Nastiest cam for a street/ budget build.

**1fastkingcab** · 10-21-2009, 06:22 PM

I am going to be building a cast iron 5.3L bored out to 3.898" (5.7L) I already have a LS1 crank & rods and I will be adding foraged pistons. I also plan to run the Edelbrock performer cab intake & long tubes. I am thinking hard about Texas Speeds Stage 1 PRC LS6 head package for two reasons, #1 I don't need the smaller combustion chamber to raise compression since I'm already buying pistons. and # 2 $1,500 for heads & cams seems like I nice price.

What compression ratio should I aim for and what cam would suit the engine I'm building best.

I would actually prefer a rough loping idle

Thanks,
P.S. the engine is going into a 1995 Nissan pickup

**Mr. Luos** · 10-21-2009, 06:27 PM

You want sound over performance?

What gears and tranny will this truck have?

**1fastkingcab** · 10-21-2009, 06:39 PM

Oh no I want performance but it seems like sometimes now days people don't mind giving up some performance in the name of a smoother idle, I do not care about idle

The truck has 3.73 Gears in a fortified ford 8.8 rear. I'm using a nissan 5-speed

**Mr. Luos** · 10-21-2009, 06:49 PM

Well....any plans to upgrade the gears??
Most larger 'donkey dick' cams like at least a 4.11...ideally 4.30 or 4.56.

I think for a street cruiser, a 232/232 598/609 on either a 111 or 112 would be perfect. Nice solid powerband, decent lope, and a good driver.

**00z28bubba** · 10-21-2009, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by Mr. Luos

Well....any plans to upgrade the gears??
Most larger 'donkey dick' cams like at least a 4.11...ideally 4.30 or 4.56.

I think for a street cruiser, a 232/232 598/609 on either a 111 or 112 would be perfect. Nice solid powerband, decent lope, and a good driver.

How will that nissan tranny hold up with the torque your lookin for

**1fastkingcab** · 10-22-2009, 02:02 AM

If I need to change the gears I can, I can live with 4.10's

The tranny is the same one used in the 90-98 Twinturbo 300ZX and 89-99 Twinturbo Skylines. and has been proven to hold 800+ WHP and 600+ WTQ

**ls1camino** · 10-22-2009, 05:29 AM

Interesting build...when you get it done, you should join my buddy and I on I-95

**02Sweet** · 10-22-2009, 05:44 AM

Originally Posted by ls1camino

Interesting build...when you get it done, you should join my buddy and I on I-95

I wanna play on 95 too

**00z28bubba** · 10-22-2009, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by 1fastkingcab

If I need to change the gears I can, I can live with 4.10's

The tranny is the same one used in the 90-98 Twinturbo 300ZX and 89-99 Twinturbo Skylines. and has been proven to hold 800+ WHP and 600+ WTQ

Right on. Well good luck with the build. Ill be followin if u keep the updates going

**ls1camino** · 10-22-2009, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by 02Sweet

I wanna play on 95 too

He's getting a Procharger for his stock '98 Vette, so it will be interesting to see who wins between us.

I'll call you...you can be the camera man

**02Sweet** · 10-22-2009, 05:23 PM

Originally Posted by ls1camino

He's getting a Procharger for his stock '98 Vette, so it will be interesting to see who wins between us.

I'll call you...you can be the camera man

Not a problem! I'll be no match for either one of you but I figure we only have a few weeks till the nasty cold weather hits. So set it up for the spring I MIGHT have enough money for my shocks/springs/wheels/tires by then

**1fastkingcab** · 10-22-2009, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by Mr. Luos

Well....any plans to upgrade the gears??
Most larger 'donkey dick' cams like at least a 4.11...ideally 4.30 or 4.56.

I think for a street cruiser, a 232/232 598/609 on either a 111 or 112 would be perfect. Nice solid powerband, decent lope, and a good driver.

4.30's are doable, would those PRC LS6 heads flow enough to justify a MS4 cam and the bigger single plane Victor Jr intake manifold? or am I thinking about too much cam for the heads.

Sorry about the potentially stupid questions but I have never put a domestic V8 together for performance before. I'm used to force fed 3.0L 6 bangers.

**1fastkingcab** · 10-22-2009, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by ls1camino

Interesting build...when you get it done, you should join my buddy and I on I-95

Sounds like fun times, Hopefully I get my baby running soon.

**louisianagulf** · 10-24-2009, 06:44 AM

Keep the 5.3 and put in a Comp Cam Thumpr with the carb, intake and stock heads. 96 hp increase with a base of 323 with the carb setup. That puts you around 420hp with $2000 in parts. Car Craft 2007 article. I'm doing this same thing right now to my 55 Belair

**Firebirdjones** · 10-24-2009, 07:27 AM

I just noticed the Victor Jr. comment.

If you are going carb, you don't want one of the camshafts that are ground for the fuel injected setups,,,which is what you will find from most LS suppliers.

Carbs like much tighter lobe seperations, they make more power that way and also will give you the sound you are looking for.
Might be better off calling Comp Cams and just having a custom cam done. It costs the same as the "off the shelf" grinds and you'll get something tailored closer to your particular application.

**Frost** · 10-24-2009, 09:46 AM

Say NO! to carb'ing these motors. That's what old guys do to them

I am 32, so I am old enough to have built and run a few dozen small blocks in my day. Yes, carb tuning is easier, but it's pretty crude by comparison. No reason to give away all of your fuel economy (as well as the rest of fuel injected advantages).

What are the details of this truck? Is it something 2wd and light weight or is it a 4wd truck?

**Firebirdjones** · 10-24-2009, 03:00 PM

I think Frost is just looking out for long term business so it's in his best interest

There are more and more people retrofitting these engines with carbs now to simplify things. Nothing wrong with that, us old geasers still know how to tune them

**0rion** · 10-24-2009, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

I think Frost is just looking out for long term business so it's in his best interest

There are more and more people retrofitting these engines with carbs now to simplify things. Nothing wrong with that, us old geasers still know how to tune them

yeah.... I see those carb'd guys at the track with cars that barely idle and 4800 rpm stalls getting 4 mpg.

There are huge advantages to running fuel injection. You know that though.

**0rion** · 10-24-2009, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by 1fastkingcab

If I need to change the gears I can, I can live with 4.10's

The tranny is the same one used in the 90-98 Twinturbo 300ZX and 89-99 Twinturbo Skylines. and has been proven to hold 800+ WHP and 600+ WTQ

there's more too it than HP they'll hold though. How much does your truck weigh compared to a 300z or skyline? You'll be pushing a lot more weight with it.

**1fastkingcab** · 10-24-2009, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by Frost

Say NO! to carb'ing these motors. That's what old guys do to them

I am 32, so I am old enough to have built and run a few dozen small blocks in my day. Yes, carb tuning is easier, but it's pretty crude by comparison. No reason to give away all of your fuel economy (as well as the rest of fuel injected advantages).

What are the details of this truck? Is it something 2wd and light weight or is it a 4wd truck?

Can't afford EFI no how no way, I don't have access to a EFI doner car, all I have is a rotating asy and a few blocks.