Help on cam selection

Here's three cams you might check out, in order of increasing overlap / powerband RPM:

  1) Lunati 10100276 (1200-5200)

  2) Elgin E1041-P (1500-5500)

  3) Isky 270-HL (2000-6000)

They will all give you dynamic compression ration in the 6.7-6.8 range, assuming your rebuild used stock replacement type pistons, leaving you with an 8.3:1 static CR. It should be no problem to run 87 octane.

The Lunati will probably give the best overall performance due to less overlap. The Isky would give the most aggressive idle, but you would be sacrificing a little low end.

All of those would work with stock rockers, but none will work with stock springs. Your springs and retainers will need to be upgraded for any performance camshaft, and generally the spring pockets need to be machined to fit the new springs, which is usually done with the heads off.

just so I don't sound like I'm disagreeing with Chris,

there is a ton of room for interesting discussion about exactly what overlap does at the lower rpm ranges.

Yep it does gum up the works at some point with exhaust and intake gasses mixing,

but at some point the exiting exhaust through an efficient system can also help to pull the fresh charge into the cylinder when the piston has not yet started dropping fast enough to draw the charge in by itself.

So tight lobe center cams tend to have peakier torque curves,

but they also have a reputation for running out of top end power sooner,

but that isn't always the case.

(I love a good cam conversation  )