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Need advice

M

mweaver1111

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My son has an 83 Chevy Scottsdale 4x4 with a 6" suspension lift and a 4" body lift running on SuperSwamper 37" stock 305 (DOA) with a turbo 350 trans. Ran fair for a year but just died. We are swapping the 305 for a crate motor ZZ4 350 (used) work in progress. All bearing plastiguage within specs. It has stock heads. Put new valve springs, inner and outers, keepers and retainers. Put new timing chain and an Edelbrock proformer intake and a Holly 650 double pumper, a set of long 3 1/4" hooker headers and a set of thrush muffs. Anyone have an idea of what cam I should My son has an 83 Chevy Scottsdale 4x4 with a 6" suspension lift and a 4" body lift running on SuperSwamper 37" stock 305 (DOA) with a turbo 350 trans. Ran fair for a year but just died. We are swapping the 305 for a crate motor ZZ4 350 (used) work in progress. All bearing plastiguage within specs. It has stock heads. Put new valve springs, inner and outers, keepers and retainers. Edelbrock proformer intake and a Holly 650 double pumper. Looking for that nice cam lope at an idle, but with stock heads i know can't, and don't want to go to mean. Anyone have an idea of what cam I should run??
 
Nice truck !! Honestly, after years of screw up's choosing cams, I've learned that simply picking up the phone and calling the guys over at Comp Cams in Memphis,Tn is about as fail safe as yer grandmaw's apple pie. They got a tech line set up with guys that are the best. Have all your engine info ready and call,
1-800-999-0853 :waytogo:
 
350 crate motor

Loved Grandma's Apple pie, but my wifes is better... Thanks for the info. Will call em. I have to dig up some pics and post them. It is a nice redneck ride for my boy. He sure loves it, best thing is, I get to tinker and build the beast.
 
If you are looking for some lope, that's probably going to be a bigger cam then you want to run with those gears and those tires.

I helped my buddy put together a 350 that used a Comp Cams "Big Mutha Thumpa" cam or something like that. Although the heads were restricting top end, it had a great sound and a lot of power even so. But, he was probably running 3.73's with short rear tires in his old 2wd '69 GMC. I think he used a 2500 or 3000 rpm stall converter in his TH350 as well; otherwise it wouldn't even hold idle when he put it in gear.

Cam is a tough decision; lope is cool, high RPM sounds great, but what RPM range are you actually going to be using while driving the truck? That will define the cam.
 
Need advise

He's a mudder.. Loves to play in the mud, but its an every day driver also.
 
Keep the ZZ4 cam , it is a hydraulic roller and it has a nice idle that you can hear but still daily drive and make good HP and torque with the heads these engines come with. Save the money for axles
 
Thanks Greg. I haven't heard this thing run yet, and he is very much aware of the need for axles. The beauty is he knows the value of "his hard earned money" and he has babied this thing from the get-go. He is trying to spend his money as efficiently as possible, (my hats off to him, smart 19 year old) so starting with the suspension lift first, engine next, trans and transfer next then axles last but not least, paint and body..
 
72blazerguy, agreed. All a work in process.. He is looking at buying a "get around car" and park this and spend the spring getting all the goodies done.. We need an engine so this is where we are at. If and when he breaks a diff we upgrade at that time.
 
For non-members you need to have at least 15 posts first. Then you can upload via the button at the top of the text-entry box (it's a yellow square with a mountain in it).

If I were you, I'd encourage him to move axles up in his list of priorities - especially if he's a mudder. Heavy throttle + 37" tires + poor gearing in ½ ton axles is pretty risky. He's running the risk of breaking axle shafts w/ the ½ ton axles, and running the risk of wearing out the transmission with the poor gearing.

I don't know what cam kits cost, but I've purchased ¾ ton axles w/ 4.10 gears for $300. I've seen ads for less. Still not ideal gearing, but it's a bump in the right direction for marginal cost. Additionally, it's a rear end that'll never break in those conditions, and it'll put him in the position to be able to add a Detroit locker on his own very easily down the line.

I think that'd be money better spent. It'll make the truck more reliable, and will likely provide as much or more seat-of-the-pants power feel.
 
Need advise

Thanks Colby. I was thinking to make the axles the next priority. He has his ideas and i just have to be clever in how to suggest. Come to find our the cam is a performance cam and not a stock cam or an "RV" cam, so he's good to go. We bought a Holly 650 with a "trick Kit" already installed. I told him that since we will have the bed and front end off, we may as well put 3/4 ton axles under it as well.. His money, my labor.. (And fun tinkering) another question, should we keep the HEI ignition or revert back to a Mallory type ignition set up? Any ideas?
 
Spend the money on gears.....4.88 should do it if 37s. Now if your planning on running any bigger tars...Plan on getting least one ton difs and 5.13 or 5.86 gears.
As stated....Give one of the cam company's a call and tell them what you have.
 
Hey all. Sorry but I caught the creepy crud for the last couple of weeks.. Wasn't fun..
Looking for info on water pumps to use on this 350 ZZ4 crate motor so I can use the same passenger side alternator bracketing and drivers drivers side power steering pump below the a/c compressor.. Pulling my hair out. The 305 that was in it, had the alternator bracket which spanned the two bolts to the water pump, the 350 water pump has a tall aluminum boss that interferes with the alternator bracket... Any ideas besides bench grinding to fit????? Don't want to do it but can if need be.
 
mweaver1111 said:
How in the hell do you upload pics?
Click to expand...

I upload my pictures to photobucket then click the share link (looks like a chain) and copy the link in the "IMG" box and paste it in the box where you type your replies and such.
Then your photo will appear in the post, no links to click, just to be told you need to pay.

Now go do that and post a picture of what you are referring to.
 
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