Best Replacement Cam for 1967 427/435 HP

[Richard F.]

A friend of mine has asked "what is the best replacement cam for my 1967 427/435 HP" I'm sure there's no simple answer to this question but we have to start some where.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, Thanks

[Joe L.]

Re: Best Replacement Cam for 1967 427/435 HP

A friend of mine has asked "what is the best replacement cam for my 1967 427/435 HP" I'm sure there's no simple answer to this question but we have to start some where.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, Thanks

Richard-------


If one wants to keep the car and the engine characteristics as original, a reproduction of the original cam, GM #3904362, wpould be best. These are available from several cam manufacturers.

However, in my opinion, from a functional standpoint the best bet is an hydraulic roller retrofit camshaft. Flat tappet cams, both hydraulic and mechanical lifter, are totally obsolete and ill-advised if this is to be a driven car. As far as I know, no original equipment engine manufacturer (e.g. GM, Ford, Chrysler, etc.) has manufactured an engine, PRODUCTION or SERVICE, with a flat tappet mechanical lifter valvetrain in well over 30 years. There's a reason for that.

[Duke W.]

Re: Best Replacement Cam for 1967 427/435 HP

If you can find one... the Speed Pro CS-165R is built to the GM print. Do a Web search.

Duke

[Richard M.]

Re: Best Replacement Cam for 1967 427/435 HP

Summit & Jegs & NAPA shows unavailable.

[Joe L.]

Re: Best Replacement Cam for 1967 427/435 HP

All------


Federal-Mogul was sold to Tenneco Automotive about 4 years ago. Tenneco re-branded Federal-Mogul to Driv Automotive. They maintained the Fel-Pro and Speed-Pro sub-brands but, as far as I can tell, they dropped the Sealed Power sub-brand. More importantly, they have dropped a great many of the product lines formerly available from Federal-Mogul. I don't think they manufacture any camshafts, at least for the aftermarket.

Comp Cams does have available a reproduction of the old GM #3904362 camshaft. It's their part number 11-106-3. This is a fully parkerized camshaft, as original.

One other point I'd like to make is this: some folks seem to think that mechanical lifter, flat tappet cams represent the epitome of power and performance. Well, they were such once-upon-a-time. However, modern engines have far eclipsed the power of even the stoutest of the 60's muscle car engines and virtually all of the OHV variety (e.g. GM LS, LT series and Chrysler Hemi) are equipped with hydraulic roller cams. Not a mechanical flat tappet to be found for many years.

[Richard F.]

Re: Best Replacement Cam for 1967 427/435 HP

Joe Lucia, Duke Williams and Rich Mozzetta, thanks so much for your input, your knowledge is greatly appreciated.

[Gary B.]

Re: Best Replacement Cam for 1967 427/435 HP

Richard,

No one has mentioned it yet, but the lifter noise from a retrofit hydraulic roller cam is not typically going to be same as the lifter noise from a flat tappet mechanical lifter cam, depending on how tight the valves are adjusted. With some judges, the lack of a classic mechanical lifter noise might be a failure and termination of a Performance Verification judging. The noise difference during Flight judging might be a partial deduct during Operations check under Item 20: Engine noises & vibration: fan clutch, lifters. But that deduction would only be a minority of 25 pts. And it would require a confident judge to do that.

Gary

[Richard M.]

Re: Best Replacement Cam for 1967 427/435 HP

Richard,

No one has mentioned it yet, but the lifter noise from a retrofit hydraulic roller cam is not typically going to be same as the lifter noise from a flat tappet mechanical lifter cam, depending on how tight the valves are adjusted. With some judges, the lack of a classic mechanical lifter noise might be a failure and termination of a Performance Verification judging. The noise difference during Flight judging might be a partial deduct during Operations check under Item 20: Engine noises & vibration: fan clutch, lifters. But that deduction would only be a minority of 25 pts. And it would require a confident judge to do that.

Gary

Gary, Yes that's fact, but I'm concerned about availability. If we can't get the correctly configured parts to restore the engines, as well as the cars themselves, then we can't even drive them on a trailer to the judging events.

