Are you the builder of this setup because your assuming alot. I consider a custom a cam thats spec'd to meet your needs, that ties the rest of the setup together. Good for the CheaTR cam, I don't see how something better can't be put together but you can think what you want. I guess the difference is that I wouldn't run Manifolds on a setup when there are better options out there, that make more power especially when the only actual definative answer given was the fact that the budget is $5k. I especially wouldn't run a cam spec'd by Patrick G anyways. My point was that you run a better chance of having a good setup when you get the info from someone who actually knows then some random guy on the internet or even another enthusiast. There are many misconceptions about cams, valve events, compression ratio and things of that out there that the average person doesn't understand how all things work together.

Maybe he has now, at the point in time it was spec'd there was one other one that fit the same exact requirements as mine. We both made similar power too. Apparently it worked out pretty well since my car makes more power then alot of similar setups... which just proves my point. My setup was thoughout in advance with alot of research done, and the cam was spec'd by a professional not a bunch of interweb forum visitors that think they know enough to pick the best cam option. My cam didnt cost anymore then an off the shelf I could have picked from anywhere else either. No offense intended.

Edit from earlier, my cam peaks at 6200 not 6400 I read the graph wrong.

 

I'm not the builder. I just know Cali smog laws relatively well. Ya, I'm sure most of the domestic car crowd in CA would run LT's and larger cams if they could and not have to worry about passing emmisions and inspections. You keep missing the point that CA is more strict about emissions and mods than anywhere else in the US.

Ya, he could probably have a better set up by having the heads and cam spec'd together, but IMO people who post a thread wanting to know "which cam" etc apparently don't want to do the research or spend the time finding someone to spec everything for them. Otherwise they would have already contacted a shop that specializes in LS1's. I'd bet if he called Thunder Racing they'd probably steer him to the same cam I did w/some AFR heads.

So because Bauer sells less cams, his are more custom than a shop that specs the grind themselves and sells more? If the specs were known your cam very well may be an "off the shelf" grind or very similar. If you don't know the specs, how do you know it isn't? Yes, I'm sceptical about "secret" grinds.

 

Maybe you are right, we won't know til OP posts up. Until then we are both assuming. He also may not wanna have the heads and cam spec'd together...perhaps he doesn't realize that would be the best way. My only advice was for him to contact a professional not rely soley on internet dribble, since alot of the stuff is take out of context or just plain wrong. I would contact more then one shop and speak to them to see what they recomend if he really doesn't have a clue on what he needs, some may steer him the same direction you did, others may not.

I never specified his cams are more custom then larger shops customs cams so I fail to see why you are asking a question that makes it seem as such...I am saying that maybe the CheaTR cam would work well for him, maybe not. He won't know unless he contacts a professional. Would you rather he just threw that in there and ran it whether it was the best for his application or not? I wouldn't. I know the specs of my cam, so again with the assuming. I know my cams not an off the shelf cam, and I also know there isn't anything super special about my cam...however it was spec'd to the proper valve events to meet my requirements, and to match the other parts used....all while still being smaller then many of the other run of the mill cams out there. If you had a clue about cams you would understand why he prefers his cam specs be not mentioned, he thinks about things different and does good work, why should what he spec's be common knowledge for every tom dick n' harry to copy what he does? He doesn't charge more then off the shelf cams so I don't understand what makes you or anyone else think you are entitled to knowing everyones exact setup. He isn't the only person to do things this way, nor was he the first...if you don't like the way he does business go somewhere else.

 

Gentlemen ,

Please! I did not intend to start a range war!!
I am slack-jawed at the amount of tech info I have read through. In all honesty I do not ,outside of in principle, fathom the specific impact of the grind particulars in relationship to air flow/porting/head mods.
I am not asking you [plural] to do my home work for me. I had only hoped for a genenal direction for a Calif. NORMALLY aspirated steetable smogable ss. If I understand the general direction, it seems to point to a 'package' head/cam setup.
I thank all of you for your comments and direction. I do know more now than when I started. Kind of when my son said....."It's the peddle on the right dad".