"Custom Cam" question
 

Okay I think I have this right but I need to know for sure. Does the phrase "custom" cam mean , you call up the cam guy, tell him your combo and he actually grinds a custom cam unique to your combo? Wouldnt they actually have cams for most combos for efi mustangs on the shelf from past experience? I would hate to shell out alot more money and then get the cam and the specs be almost exactly what they are on an alphabet cam. Let me know. everyone raves about custom cams so I am assuming they rock.

Re: "Custom Cam" question
 

Yes

Yes, from me too.

When you get a custum cam they don't grind you one right then and there. They evaluate your combo and figure out what the cam specs should be, and then look at the available grinds for your application that match there specs. So when you get a custum cam in a way you are paying for there knowledge not a special machined cam.
It is well worth it to go with a custom cam from a good builder. Yes there is 100's of cams for the 5.0, but do you know which one will net you the most power, over all power, and driveabilty? Chances are no. Also the alphabet cams will almost always give you a good increase but it may not be the best cam for your engine, chances are that there is a much better choice.


Wade

Thanks for the info guys! :D

I know i'm gonna get myself in trouble pressing this issue, but i can't stand it i gotta ask it again. You really think these "builders" know more about cams than Ed Iskendarian or Clay Smith or Harvey Crane ?
I can understand if you're campaining a car and you run it and work on it constantly, and you're to the point where you know it so well that there is almost no place left to get anymore HP. Then you might custom grind a cam with another 2 degrees here or minus 2 degrees there just to see what it will get you. But to think some builder is so good that he can look at your combo and know so precisely what exact specs you need that he has to custom grand a cam to get them, thats not logical to me ? its just not that exact a science, there are to many variables involved, not to mention there are already thousands of cam profiles "on the shelf" between the major cam companies. Honestly i think this custom cam thing is, for the general hotrodder at least, a big marketing ploy... thats just my opinion and i know a lot of people disagree.

I will also add this, we put a WR1087 in a long rod 302, later with funds avaliable we ordered three diff cams from custom cam builders, when it was all said and done, the 1087 was back in the car. It ran the best and fastest of the four of them.

With that being said, I will add this. There is a man who sells cams. But the biggest part of his business is recomending cams. That part is free, even if you don't buy it from him. His computer has a database with all avaliable cams for a specific type of engine. He gets all of your info, comes up with the magic grind, then the computer gives him every cam that is close to what he wants. And that usually winds up being a shelf cam. which will be cheaper than a custom, and will be shipped the day you order.

I will look through my recent MM&FF to see just who it is and post it for you.

I agree with you guys on allot of points you made. I would not trust just anyone to pick out the right cam for me. I know that when it comes to cams I know very little when you look at duration, lift, LSA, and ramp rates. Yes I know what they mean, but I don't know what my car will benifit from applying these terms.

Ed Iskendarian or Clay Smith or Harvey Crane make cams to work under certin conditions. When you buy a off the shelf cam they list the rpm where the power is made, what the weight of the car it should be used it, gear ratio, and some times stall speed. Just look in the Summit catalog and you can buy cams from the people you listed, and the conditions that I just stated.


A custom cam profiler will look at head flow at all areas of valve lift (which is VERY important), intake flow, exhaust flow, compression, weight of car, gear ratio, trans type, type of driving, and even tire height. If you can apply all the basics of a cam and what they do to take advantage of ALL the factors that i listed in this paragraph you will have no need to have someone pick one out for you.

I would put Ed Curtis and his cams up against just about anyone in the business. He's one of those guys that will figure out what you need, tell you (lift, duration, seperation, etc) and not charge you for that part of the deal.

He does a great job and I highly recommend him :)






XR1stang