Hey Cobra-jet, what's the "best" cam
john bud
What's the best cam for a 427 hydraulic cam in a '68 cougar?
(3.50:1 limited slip, C6 shift kit - stock CJ converter, 10:1 compression,
428CJ exhaust manifolds (hooker supercomps are on the wall),
stock 4V manifold or Ford 8V as an option).
I have the motor out for and update to the engine compartment and have
the urge for more surge. I know most of the recommendations of the
cam companies, but to be honest, they seem like re-runs from the Ford
Power books of the mid-60's. Do you have any practical experience
from running 428's to help guide me? I am hoping that 31 years of
automotive R&D has produced some level of improvement that I
can benefit from!
Also, do you have any experience with aluminum heads for FE's, like
the Edelbrock or Dove?
John B.
CobraJet
wrote:
First off, John, you need to get more specific as to your intended use.
For example, are you really going to run Super Comps on the street? Not
only do they hang down quite a bit (watch out fo dem speed bumps), but the
flow capability is much higher than CJ manifolds (which, BTW, don't bolt up
to most 427 heads). If you do, then the stock converter and, to a lesser
extent, the 3.50 gear ratio are going to limit the car to an E.T. below the
Hooker's capabilities. You need to also decide what head to use, as this
will have a bearing on the cam choice. Is this going to be a street/strip
car? Are you retaining power brakes? There are lots of variables to pin
down before the camshaft.
I will give you the story of my CJ428 '69 XR7 to illustrate. When I
bought it from the previous owner, the 428 had dual 600 Holleys on a 427 LR
manifold. The only internal mod was a Crane .580" lift solid cam with
hollow shell lifters. The stock CJ exhausts were still there, but the
converter was an 11" that flashed around 2800 rpm. Out back the 3.00
Traction-Lock still resided. This engine had a very aggressive lope at idle
(1000 rpm). It pulled very hard even with the freeway gearing. The power
band dropped off at 6200 rpm. This setup probably could have benefitted
even more from headers and some additional gearing.
My intention, however, was to return this collectible to some semblance
of sanity. I yanked the heads to treat them to their first valve job, and
installed a 268H Comp Cam hydraulic (probably just a little better than
stock). The dual quads got ousted for a 428 Police Intercepter intake and a
780 Holley. Out back I went to a 3.89 T-Lock. Everything else stayed the
same. My power band dropped to 5800. However, the low end and mid-range was
much stronger. The idle still had a slight lope at 750 rpm, and the gas
mileage nearly doubled (to 12). The power brakes worked better. All in all,
the car was more liveable in street driving, without sacrificing much in
elapsed time. The primary problem was the constant destruction of the rear
tires, which is a trademark of a high torque 428. I used to street race the
car with 200 lbs. of ballast in the trunk, and it would still catch rubber
going into third. Subsequent strip runs with more traction put the car in
the high 12's.
So you see, a mild warming over with matched parts will give you a good
running car. If you go the route of big cam, headers, aluminum heads, etc.,
be prepared to spend a lot of money to make it hook up. And don't be
surprised if it is a bitch to drive around.
CobraJet
P.S. You really should get Jim Dove's catalogue. The stuff he has is amazing.
.
Robert Craig
I'll pick up the 427 this weekend and give you my 302....(grin)
Robert
john bud
Thanks for taking the time to reply!
I am going to run the car as a resto-mod, with as many of the
"mods" as invisible as possible. It will be a 100% street car,
but I might try a visit to the 1/4 mile strip ( I have 2 miles
away from my house....)
As to the super comps, I did indeed run them on the car with
the factory 8V with 600 holley's. I was never really happy with
that setup, but it was on the car when I bought it 12 years ago!
But they did not hang down, at least not on my car. The lowest
point was the PS junk
You state the CJ manifolds won't fit the heads. There is a mis-match
.between port size, but I "think" I have enough meat to seal a gasket,
and I have all the bolt holes to fit the exhaust (with some to spare).
What am I missing? It sounds like you would know...
I would really like to use the CJ manifolds as the stock 427 manifolds
are just puny as all get out!