All------


Federal-Mogul was sold to Tenneco Automotive about 4 years ago. Tenneco re-branded Federal-Mogul to Driv Automotive. They maintained the Fel-Pro and Speed-Pro sub-brands but, as far as I can tell, they dropped the Sealed Power sub-brand. More importantly, they have dropped a great many of the product lines formerly available from Federal-Mogul. I don't think they manufacture any camshafts, at least for the aftermarket.

Comp Cams does have available a reproduction of the old GM #3904362 camshaft. It's their part number 11-106-3. This is a fully parkerized camshaft, as original.

One other point I'd like to make is this: some folks seem to think that mechanical lifter, flat tappet cams represent the epitome of power and performance. Well, they were such once-upon-a-time. However, modern engines have far eclipsed the power of even the stoutest of the 60's muscle car engines and virtually all of the OHV variety (e.g. GM LS, LT series and Chrysler Hemi) are equipped with hydraulic roller cams. Not a mechanical flat tappet to be found for many years.

Joe, I was afraid you'd have the scoop on the Sealed Power cams. This is very bad news.

I understand their reasoning behind dropping them, likely due to low volume, but this is now another knife into the hearts of restorers. We can't get (stock) cams, true B28 VACs, good Headlight Switches, etc. The list goes on and on. It's getting harder and harder to restore.

Very discouraging.

Edit... I also see that the SB version of the Sealed Power Duntov 097 cam, SP CS113R is gone too. More bad news.

Edit... I see the Comp Cam BB equivalent 11-106-3 is available, but for how long.

Rich

[Mike T.]

Re: Best Replacement Cam for 1967 427/435 HP

I just received the Comp Cams #11-106-3 Camshaft but since it's going into a 66-vintage #942 block, I had to special order that grind due to having the rear journal grooved which of course isn't necessary for a 67 block. I also had it Nitrided. The Summit site shows they have quite a few on the shelf but with so many people going with Roller Cams, that might change in the future.
DSCN5826.jpgDSCN5828.jpgDSCN5829.jpg

[Joe L.]

Re: Best Replacement Cam for 1967 427/435 HP

I just received the Comp Cams #11-106-3 Camshaft but since it's going into a 66-vintage #942 block, I had to special order that grind due to having the rear journal grooved which of course isn't necessary for a 67 block. I also had it Nitrided. The Summit site shows they have quite a few on the shelf but with so many people going with Roller Cams, that might change in the future.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]111422[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]111423[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]111424[/ATTACH]

Mike------


Yes, the 3904362 (and its Comp Cams equivalent) did not have the rear journal groove. This cam is applicable only to 1967-71 SHP big block.

What you had made is the equivalent of the GM #3863143. That cam is the same as the 3904362 except that it had the rear journal groove. It is applicable to 1965-66 SHP big blocks.

For many years, GM cataloged the 3863143 in SERVICE for all 1965-71 SHP big block. It can be used for 1967-71 but I would much prefer the 3904362 for 1967-71. Curiously, while it was never cataloged in SERVICE for Corvette SHP big blocks until February, 1988 when the 3863143 was discontinued, the GM #3904362 was available in SERVICE until February, 2000 when it was discontinued without supersession.

[Duke W.]

Re: Best Replacement Cam for 1967 427/435 HP

A recent thread on the Corvette Forum from someone looking for a LT-1 cam revealed that Elgin Cams appears to offer ALL the OE Corvette cams from the vintage era.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c1-and-c2-corvettes/4628910-1970-lt1-cam-specs-2.html

This jpg from what appears to be the Elgin catalog seems to be missing the first field of the part number, but a web search for Elgin should reveal all the details if you are looking for an OE equivalent cam, C1 to C3 era.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.corvetteforum.com-vbulletin/980x2000/screenshot_20220422_104309_drive_018890ec0b9d7f144afabb0865183284888d0b00.jpg

I'm not a big fan of Comp Cams due to all the quality problems that have been reported over the years. I've not heard anything either way about Elgin.

I don't know if the Elgin version of the BB SHP cam has the rear journal oil groove or not, so don't be shy, if you have a phone call them and ask. The groove is necessary along with the "three-hole" rear bearing on '65 and '66 big blocks. On '67-up big blocks a grooved or no groove rear bearing cam is okay along with the single hole cam beating.

Duke