My choice would be the Lunati cam. While you can get away with a more unstable idle with a manual transmission, a milder cam is nicer for overall driving. When I was choosing a cam for my 428 I tried to get a cam that was closest in specs to the factory cam. The cam closest to the original specs had an lsa of 110 vs the oem cams lsa of 117. Videos of engines running this cam showed a noticeable lope. Since these engines from Ford idled mostly smooth I had the cam custom ground with the intake lobe retarded 4 degrees. This gave me an lsa of 112 and a mostly smooth idle.

 

Call the manufacturers and tell them what you are looking for; let them spec one for you. Have all these questions ready to answer:

Howards Cam Recommendation | Howards Cams

Be as complete as possible - don't guess or "exaggerate" figures. Your cam will only be as good as the information you supply! Please allow 5 business days for a reply. If you don't see a response, check your spam folder.

www.howardscams.com

 

 

Is B cam 3/4 race cam? JW?

 

650cfm edlebrock carb
port matched stock heads

That seems like an interesting choice. You don’t think the 650 would be overkill? Even with port matching?

 

turns out its a 600. is a 650 overkill?

 

Well, that's quite the contrast in cams.

will have shorty headers due to transmission cable

It's not hard to run a clutch cable with long headers. I simply shortened my cable and used a cable end from McMaster Carr. It tucks cleanly between the 6-7 exhaust tubes on my Hedmans.

 

The only one of those I have direct experience with is the TFS1
I ran it in my 86 GT, currently running it in my 66, and also used it in an engine I built for a customers 68 ~11 years ago.
It's a pretty mild cam with lift and duration slightly favoring the exhaust, which helps a little with the small exhaust ports on most SBF heads.
It gets 15-16" hg vacuum in my experience and has a slight lope at idle.
It does like some gear though. When I first installed it in my 86, I still had factory 2.73 gears, it lugged a little cruising at 60mph, since it was only turning 1400 rpm or so. Still did fine at wide open throttle, and pulled really hard from ~2500-5500. The 3.73 gears really woke it up though and put 60mph @~2000 rpm. It was a lot happier and still got 22mpg.

The 86 was a stock 89 shortblock, 3bar GT40 heads with trick flow springs, Edelbrock performer EFI intake with 65mm TB, 19lb injectors, and Flowtech shorty headers.
The 66 is a roller block with forged pistons (9.5-1), 3bar GT40 heads with trick flow springs, Performer RPM intake with 570 street avenger, and Flowtech long tube headers.

I'm still putting the 66 together, so I don't have any numbers or times for it.

But I do have the Dyno graph from the 86 I can post if you're interested, it made right at 277rwhp 366rwtq. The one time I took it to the track it ran 13.77 @101.5 on street tires with my fat self, lol.


There are probably better cams, and with how high they've all gotten custom might be the way to go.
TFS used to be $180, now it's up to $306
Also, a B cam probably would work really well in a similar setup.

 

I run that Lunati and it holds 19 to 20" vacuum at idle, has a smooth idle with a hint of lope and is very torquey. I run a hybrid homegrown injection with a breadbox upper intake, it has pretty much zero runner length and are know for being flat at low rpm's, but mine is actually very torquey down low.

 

Well I like big cams and I can not lie, LOL. I wouldn't run The Howards without much better than stock heads and some decent rear end gear. Be prepared for a rough idle, lower vacuum and a torque and rpm shift toward the upper side of the rpm. I have one a notch or 2 bigger than this cam in my mustang which is a drag car I drive on the street.

The Lunati cam is at the other end of the spectrum but will still be noticably above a stock cam but not by a whole lot. I have a cam similar to this in the 302 in my F150.

The Trick Flow cam sits kind of in the middle of the previous 2 with 221/225 lift and .499/.510 lift, 112 LSA. I would try this one for your rig. I have one very close to this going in the 351 Cleveland I'm building to replace the 302 in my truck.

 

If you decide on the Lunati cam, I would like to hear how it worked out as I'm considering it for my 289. I have the same pistons which give me a 10:1 CR, and was concerned about detonation with that duration at low rpm. Thanks.

 

If you decide on the Lunati cam, I would like to hear how it worked out as I'm considering it for my 289. I have the same pistons which give me a 10:1 CR, and was concerned about detonation with that duration at low rpm under load. Thanks.

 

I have the TFS1 in my '66 convertible's 5.0L. It works well after dialing in the carb & timing tune, but as mentioned, it needs a bit of gear (C4, no stall, 3.00:1 gears). Your gears & T5z will complement it well. It idles well and only has a hint of lope to it.

 

Bofa, of the choices listed, I'd pick either the TFS or the the much milder Lunati. I'm not sure why the Howards cam is even in the list, that ones crazy. You're going to choose some link bar lifters, yes ? How did you come up with these three for choices ? What timing set are you going to use ? And a 650 cfm carb would be just fine. LSG

 

I ended up going with the trick flow. I chose them because of recommendations on here, I don't understand camshafts at all.