Hopefully I will be building a 350 soon and vortecs seem to be the heads that i am going to use. The car will be driven probably 5 to 6 months a year. I like Comp cams, but what is the biggest one I can use with stock vortec heads? I would like a lot of low to mid range power with a healthy lobe to it.
thanks
Tom

go with the 270comp magnum.

Thanks for the reply. what is better a comp magnum or extreme? Just to let you know this car will be driven on the street a lot.
thanks
Tom

I like the Comp Xtreme cam. Look at the Comp 268. It will be a good torquey cam, and a good match for the Vortec heads.

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350 4 bolt, 383 Speed-O-Motive stroker kit with Speed Demon 750, HPC coated RPM intake,Proform High Performance HEI dist.MSD6a box,World Products Sportsman II heads, ported and polished with 2.02/1.60 valves,64cc,TRW forged pistons with 10.7:1 compression, Manley stainless valves,Comp Xtreme 284 cam,Crane pushrods, Comp Cam 1.6 full roller rockers,Cloyes true roller timing chain,ATI damper, Hedman headers that have been HPC coated, 2.5 inch exhaust with 40 series Flowmasters, 4.11 gears with TH350 and 3000 stall.Powertrax NoSlip Locker,Cragar Street Star rims with B.F Goodrich tires.

You might want to call them directly at 1-800-999-0853. Explain your set-up and their techs will provide you all the info on what to use. I've done it successfully several times.

good luck

When you say stock vortecs, do you mean stock valve springs too? Stock springs are good for about .460 lift...which would be the 268 hi-energy. However, I have seen these heads run with up to .470 lift with stock springs...just doesnt leave much saftey margin for coil bind. That would get you up to the 270 magnum/262 extreme cams. Vortecs have a slightly weak exhaust port compared to the intake and benefit from the extra exhaust duration of the extreme series cams. I run the 268 extreme with my vortec heads, but I am also using the complete k-kit (springs, locks, retainers, etc)...this cam has .477/.480 lift, which is about the limit for use with the stock valve seals...much more than this will require machining down the valve guides or retainers that provide more clearence...they are easily available.
Just a suggestion, if you want a cam with a good lope to it and be able to use totally stock heads, lunati makes a cam that would be perfect...230/236 @.050, .468/.468 lift on 110 lobe centers and 4 degrees advance ground in. This cam has a pretty healthy lope to it and clearance isnt a problem. If I would have known that the xe268 barely had a lope to it, I would have used it instead...its sounds real good in a 350.

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375hp 78 Chevy truck
77 Chevy Nova
95 Chevy Lumina 3.4L
and building a 78 Nova

[This message has been edited by travis (edited 01-31-2001).]