Current heads are what Ford put on in '68 C8OE - N
I will be keeping the power breaks.
Intake manifolds is a Ford Aluminum (also stock, I think)
C7AE - F
It sounds like you liked the 268H, would I be best off with it
too?
John Bud
CobraJet wrote in message ...
>In article <78rce6$9sk$1...@remarQ.com>, "john bud" <jbud...@ecol.nospam.net>
>wrote:
>
>> Cobra-jet,
>>
>> What's the best cam for a 427 hydraulic cam in a '68 cougar?
>> (3.50:1 limited slip, C6 shift kit - stock CJ converter, 10:1
compression,
>> 428CJ exhaust manifolds (hooker supercomps are on the wall),
>> stock 4V manifold or Ford 8V as an option).
>>
>> I have the motor out for and update to the engine compartment and have
>> the urge for more surge. I know most of the recommendations of the
>> cam companies, but to be honest, they seem like re-runs from the Ford
>> Power books of the mid-60's. Do you have any practical experience
>> from running 428's to help guide me? I am hoping that 31 years of
>> automotive R&D has produced some level of improvement that I
>> can benefit from!
>>
>> Also, do you have any experience with aluminum heads for FE's, like
>> the Edelbrock or Dove?
>>
>> John B.
>
CobraJet
wrote:
> Howdy CJ,
> Thanks for taking the time to reply!
>
> I am going to run the car as a resto-mod, with as many of the
> "mods" as invisible as possible. It will be a 100% street car,
> but I might try a visit to the 1/4 mile strip ( I have 2 miles
> away from my house....)
Sounds like a good neighborhood!
>
> As to the super comps, I did indeed run them on the car with
> the factory 8V with 600 holley's. I was never really happy with
> that setup, but it was on the car when I bought it 12 years ago!
> But they did not hang down, at least not on my car. The lowest
> point was the PS junk
The set of Super Comps I have are the 10-piece drag race type, which you
see hanging under the Super Stock cars at the races. They have never been
used, but I got a killer deal (100 bucks) from a guy liquidating an NHRA SS
team a few years back (I got some virgin Canadian SK-port 427 Medium Riser
heads from him, too). Yours are the Street Super Comps if they don't hang
down.
>
> You state the CJ manifolds won't fit the heads. There is a mis-match
> .between port size, but I "think" I have enough meat to seal a gasket,
> and I have all the bolt holes to fit the exhaust (with some to spare).
> What am I missing? It sounds like you would know...
> I would really like to use the CJ manifolds as the stock 427 manifolds
> are just puny as all get out!
>
> Current heads are what Ford put on in '68 C8OE - N
Those are essentially CJ heads. I forgot Ford used them on the '68
hydraulic cam 427 engines. Use the CJ manifolds. The earlier 427 heads
would have only 8 holes per head, and the bolt spacing is different. Your
stock manifolds should actually be for a GT390. The 427MR Fairlane cast
exhausts flow very well and have a unique look to them. I am still looking
for a set at a "reasonable* price.
> I will be keeping the power breaks.
> Intake manifolds is a Ford Aluminum (also stock, I think)
> C7AE - F
I am too lazy to go out and dig through my manifolds right now. If the
carb pad is centered, then that is a Police Interceptor manifold. If the
carb pad is offset to one side a little, then you have a Sidewinder. Stock
CJ's all used cast iron intakes.
>
> It sounds like you liked the 268H, would I be best off with it
> too?
The choice is yours. I was just relaying my Cougar's story. The 268H has
been around for a while, so it is not a "new tech" cam. I don't know that
too many companies are currently making those for FE's, but I might be
wrong. Comp Cams has a new line of Xtreme Energy cams that look like they
have a more agressive ramp profile. Maybe you can check to see if there is
an FE application. Lunati is also a very good bet for quality cams. Keep in
mind that in an "upgraded" engine like yours which is retaining factory
parts, the difference between one cam and the next is not going to be huge.
If you are going to stick with the stock converter and gears, the 268H or
272H would work fine. The key idea is to have parts that are well balanced
with each other.
.