I'm building a 455 with L2323F (15.7 cc) pistons and 425 (80 cc) heads. Does anyone know what the max cam lift is for stock rocker arm studs? The car is a 1967 Delmont Holiday Coupe and will be a mild to medium custom--shaved door handles, etc. and I would like a rough idle but don't want to pull a rocker arm stud. Sometime in the future I would like to get better heads so I would like to put the biggest street cam that will still run with the setup above and have decent torque for Sunday drives.

Also, who makes headers for the larger body styles? I would assume that the Cutlass headers (which are plentiful) would fit. Maybe..?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris

 

I don't know about headers; The steering is different on B bodies vs. A bodies so the headers probably won't fit. Over .5" lift you need to check the valve retainer to guide/valve seal clearance. Sometimes you can get seals that don't stick up as much and improve clearance. Also check the length of the slot in the rocker for bottoming out, meaning the end of the slot hits the stand. You can grind the slots longer as needed with a carbide bur. The machine shop can cut down the guides as needed, but no more than that. They can reduce the OD for aftermarket seals that are much better than the stock umbrellas. I like Howard's seals (the cam company), and they are only about .11 or .12" thick under the retainer, whereas some seals are .16-.18" thick there, reducing your retainer to guide clearance unnecessarily.

 

Lift would have nothing to do with the tone, a stock rocker setup will normally take about .500 lift. I can get you a cam that you will hear, makes great torque and will work with the your rocker setup. Not that hard to do.

 

Thanks for the replies.