I've been reducing the cam timing in my hot rod every time I build a new motor. I've done several new motor builds for my Coronet over the past 20 years and have gone with a smaller cam each time. What is interesting is that the peak power hasn't gone down, but the idle has improved and drivability has improved each time I reduced cam timing. The trick has been using better cylinder heads and porting the intakes. My current engine is a 496 inch big block with Trick Flow heads and a ported intake. Cam is 239 duration but engine make 600 torque and 600 hp. 20 years ago I was using 20 degrees more duration but making less power and the engine was lumpy at idle and tough to drive at low speeds.

I have to look at the new cam specs I put in the Hemi this year. I can't remember if I lowered the duration. It was around 285, but its a lot of cubes, and seems pretty mild. I did lower lift, which allowed me to go lower in valve spring pressure. I am down to #180 closed from #230. And I found a milder ramp rate with a Comp cam than I had, and a reduction in lash from .024 to .016....I did not get a chance to drive it and let the Sniper 4500 learn it, but it idles real nice.

I like between 250 up to 270 degrees at .050 and closer lobe centers on roller cams than a lot of others advise based on my personnel testing and likes and dislikes on Mopar wedge street motors. .

[quote=Dragula]And put a boring run of the mill motor in, just to have more time enjoying driving the car vs. all the maintenance and bad manners?

Been trying to find a happy medium on the Hemi for years. Looking to make ok power, but still be able to drive it all over...I have to say, its been a fight. Still not sure I found it since the wiring burned up the day we got the new Hemi in the car, and I haven't put a single mile on it this year... [/quote
]my left over parts would build what you want, on steroids. The ported 440-1 heads that made 926 hp, a megablock combo that has 580 cubic inchs, Jesel 1.7 rockers, and two very long duration roller cams i could have reground. With e85 and twelve to one compression, and cammed for max torque at 4,000 to 4500 it should be a brute wanting a 3.55 gear and tight eleven inch converter. Max rpm could be 6200
And maybe make 700 hp?

I took a "streetable" tunnel ram motor out, in exchange for a friendlier and more aesthetic dual quad under a hood scoop. I changed how i was using the car. Enjoyed both equally

It sure seems like at this point, the logical step forward would be to get the wiring done.
Then see if the last round of the changes you made yielded the desired results.

We did something similar with our 64 Savoy. Dad is 75yrs old and is not able to get around in the garage like he used to, so we replaced the 'good motor' that had lots of compression and cam with a stock stroke 440 w/ Indy SR heads, smaller solid flat tappet cam, and the factory Max Wedge intake. It now runs perfectly fine on pump gas, it's low maintenance with a shortblock that was last refreshed in 1995, and he can drive the car whenever he wants. It can run 10.90s when it has to and he races it a couple times a year, but he's done sitting in the heat at the race track, high entry fees, etc...He simply enjoys driving the car, and is not afraid to run it hard.

At some point it will get an updated 'good motor', but he's having too much fun with the current combo for us to take it apart.

Not trying to agitate, just curious, . What’s all the running around the car you have to do just to make a couple of passes ? What about the engine / car is not reliable ?