Well, It's time for my 10 year old LPE 383 to get some top end freshening. While LPE is a tremendous company their R&D on anything LT1 is lacking (by their own admission) as they do most of their work on LS1-2s now. So Joe Overton's name came up at my local shop, F-body Central in Baltimore, MD. They use and recommend Joe O. for the cam and Eric for the head work. I'm looking for more cam than my current 211/219 .530/.560 and a freshening of the heads. I want to keep the 3600 stall speed and move to 3.73 gears.

Joe said that my 11.70-11.90s could turn into 11.40s if not faster with one his "small and nasty" cams, and more flow from my LPE LT1 CNC ported heads keeping the 2.00/1.56 valves. This sounds great and I've done a search under Joe Overton, but I'd like some feedback from his customers...track times, rwhp #s, street manners and durability. I'm trying to find someone with my similar set up running one of his cams and head work...Thanks everyone!!
--Alan

 

I would like to see some replys also to your questions. But what about just freshening up the heads (guides, seals, springs, etc.) and installing the new gears? That, and if you could shave a tad off your 60ft. might get you what your looking for.
Or, how about a big and nasty Joe O. cam to go with the Eric port work? If I was going to invest the money I'd be looking for more than 3 or 4 tenths.

 

Your point is well taken, and believe me I've thought about it...After 10 years of racing/street driving I've got oil leaks from the oil pan, intake, etc. I want to pull the engine, clean it up, re-seal it, coat the headers, replace the motor mounts with polyurethane ones, etc. While I know that it probably would be ok with springs and seals, I want to try to get more out of the combo while still maintaining streetablity. If Joe can spec a bigger cam which will work well with my smallish valves and 3600 stall speed then great, but its got to be streetable, so the cam can't be too big. I am always conservative on track times and trap speeds. Joe had thought quicker than 11.40s, maybe in the 11.20s range. Most of my runs are in the 11.90 range 11.70 being the best, quite a few years ago. I felt a lot like you 10 years ago when the original owner ordered the car from LPE. I thought he was nuts to spend high $$$ on an engine package ($14000), but its been running 11s for 10 years without even a hiccup getting 25 mpg on the highway. Fast and durable....

For under 3K I'm getting engine R&R, freshened re-ported heads, a bigger custom cam, new lifters, timing set, coated headers, new mounts, assembly with new engine seals, and dyno tuning. I may do the electric wp while I'm there. I'll be happy with 11.40s, thrilled with 11.20s. 3 or 4 tenths is quite a bit, to me...
--Alan

 

By the way, z-rated94, what times are you running, and how do you like the cam? Roughly, what are the specs?...
--Alan

 

Wish I would have known a bit more about Joe Overton. I was but a young pup when he left over not disclosing his cam specs or something. Now that I know a bit about cams, seen one of his car videos, and am interested in one, I would love to have the oppurtunity to see what he has to offer. Although LE does have a pretty good deal going. Good luck rounding his customers up, the always seem to be very pleased with results.

-Dustin-

 

I'm still working out the kinks using one of his cams (decent sized) and Joe Prince Racing heads on a fresh AP Engineering 355 shortblock. From what I've driven now that my mechanical issues have been sorted out, this is what the impression was:

Oh My God. I pulled 85% throttle in 2nd gear and the car felt like in nearly lifted the nose off the ground. The car is insanely faster feeling than my old stock bottom end/same heads/224/230 setup. Numbers should be coming on March 12th when I get it dyno tuned.

I've got a short video HERE of the car idling at 1050 RPM. That's pulling about 10-12 InHg of vacuum.

Street manners so far have been decent. It's being a stubborn bastard to tune, but it's coming along. Surging is minimal between about 1400-1800 RPM, and extremely light if at all between 1800-2200 RPM. With some more tuning I'm sure it will smooth out. Power isn't all there down low (1800 and below) but comes on like a mother as soon as the revs start to climb.

 

I'm still putting mine together but I can tell you Eric At E.B. is great.
I sent him my Lingenfelter CNC LT4 heads to have him give me his opinion
after I had them flowed at a local shop. Needless to say he didn't think much of them and worked them over along with my intake. The heads look a lot different. I went with a solid roller from Joe and should have it running soon.
Eric has probably called me 4 times to see how things are going. I've never had any shop do that. I wish he wasn't on the East coast because I would have him put my engine together.

 

Holy crap that exhaust tone sounds more like a massive AA gun than a cammed LT1

See, I hear results like that and it makes me really want a Joe Overton cam and some LE heads. I have done alot of searching and researching but have yet to come up with anything substantial other than his cams fuggin rock.

-Dustin-

 

Keep em comin' guys...Someone must have some dyno nymbers and track times...I was thinking a "small and nasty" cam, but now I may go a little bigger ....Thanks again...
--Alan

 

Check my signature for a stage II cam. The track times in run 2 were with a spun bearing and collapsed lifter!

Looking for mid 11s@118mph this summer.

 

I guess (some) of the specs would be real close to a CC305 cam. No new times yet or HP #'s. The car is sleeping right now. When it feels rested in the spring Ion is going to dyno tune it for me. But I have to say, the first time I stabbed the gas I thought the trans was slipping. That was until I looked in the rear view mirror and saw about 30ft. of rubber and a boat load of tire smoke. Granted the street was cold but it was from a 15mph roll with DR's. So yeah, I guess you can say I'm happy so far with the LE heads and (small) Joe O. cam.

 

If idles won races, you’d be one bad mama jama. What you’re hearing is the sweat sound of 110 lobe separation.

Lloyd Elliot’s head and cam package are probably the best value out there. He can also bump up your existing heads and just get a JO cam from him. Lloyd knows his stuff and will get ya in the right direction as JO has selection of different cams. All depends upon what you’re trying to achieve and want to spend.

But a 110 lobe separation cam will act way different than your good old LPE 211/219. Joe appears to be a very good racer as was John Lingenfelter. The difference is Lingenfelter dumbed down his stuff for better drivability while Joe seems more into putting real race car stuff on the street.

 

There are quite a few guys here running Joe O cams and Eric's head porting job.
They are pretty much local to us, they do incredible work and Joe knows his ****.
Everyone here has been pleased with the work they do.
452RWHP on a stock bottom end 6 speed Lt1
Mid to High 10's on an LS1 and an LT1, both all motor.
Browse over to Tidewater Racing and ask about them there.

 

If I buy an LE1, 2 or 3 package am I getting a Joe Overton Cam?

 

I guess that I'm hoping to get what most of us want. A bigger cam that will be docile enough to drive across the country, yet be able to run mid/low 11s at the track. I'm hoping that Joe can help me achieve that goal. The LPE 211/219 cam has been great, but falls a little flat on top end. I even thought about the 219/219 LPE cam, but was told that its only recommended for use with the Super ram (LPE has no data on the 219 with the stock intake), which is big $$$. the 211/219 is crazy nuts out of the hole--uncontrolable with BFG DRs. I was hoping to lose a little bottom end and pick up tons of mid range and top end, but I want to keep the 2.00 / 1.56 valves. I'm hopin that Joe and Eric can help me..

Anyone else have any comments on Joe's stuff?...
--Alan