Z48LT-1

I've done search until my eyeballs have fried. Gimme a break. This may be new.

Here's the deal. I've got a 33K mile (allegedly) takeout from a '95 Caprice, tranny and PCM/wire loom included. The oil pan is wrinkled as if it bounced on it cross country between Florida and Texas (ebay deal, details on request). So I ebayed a "pristine" oil pan. Now. I just won a pair of aluminum heads, completely rebuilt stock stock stock.

The motor is destined for a '48 Chevy street rod. Right now it's got a 2.56 rear gear but I'll change that out for a 3.23 or 3.42 before I get this lump on the road. I plan to tunercat the pcm, fwiw.

So with an oil pan replacement and a new set of "stock" aluminum heads, I may as well jack in a new cam, eh? I'd love to hear that there's a mild cam that likes the original springs and rockers, but I fear that's yet another hope in lieu of a plan.

This is going to be a DD street rod; I may take it to the track once to find out 'what'll it do?' but mostly it's to hang my elbow out the window and style down Broadway. So to speak.

The "new" heads have allegedly fresh a multi-angle valve seat job, and 89# closed seat spring pressures. I like the guys I ebayed and am giving them the benefit of the doubt that the new aluminum heads are up to snuff.

So here's my thoughts: the hot LT 4 cam from Summit is 5.5 bucks. Includes springs and 1.6 roller rockers. 228/214 whatever, as "tame" as a stock-upgrade might be. (BTW, I have no interest in spending more for a high stall converter, unless someone convinces me it's a cool deal for a dd...)

Anybody want to recommend anything else?

Shorty headers already in place.

If anyone has a cam recommendation that uses the stock rockers and springs, I'm all ears, but I'm guessing the stock specs are as good as it gets.....?

Warmest personal regards, Gary, San Antonio, TX

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

the iron heads on the Caprice motor outflow MOST of the aluminums with only the last two years of the aluminums equalling but not exceeding the irons flow. Far as the valvejob again stock is very good a lot of shops would probably do lesser work.

The HOT cam will require a stall with highway gears like that. The springs on those aluminum heads would be maybe OK for a stock cam but NOTHING more.

With the mild gears and a stock stall the Caprice cam may just make you happy, the stock HP rating on it is deceptive it makes gobs of lowend torque and decent HP up top. If you think you want a little more a set of springs and 1.6 rockers make a nice difference and you can get around 300rwhp out of it if done perfectly through an auto, 280 is solidly attainable with the shorty headers and such.

All the stock springs are weak even just a stock cam with 1.6 rockers you need to look at replacing them.

GOaT Cheese

Is the engine a 5.7 or 4.3?

Z48LT-1

Capricemgr, many thanks. I was not relishing tearing down this low-mileage motor and tempting the oil leak gods. It's good to hear that the relatively puny duration numbers on the b-body cam translate to low down grunt with decent HP numbers. RRs and new springs might make me very happy.

GOaT Cheese, I'm happy to report there's a prominent "5.7L" cast into the rear of the block.

Cheers -- Gary

knight17Z

iTrader: (5)

if your going to 3.23's then the hotcam is a damn good deal
Ive got about 12k miles on my cam this year
Drives great on the street and still has a bit of lope to it

Also it's a Street rod...it just wouldn't sound right with a stock cam in there

Z48LT-1

OK so knight17Z is going to kick my *** when we meet on da street. Now I'm struggling to find the rockers and springs to make my stock cam worth my while. It almost looks as if the Summit $550 LT4 HOT cam kit might be the bomb, even if I don't use the cam itself. The cheapest self aligning rockers I've found are $250, and springs not much less than that (what do I need, closed pressure, etc?). I use everything but the cam and sell the cam on ebay. What's wrong with this picture?

Let alone the question of whether I should bother with replacing the better-flowing cast iron heads with the lighter but less good aluminum ones or just go with the new springs and rockers.

Oh, me, what to do, what to do????

In any case, I greatly appreciate this forum for all its unfiltered advice.

Cheers -- Gary

Regarding the street rod sound, maybe I could just ground one plug? ;-)