To cam or not to cam
To cam or not to cam Here is my answer I had already typed to this post that was just deleted:
Paul, I have good news and bad news . . . first the bad news: Fbodies aren't worth a damn as collector cars, even if you have a special edition. The best you could hope for would be for it to gain some value in about 30 years time, but even that would only be if you didn't put hardly any miles on it . . . not worth it IMHO, just drive the hell out of it and enjoy it. Even most exotic cars aren't a good investment these days, and you car is nice but not an exotic car.
OK the good new is you can gain more HP from a cam upgrade/dollar spent than any other mod. In the past it was true you needed good heads with a cam to make it work, but LS1's are different because they actually come with very good heads from the factory, but are detuned with a truck cam so as to not threaten the Corvette. So just stuff a medium sized cam in there, forget your worries, and go out and have some fun driving it!
Paul, I have good news and bad news . . . first the bad news: Fbodies aren't worth a damn as collector cars, even if you have a special edition. The best you could hope for would be for it to gain some value in about 30 years time, but even that would only be if you didn't put hardly any miles on it . . . not worth it IMHO, just drive the hell out of it and enjoy it. Even most exotic cars aren't a good investment these days, and you car is nice but not an exotic car.
OK the good new is you can gain more HP from a cam upgrade/dollar spent than any other mod. In the past it was true you needed good heads with a cam to make it work, but LS1's are different because they actually come with very good heads from the factory, but are detuned with a truck cam so as to not threaten the Corvette. So just stuff a medium sized cam in there, forget your worries, and go out and have some fun driving it!
Re: To cam or not to cam ROFL! 
Thank you for you support Dave! Maybe I'll run for Fbody President next year! Speaking of that, once I'm king of the world, a few laws are going to be changed; like it is illegal to drive in the left lane unless you have over 300 rwhp and the willingness to use it!!!
Thank you for you support Dave! Maybe I'll run for Fbody President next year! Speaking of that, once I'm king of the world, a few laws are going to be changed; like it is illegal to drive in the left lane unless you have over 300 rwhp and the willingness to use it!!! Re: To cam or not to cam Almost agreed on everything....except the dollar per $ thing about the cam....You know us Nitrous guys will prove that wrong with every bottle fill, but then again maybe thats your point...the cost of maintaining the full bottle.
On The Tree
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 132
Likes: 0
From: Scottsdale, AZ
Re: To cam or not to cam Remember the Cam does't require you to keep dipping money into it to keep the added power. Where as with the Nitrous you have to keep refilling or it that's the end of that power adder...
Re: To cam or not to cam CAT3, although you like Nitrous I see you have a cam in your sig also! 
I have no problem with N20 but to me it comes more under the fuel catagory than that of a mechanical mod. You could also burn alcohol mixed with nitromethane if you wanted to make some good power! A 50-50 mix works quite well 
I have no problem with N20 but to me it comes more under the fuel catagory than that of a mechanical mod. You could also burn alcohol mixed with nitromethane if you wanted to make some good power! A 50-50 mix works quite well Trending Topics
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Verdad Gallardo Re: To cam or not to cam Well, I got tuning issues I believe. I picked up 4mph int he 8th , but keep getting timing pulled for really messed afr so I lose that what i gianed in the top. Going to wideband this weekend hopefully. Finally got a nice A-tap log at cruise and a couple WOT and dent them to my Predator vendor (waiting for LS1Edit...keep learning). Car is strong as hell bottom and mid, feels strong on the street at the top end also, but might have had a little lean, or something...not sure yet, but working it.
BTW, what would a LS1 act like with cam off one tooth? Interesting, bt not enought to try it.
BTW, what would a LS1 act like with cam off one tooth? Interesting, bt not enought to try it.
Re: To cam or not to cam If off one tooth it could lack a lot of potential power just as you have described. I think back-firing is also common. Even without tuning you should make more power than before, not less.
D(irecto)r Pepper
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 0
From: Houston Raceway Park...in TEXAS.
Re: To cam or not to cam Heck yea CAM.
Just follow the footsteps of those who have blazed the trail for you.... and you wont go wrong.
Good luck and dont go too big.
Just follow the footsteps of those who have blazed the trail for you.... and you wont go wrong.
Good luck and dont go too big.
Re: To cam or not to cam
I've been on the road all night, so I don't know what's going on. Why was my original post deleted?
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 9,246
Likes: 3
From: Troy, AL
Re: To cam or not to cam "but are detuned with a truck cam so as to not threaten the Corvette."
Lemme disagree with that.
Check the specs between a standard 'Vette cam and the LS1 cam. Not much difference. Seems like I recall one having a touch more lift and the other having a touch more duration. It varies just a little bit between years as well.
F-bodys generally dyno a little higher than 'Vettes so there wasn't much de-tuning that took place at GM (although the ****-poor design of the air box would suggest otherwise.)
Lemme disagree with that.
Check the specs between a standard 'Vette cam and the LS1 cam. Not much difference. Seems like I recall one having a touch more lift and the other having a touch more duration. It varies just a little bit between years as well.F-bodys generally dyno a little higher than 'Vettes so there wasn't much de-tuning that took place at GM (although the ****-poor design of the air box would suggest otherwise.)
Re: To cam or not to cam "but are detuned with a truck cam so as to not threaten the Corvette."
Lemme disagree with that. Check the specs between a standard 'Vette cam and the LS1 cam. Not much difference. Seems like I recall one having a touch more lift and the other having a touch more duration. It varies just a little bit between years as well.
F-bodys generally dyno a little higher than 'Vettes so there wasn't much de-tuning that took place at GM (although the ****-poor design of the air box would suggest otherwise.)
Lemme disagree with that.
Check the specs between a standard 'Vette cam and the LS1 cam. Not much difference. Seems like I recall one having a touch more lift and the other having a touch more duration. It varies just a little bit between years as well.F-bodys generally dyno a little higher than 'Vettes so there wasn't much de-tuning that took place at GM (although the ****-poor design of the air box would suggest otherwise.)
2001 Fbody: 198/197 0.478/0.478
2001 Ybody: 198/208 0.500/0.500 (LS1)
2001 Ybody: 207/217 0.525/0.525 (LS6)
Not a big difference, but in racing every little bit counts.
Re: To cam or not to cam Thanks. I guess maybe I deleted it myself somehow. But I don't know how. I will probably have to re-type it all given that I had many questions, that aren't getting answered by the thread you created. Thanks for your advice and help figuring all this out. I'm still not sure that the CETA will not gain value over time. I'm sure it will take a while, but think of how hard it is to find a 69 white/blue T/A, and how much they are going for. For a decent one, even with 70K+ miles on it, you will dump close to $75K for it. I guess it is all a risk, and I have to think if I really bought it for investment purposes. 
No, I bought it because I wanted the best yellow T/A made yet. You see, this is the 4th f-body I've owned, and the 3rd LS1 I've owned. It's also the 2nd Yellow f-body for me. This is definitely my favorite of them all, so your right, I should enjoy the hell out of it.
Thanks again.
Paul
No, I bought it because I wanted the best yellow T/A made yet. You see, this is the 4th f-body I've owned, and the 3rd LS1 I've owned. It's also the 2nd Yellow f-body for me. This is definitely my favorite of them all, so your right, I should enjoy the hell out of it. Thanks again.
Paul