Yes, the radiator has to come out to do a cam swap. I've done two now. My first was a little bitty MTI T1 (221/221,.558/.558, 112 lsa). I did the last about a month ago. Went a little bigger to the TSP 231/239, .598/.595, 112 lsa.

 

how did it run/perform with the smaller cam vs. bigger cam

 

If you have the factory pushrods, I'd be worried. If you have the hardened ones, you'll probably be ok

 

I really liked the T1. It was one of the only cams out when I decided to do a cam. At the time, I didn't want anything large or radical. It made nice power and was very streetable. It's found a new home in one of my good friends '00 T/A. He just got tuned last week and he put down 382 rwhp with the cam, Kooks headers, no cats, wide open Borla, LS6 intake, and a ported TB and MAF.

I'm hoping to see 390 to 400 rwhp with the new cam. It'll be real nice when I hit it with a 125 wet shot. I haven't been tuned yet with the new cam. That should happen in the next couple of weeks. I like the way the new cam pulls hard in the upper rpms but you really need to wind it up to make nice power. That's one thing I like about the T1, it made nice power lower in the rpm range. I'm sure I'll see more power lower in the rpm range with tuning with the new cam. At least, I hope so. Right now the car feels sluggish until about 3500 and then it winds really fast.