Hughes has a part im considering and I know companies get alot of BS calls and emails but in some ways thats just how it is.

I dont want to wait weeks for a email answer and years ago after getting contradicting info from both guys and seemingly talked down to... I was gonna try again then I read this.


We answer e-mails as quickly as possible but this can take several weeks or months as we get 30-40 a day and only one person to answer them.
When asking about cam choice, please click on the following link and answer the 21 questions on how to choose a camshaft. (#2---Choosing a Cam)
Phone etiquette: I do not want to know how much you love your car, what color it is, how long you have owned it, who owned it, etc. Just the facts: weight with driver, eingine size, goal, budget, etc.


I understand it but is it really worth it?

It was a long time ago but I always dealt with Kevin there, He was always helpful.

I have dealt with Tom at Hughes on the phone several times over the last few months and he was great.

Thanks I will give them a call then. My question is semi simple. They say there whiplash 318 cam will work on stockers but im at the far end of stock low compression at 4000ft above sea level and a 2.45 gear.

Also a old 318 trick was to retard the oem 318 cam 2 degrees so I wonder if that would help on there WL 318 cam as well at my altitude and gearing. The stock 318 cam just is so anemic on every level.

Just trying to get a rig together that my older wife with health issues would actually ride in. She wont get in anything loud and fast old or new.

Same here, i called the girl barley knew who she was, but was nice and said ask Tom.
I was put on hold he sold me what I needed and was here in 3 days.

2.45 gears is what's killing you. No cam is going to crutch that with any real success. The factory applications with 2.45 gears used the low gear set A904 style trans in an effort to make it less objectionable, what are you using?

Wish they had gone the OD automatic route instead, better rear gear for off the line, but lower highway rpm for CAFE requirements.

If the cam you're looking at is a little too big for your cranking compression, you usually want to advance it a couple degrees. Retarding it would reduce cranking compression and move the powerband higher, which isn't ideal with a tight converter and 2.45 gears.

Whiplash and 2.45 gears are not two things that go together!

Sorry I did mean advance the cam, not sure what I was thinking in going the other way.

I was looking at the opening and closing specs of the whiplash and ive better cams on hand to increase compression around .440 lift.

The whiplash says stock gearing to 3.55 and I know the 2.45 is on the extreme end even though the 2.45 is stock and the reason for asking.

Trans is the 904/998 with the low first gear.

The motor/trans and 2.45 rear was a matched factory combo and seemed to run ok for a cruiser.

I just want to keep the 2.45 since its 35 miles to anyplace. My 4:56 and 4:88 geared stroker cars cost a lot in fuel just to go the 70 mile round trip.

Obviously by no means a hot rod combo, just a cruiser that the wife wont be afraid to ride in.

Ive got a sealed power oem 318 cam/lifter kit from 1983 so I will probably for simplicity just run it and maybe advance 2 degrees. We used to advance the oem 318s 2 degrees and they towed a lil better and we better off idle.

Thanks guys, saved me a phone call.

Reminds me of an ad I saw back before the internet, it was a 69 camaro and the guy made a point to not call him to talk about camaros lol