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Any good LA Small Block cams for cheap?

Cole Jobe

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I've got a 360 LA Small Block and I'm looking for a cam nor do I know a lot about picking a cam, but I don't intend on ever going past 6000 rpm so I don't need anything crazy but I'm not looking for something mild ether and I cannot go over 500 lift because I'm running bone stock heads.

Thanks in advance in case I don't back to you quickly.

EDIT: I would also like to work with stock valve springs if possible, Also solid or hydraulic lifters?
 
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I've got a 360 LA Small Block and I'm looking for a cam nor do I know a lot about picking a cam, but I don't intend on ever going past 6000 rpm so I don't need anything crazy but I'm not looking for something mild ether and I cannot go over 500 lift because I'm running bone stock heads.

Thanks in advance in case I don't back to you quickly.
I can't speak for their quality now but, my old 68 B Body with a 318 had a K6900 Summit Racing camshaft but, that was years ago. I think the camshaft was installed around the early 2000s from what I can remember. The K6900 is fairly mild but, there is I believe a couple of kits that are a step above that one.
 
I can't speak for their quality now but, my old 68 B Body with a 318 had a K6900 Summit Racing camshaft but, that was years ago. I think the camshaft was installed around the early 2000s from what I can remember. The K6900 is fairly mild but, there is I believe a couple of kits that are a step above that one.
You might be onto something with that thanks for the reply
 
EDIT: I would also like to work with stock valve springs if possible, Also solid or hydraulic lifters?

Stock valve springs = Mild Cam... Cheap = Hydraulic Cam... Summit Cam should be a good fit...
 
Anybody ever use Melling for engine components (beside oil pumps)? www.melling.com/aftermarket-parts/catalog/ The catalog listing is extensive....
Who makes the cams and associated parts for Summit?? I thought Summit was a WD operation not a manufacturer.... just asking a question...
BOB RENTON

I know it has been many years but, I thought Crane back years ago made the camshafts for Summit? I don't know now since Crane was acquired under a new company in 2009. I've heard the Melling Camshafts would be okay. The only thing I would be more concerned with is the quality of the lifters as I'm uncertain about the quality of the lifters these days since I've see more threads about lifter failures.
 
Summit, jegs, melling, and many others use Camshaft Machine Company in Jackson, MI to outsource most of their cams. Crane did grind summits cams years ago. CMC took that over around that 2009 ish time frame.

It depends on the pedigree of the 360 was as to what the biggest cam is that could work. If it was born a 4 bbl engine a 340 cam or small summits could work, they had a little better valve springs. You could get the most out of the stock springs with a 220ish @.050” hyd cam in a single pattern with gentle ramps and about .45” lift.

The smaller summit works well if it was a 4 bbl 360 from a police car. We have also ran a 340 cam with stock 360 2 bbl heads for a long time, it would float the valves about 5300 rpm or so. Melling and speedpro both have it available, or at least list it as available. Was no real improvement over the 6900 summit cam though. Brother ran a 6900 run to a 14.6 et with a 70 challenger, 3 speed and 3.23s, low compression (78’) 360 with headers with stock valve springs.

My opinion is going thru the work to change cams the stock valves springs should get replaced, and do the cam you want. Springs are probably over 40 years old.
 
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Summit, jegs, melling, and many others use Camshaft Machine Company in Jackson, MI to outsource most of their cams. Crane did grind summits cams years ago. CMC took that over around that 2009 ish time frame.

It depends on the pedigree of the 360 was as to what the biggest cam is that could work. If it was born a 4 bbl engine a 340 cam or small summits could work, they had a little better valve springs. You could get the most out of the stock springs with a 220ish @.050” hyd cam in a single pattern with gentle ramps and about .45” lift.

The smaller summit works well if it was a 4 bbl 360 from a police car. We have also ran a 340 cam with stock 360 2 bbl heads for a long time, it would float the valves about 5300 rpm or so. Melling and speedpro both have it available, or at least list it as available. Was no real improvement over the 6900 summit cam though. Brother ran a 6900 run to a 14.6 et with a 70 challenger, 3 speed and 3.23s, low compression (78’) 360 with headers with stock valve springs.

My opinion is going thru the work to change cams the stock valves springs should get replaced, and do the cam you want. Springs are probably over 40 years old.

Thank you for sharing. The biggest thing he'll have to worry about is lifter quality these days. I believe there is limited manufacturers on those as well. It came back to me and I wanted to say you may want to lower your RPM expectation to around 5,000 or so if you use the stock springs. From the receipts I had the prior owner never replaced the springs in the 68 318 that ran the Summit Racing camshaft. The motor had a lot of miles on it but, still ran well. I will tell you it didn't like being revved above 5,000 with the stock springs so that's something to consider but I never really worried since it was kind of my daily driverish at that time.
 
I've got a 360 LA Small Block and I'm looking for a cam nor do I know a lot about picking a cam, but I don't intend on ever going past 6000 rpm so I don't need anything crazy but I'm not looking for something mild ether and I cannot go over 500 lift because I'm running bone stock heads.

Thanks in advance in case I don't back to you quickly.

EDIT: I would also like to work with stock valve springs if possible, Also solid or hydraulic lifters?

The stock valve springs will really limit you to a mild hydraulic flat tappet cam.
The summit 6900 at $83 is about the least expensive, and would work with a near stock engine and torque converter. 204/214 duration @ 0.050", 0.421/0.444" lift 112 LSA.
The Summit 6920 Muscle car replacement is $99. 209/220 @ 0.050" duration, 0.429/0.444", 114 LSA should work. They recommend 110 pound seat pressure, 280 pound open spring pressures?

The Summit 1789 cam $113. 216/216 @ 0.050" duration, 0.454/0.454" lift, 110 LSA is likely the largest cam you would want to run with a stock torque converter. Springs might work if pressures are about that described above.

Going larger, should consider a higher stall torque converter, and replacement valve springs.

For comparison, my 360 Engine has the Hughes Engines 216/220 @ 0.050" duration cam, it costs $174, but has much faster lobes for 0.495"/0.503" lift @ 1.5:1 rocker ratio, and 112 LSA. But my heads are also ported and fitted with 2.02"/1.60" valves, the valve spring seats and guides were cut for higher rate springs, and I am running crane 1.6:1 rocker arms for 0.528"/0.536" valve lift. Using a factory high stall converter, and 9.5:1 compression ratio. KB 232 quench dome pistons.
 
#901 Comp springs
 
Thanks for all the help everyone I really do appreciate it, I think I'm gonna hold off on the cam for now just so I can have my car running and driving then I will build a motor for it because I've got alot of parts laying around, that's when I will deal with the cam situation.
 
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