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Original Message
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| RE: early 352 cams |
| By Derek - 03/28/2002 4:49:00 AM; IP 207.102.191.57 |
As has been suggested, you have a couple of options.
- Melling and TRW had cam profiles for the early FE engines, and there may still be some stock in warehouses across the country.
- There have been both NOS and used cams recently on ebay for these engine, for example:
(http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1815530564&r=0&t=0)
- Your original cam could be reground by any of several cam vendors.
- Changeover to the 63 and later thrust plate style, as described here.
Years ago, I had a '58 Bird, and if memory serves me right, it tipped the scales at nearly 4,080 lbs. And if I remember correctly, auto trans T-Birds of this vintage were factory outfitted with 3.10 gears. Changing up to a 3.50-3.70 set would improve performance, yet still be very streetable. I'd also consider bumping the torque converter up to one with about 2,400-2,800 RPM stall speed (You may have to check with several vendors for a unit to fit your Cruise-O-Matic, as it predates the C-6).
If your motor is in decent shape and still pretty much original, it's probably got decent compression. Your manifold, headers and carburetion will go a long way towards improved breathability, but you do need more cam to fill those cylinders. I'd suggest a dual-pattern design, and keep it down to something like about 210/224 @ .050", with lift in the .490"-.520" range. That should be compatible with your other components (5,000-6,000 RPM range), and the engine's effective limits. Pay attention to the manufacturer's specs, but you might want to advance the cam 4-6 degrees, for more low/mid range power with the auto.
Check your distributor cam to see if it's got the 10/15 or 13/18 degree slots. If you can, set it for 10, and dial in 13-18 degrees initial. This will substantially improve off-idle and low speed performance, but listen carefully for knock. Likewise, make sure the carb isn't jetted too lean.
Those 2nd generation Bird were nice cruisin' cars, so keep it on the road and enjoy it! |
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