"The power potential amazes me with such a mild cam and manifolds vs some cammed up engines with more headflow and headers. How do you think the same engine would fare with OOTB RPM or Stealths and headers being the only change? Could it push 500 horse or would the mild cam hold the potential back?"

I have to put an asterisk next to that 460hp in my earlier post. I didn't dyno that motor. It was done at another shop and I don't really have any type of gauge to tell how close that dyno is to ours. It is a newer SF-902 though.

However I did dyno test a somewhat similar build a couple years ago, although with headers and heads that werent nearly as good. This motor had 346 heads which had received a very minimalist bowl blend. Like, probably one hours worth of grinding total to do both heads. I used a Comp 280h cam in it with the OE rockers and pushrods.
That motor made 500tq/425hp, with the hp peak coming in at 4900-5000 rpm.
I would say the key differences between these two builds were the one I did had about a 1/4 point less cr, heads that flowed 245 @ .450 lift vs 267 @ .450 lift, and stock rockers (1.45-ish vs HS "1.5" which are usually closer to 1.55. On a similar build I've done that test and it was about 8hp). Also, the pinch area on the 906's was opened up vs the untouched pinch on the 346's(and the 346 pinch is smaller to begin with).


For a pump gas compression, small cam, exhaust manifold, non-stroker combo, I kind of feel that a mildly(but properly) reworked set of OE heads with stock valve sizes might actually work a little better than ootb rpm/stealth/sidewinder heads.
Up to around .450-.500 lift a good set of reworked heads will be very close in flow to the aftermarket heads, and do it with less runner volume(higher velocity) and a smaller valve(higher discharge coefficient).
However, I think once you stray from those variables(exhaust manifolds, stock cubes, small cam, pump gas compression), then any advantage the OE head might have quickly disappears.

On our dyno a 446 with flat tops, ootb E heads, SD intake, 850 Holley, 1 7/8" headers and a Comp xs282s cam is a real 500hp combo. I would expect swapping in one of these smaller hyd cams would cost about 20-30hp.

Gotcha, I'm asking because I'm running a 446 at 10.5:1, 850 DP on a TM7, 1 7/8 headers, and an XS290S, I was expecting 500 but it just doesnt feel like a 500 HP combo, may have to dyno it an see what results, but I keep wondering if I could make similar power with less cam. I dont mind the radical cam at all, but pulling 6-7 inches of vacuum isnt worth it if I could make similar power with less cam. When I see the 460 hp builds with way less duration it makes me keep asking myself what is wrong with my combo. But I have a few more things to sort out before I start changing cams.

What are your heads?
Are you pretty sure about the 10.5:1?

If you're running reworked stock heads and haven't had them tested, then they could easily be the weak link in that combo.

That xs290s may not be the right choice for your overall combo.

Making the cam a little smaller wouldn't have much of an impact on the peak hp, but would provide better low end TQ, and likely a better seat of the pants feel at normal cruising speeds...... With a slight reduction of top end pull.

you'd be better off with a performer rpm intake. Hp follows torque and unless you spinning to 7k rpm you'd do better with the dual plan.

Sorry they're OOTB Stealth heads that I set up with the correct springs. Compression I measured, I've got 40 thou quench with 6 cc valve notches and chamber ccs between 78 and 81 cc. Plan was to have modern cnc them when cash allows.

Okay, well it's very possible(likely in fact) that your ootb Stealths aren't as good as the 906's on that 460hp motor, up to about .450-500 lift. They are usually in the mid-250's ootb, whereas those 906's were 10+cfm better, with smaller runners and valves.

I also agree that an RPM intake would probably be quicker in 90% of the street/strip combos out there running similar packages.

I've been considering trying an RPM, do you think it would work better with my current combo as much duration as I have?

I do.
Is your car a stick?
If so, and you're not leaving at like 5000+, I definitely think an rpm would be quicker than a tm7.

Yeah 4 speed, and currently with the 8 3/4 I can't leave at 5000+. So maybe I'll order one and try it.