Well, at the end of last summer I was pushing myself to get my hemi all done. After some lengthy delays from the machine shop on the block I decided to shelve it and live out the end of the summer without my car. Now that winter is in full swing here, I want to get the engine assembled and running on a test stand.

Here are some of the specs:
Aftermarket block, stock bore, 4.15 stroke for 472 cuin. Molner crank, Manley rods and Wiseco pistons. Compression ratio is 10.2 (within the +/- 1cc error I could measure). Stock iron heads. Car is 69 Road Runner with 4 speed and dana. Dana has 3.54, but most likely going 4.10 (or 3.73 as a minimum).

The cam I pickup up last year was a Comp Cams p/n 24-292-4. I bought this cam knowing its probably not a perfect fit, but it was on the shelf and I bought it. Now that I may have a little additional time, is there a better off the shelf cam? Are there custom grinds that can be obtained fairly quick, say within a couple of weeks? Will this work as is?

thanks all

You will give up some RPM capability with a hydraulic cam. On a Hemi, that is a big deal. One of the nice things about a Hemi is the low end and mid range grunt of a big block, but then at 6000 RPM, they wake up even more and pull like a freight train to 7000+.
I would swap it for a solid lifter cam.

i don't think its a bad cam, depends on what you want to do. a company like bullet can grind you a custom cam and have it to you probably in your time frame. do you have any head work? street car only? if its going to see strip time do you have an ET goal? all kinds of questions for deciding on a cam. and as stated above, hemi should have a solid

I agree. There's a lot of mass to move around with a hydraulic lifter - long 3/8" pushrods, heavy rocker arms, long stem valves, big springs, etc. A solid lifter is the way to go.

Also, Most cams today are made when ordered so there is really no negative to ordering a custom cam that suits your specific needs. I would split the int/exh durations, and increase the LSA to 112. A small LSA makes the engine sound more "rumpy" but it can make idle control tougher.

Thanks for the information so far. A couple of other details:
Heads are stock, but look to have been smoothed out. They were used when I got them, so I am not sure of the history. I had them checked for cracks, but that is about it. Intake I have is a cross ram. I have dual 600 cfm Holley carbs for it. TTI headers for exhaust. Car is primarily a street car. Though, I will need some muscle once my brother-in-law brings his newer vette around. I also plan on hitting the strip a couple of times a year more for fun than anything else. I was looking to keep max engine speeds in the 6000-6500 range, though, that is more of a carry over from big block experience than anything else. I'd like to think I am putting this thing together with good components, so I shouldn't be afraid of higher engine speeds.

I have never ordered a custom grind. Are there any specific vendors out there I should be contacting?

Any HEMI builder can get the cam for you, or I can order it for you, or you can just call whatever cam company you want to use and they'll build it for you. Any cam company would want the specs but if you just tell them what your target application is they will take it from there. This is very common these days.

Give Bullet Racing Cams a call, you won't be sorry. Be ready to give them ALL the specs on your motor. They are one of the rare companies that deliver on their promises. VERY nice people to deal with.Dave

As someone who's been there, you should check into having a custom cam ground for it.

I made the mistake of using a Mopar Performance 524/292 hydraulic cam in my 572 Hemi.
I used it because I already had it.
I bought it because I got a deal on it, $100 for a brand new Hemi cam kit.

It's waaay to small and being a hydraulic adds other issues if you plan on having it rev past 5500.

I ordered a custom ground solid lifter (flat tappet) cam from Dwayne Porter, Comp Cam and it took about two weeks to get it.
Dwayne spec'd out the cam based on all the info on my engine, drivetrain, the car and my intended driving use. A street car that gets raced.

With Nitriding the cam it was $320 delivered.



I talked to several cam suppliers before I ordered the cam.
Bullet spec'd out something similar to the one I ordered from Dwayne. It had just a little more lift and similar duration.

I still need to get the EDM solid lifters and new springs so I can install it.
There's never enough money at Christmas time.

Get a cam designed for your build.

Yours is 100 cubic inches smaller than mine, but you don't want a dyno sheet with a power band that looks like mine.