getting hard to find.

It is a 4 speed car and presently has a booster for power front discs (GT model), but if vacuum should be an issue, I would think I could add a vac reservoir cannister.

I do like the sound of a solid lifter cam. Do they offer a solid roller lifter the same height as a SFT?

[My427stang]

If willing to take the risk of a solid flat tappet, plenty of options out there and I would still go with a custom grind.

[frnkeore]

For power brakes, you can add a electric vacuum source. That's what I did to keep from converting from vacuum wipers, to electric.

Here are a couple of Howards cams that are probably in the range your looking for:

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

251672-08 CL251672-08 275 275 240 240 .589 .589 108 104 .022 .022

Custom cams are the same price so, since you need more ex duration, you could substitute the 240 duration lobe, for the 230. 

These are the smallest SFT cams that Howards offers in SFT. The smaller one is more cam than the famous 360 to 4v 427 LR HP cam and depending on your CR, could cause to high of DCR.

The biggest problem in SFT, is their short .020 duration that can cause problems with DCR but, you can mitigate that by opening up the LSA. But, that effects the idle and idle vacuum.  It's a real balancing act

I think Howards are the best choice on FT cams, as their cores and lifters are the best you can get. AND, they have cores in stock now (I just called). They were out of stock for over a year.

[blykins]

n/m

[blykins]

Thank you.
I didnt realize the SFT's were getting hard to find.

It is a 4 speed car and presently has a booster for power front discs (GT model), but if vacuum should be an issue, I would think I could add a vac reservoir cannister.

I do like the sound of a solid lifter cam. Do they offer a solid roller lifter the same height as a SFT?

I've had access to cores for quite a while.  No issues with making hydraulic/solid flat tappet cams.

I wouldn't do a solid roller for the street and it will open up 10 cans of worms, as far as head prep, rocker arm selection, etc.

Nothing wrong with a hydraulic or solid flat tappet camshaft.  Hydraulic roller will work too, but it requires some work to the heads so that a modern spring locator will sit down on the head.

Before anyone could determine any specs or give any recommendations, there's a whole long list of data that would need to be gathered. 

Also, FWIW, tightening the LSA up does nothing to help with octane tolerance/DCR/cylinder pressure.  You can go from a 120° LSA to a 102° and if the ICL stays the same, the DCR will not budge.  I could understand this statement if the LSA was *widened* and the ICL retarded to move along with it, but tightening the LSA by itself does nothing for DCR.

[70tp]

What is the projected life of a solid roller on the street?  A milder lobe , pressure fed axle lifter, bushing or needle bearings?   Maybe under 6500 rpm and compatible springs.  I know most “toy” cars will never see any real run time as opposed to a daily driver , and was wondering if a solid would live long enough ?