I'm in the process of building a 383 for my lt1 maro. I want to buy the Hotcam kit because it comes with the cam,roller rockers,valve springs,retainers ect.....for roughly $600.

The problem: I will be using stock heads til I can afford to buy an LE2 or LE3 package which means I would have to get rid of the hotcam and probably get better valve springs. does that sound like a big waste of money?

For $600, do you guys think I could buy a cam,roller rockers, and valve springs that are better for the 383?

 

yes it sounds like a waste to do that....but you can get your heads ported to match the hotcam...i would maybe consider going with a cc305 or 306..i think the are around 260...so with the roller rockers and springs you may spend a lil over 600...just depends on what products you use

 

Buy rockers and pushrods (and even lifters) that will be compatible with your next step. That way you won't waste any money replacing those parts again.

 

build the bottom end, use the stock topend until you can afford the LE3 setup. Thats what id do.

 

That sounds like a better idea.

what brand rockers do you guys recomend?
Are the GMPP roller rockers in the hotcam kit any good?

something about using the stock lt1 cam on a 383 does not sound right IMO.

I MIGHT get another 400 bucks on top of the $600 to spend on my engine within the next few days.

SO.... I would like to spend somewhere around 8-9 hundred dollars on cam,pushrods,roller rockers,and valve springs. what do you guys recomend?

I don't want a huge cam thats going to make my car a pain to start/drive since it WILL be a DD.

Thanks for all the help

 

1.cc305-260$
2.cc pro mag rr 285$
3.cc springs 125$
4.cc pushrods 40-50$
around 750$ with taxes

you can also get new lifters and guideplates, retainers.

 

There are lots of stock bottom end guys running in the 11's making upwards of 400+ rwhp. Spend the money on the top end assuming you are comfortable with the condition of the bottom end.

 

I looked up the specs for the CC305 and it has a little more duration(2* degrees) than the hotcam and about .020 more lift with 1.6 roller rockers.

would that be enough to make a difference between these two cams?

 

well you did mention that it is your daily driver that cam would be a little better than the hotcam...but going up any bigger is probably not what your wanting but you still should have a good power band with the cc305 it says 1,500-5,500...im not sure about the hotcam though.

 

There used to be cam GP's where you could get any package you want for 750ish and there were many much better options that the hotcam. But you dont see them in the GP section anymore. So for around 800 you can pick a cam valvetrain parts and then throw heads on later.
Sell the cam and springs because you will be getting new ones with the LE package to gain some money back. This way you can be a cammed stock headed 383 with good torque and 335-350rwhp for now and than 400rwhp after heads.

Lots of people are runnign xe224/230 and running great numbers, decent mpgs, and good driveabiliy. I would check it out, fits your needs.
Once you have more coin to play with buy a le2 or le3 setup.

i know you can buy AI's custom cams they use, pretty sure llyod is doing it now too. Get something with street manners and you will be fine. I know there second the third smallest are great with stock or light ported heads.


Good luck here bud.

 

I just found someone selling a used CC306 for 2 bills.
its a little bigger than the CC503 mentioned above. the specs are:230@ .510/ 244@ .540 (1.5RR)--- 112 LSA --- 1800-5800. What kind of springs would I need with this cam?

choosing a cam is harder than I though. SO MANY NUMBERS TO UNDERSTAND

 

yea those numbers are a little trickey...

and im not sure what valve springs to use with the cc306 you can call summit and ask for there tech department and they usually are pretty good at getting you set up