STREET 426 cam reccomendation

Hello!

I am looking for good choice on an off the shelf hydraulic flat tappet cam for a 426 street hemi.

its a 426 cid (non stroker), alum heads, 9,5:1 compression, and auto transmission.

plan on using a stock torq converter.

just want an ultra reliable engine to cruise around and dont have the trans to run hot-i hate higher than stock stall converters on real street cars.

all i see for sale off the shelf requires at least a 2500 or 3000 rpm tor converter

maybe even somebody might have a "wimpy" hemi cam collecting dust on a shelf??

i would consider a stock 1970 hydraulic if you want a low maintenance cruiser. other than that the cam would probably have to be a custom grind.

I'd use the earlier solid lifter stock version. No hydraulics on intersecting valves for me

good point.

I raced a 1970 Cuda with a hemi in it in NHRA stock A/S class for 2 1/2 years shifting it at 7000 RPM with no valve clashing issues
I had the original Racer Brown (RIP) grind me a cam that would pass tech and used the anti pump up hydraulic lifters he sold in the build back in 1973
i know some GM guys that ran in stock classes back then that would use solid lifters in there motors and set the lash from .0010 to .0030 max warmed up to get a few more RPM out of there motors to avoid valve float
Same thing on some SCCA racers in stock spec. classes

9.5 is pretty low static CR for a Street Hemi, especially with aluminum heads.
But I don't know what octane the OP is working with.
Sounds like a "smaller" cam would be better for that to keep cylinder pressure up.
I ran 10.8 static CR with ported iron heads on 91-93 octane with no issues, but it had a fairly "big" SFT cam that bled some pressure off.
It was a Crower unit, IIRC upper 240s @ .050 with lift in the .540s, split pattern.
Valve lash adjustments were very rarely needed, but did have to tweak jetting & rods/springs in the AFBs due to low vacuum signal.

I tried a hyd roller in my car and the engine was real lazy.

Do you already have some parts? Everything I’ve seen on hemis is they can take more compression ratio than a wedge and I’d run higher than 9.5 in an aluminum head wedge.

already have parts for it. basically just need cam. car will be just a cruiser.

Gasoline in Peru is crap- rather make sure it wont ping.

I can't take the bait, as I had a new reproduction OE '70 hydraulic on the shelf for about 9 years, I'd put it on ebay twice in that time and nobody wanted it, didn't even have any watchers. I actually almost scrapped it at one point but didn't quite have the heart.
Ended up selling it recently on FBBO to a fellow who was tired of running a racing cam on the street.

I'd suggest maybe take a look ( in detail) as to what a stock street Hemi vehicle (the transmission) had, to support the engine.
Ex: A completely stock 10&3/4 high stall street hemi converter fell exactly into the 2500+ range mentioned.
The old Direct Connection chassis manual has some of that information.

(You weren't intending to use a 12" low stall converter from a C body in that car, were you?)

Other than that, here are some puppy cams that might be of interest.

https://www.crower.com/camshafts/mopar-426-hemi-66-71-compu-pro-hydraulic-cam-294-hdp.html

https://www.compcams.com/street-and-strip-227-227-hydraulic-flat-cam-for-chrysler-426-hemi.html

For a few dollars more, can always call rbre and order a 'street cruiser' mystery cam with no specifications, for
more of an old-timey experience of not really having a clue what cam you have, which some may prefer.
https://www.raybarton.com/products/rbre-chrysler-genii-hemi-camshafts

Zippy, your last paragraph is priceless !

I'd bet that "just trust me" cam is a re-packaged pre-existing part, marked up...

Thanks

It says on the page they're all from Bullet. Doesn't say which ones, though.

They know their customers better than anyone else!
If customers don't know and don't care, give them what they want: Mystique.

Nothing but respect for them here, but will dish out some crap where it is deserved...and this seems an appropriate area.
Some gearheads LOVE to talk specs (why else are we here?). No supplied specs deprives us of rattling off a bunch of numbers
only total geeks like us can relate to. It ain't right.

i remember reading someplace stock hemi converters had around a 1800 stall.

not sure about that though.

i am just about trying to decide which cam and converter to go with.

thanks for the links will give em a look.

and yes, i was about to call bullet on the cam. i got a "pure stock" hemi cam from them a while ago.

A real Street Hemi converter behind a stock Hemi will stall between 2800 and 3000 depending on tune.

if this means anything or not; i have a '66 street hemi converter behind a 440. the 440 has some mods, eddie heads, ch28, and a 238@.050" solid cam. the converter flashes at 2300rpm in a 3900lb b-body with a 3.23 gear. there are no mods to the converter.

Two different motors, two different stalls.

It’s all about torque.

i would think that same converter should stall at lower RPMs on a stock hemi. so 1800 should seem about right?

ill go check the mopar chassis bible as suggested.

the 440 with the '66 street hemi converter may have less off idle torque than a stock street hemi due to the cam difference. but, i don't think the torque difference is great. the 440 will have better port velocity but about 12 degrees more duration at .050". i also have a stock 440 with the original stock converter and it does make a little more off idle torque. flash with the stock stuff is about 2300rpm too. neither will do what a factory service manual specs, and neither are overly abused junk parts. i think the factory 226@.050" camshaft is a good fit for what your want; whether mechanical or hydraulic. the '66 street hemi converter i'm using is actually too tight for the cam i'm using, but this car is a driver and i'd change cam before using a looser converter in something that will see highway use.

I ran the step-hotter SB version, the Compu-Pro 282-HDP: 282/292 advertised, 228/238@0.050", .480/.504 lift on 112 LSA, in a 360 motor, 2300 stall converter and 3.55 rear end.

I wanted a good street grind, this was all that and more. The cam had a wide power-band and great vacum (thanks to the 112 LSA no doubt).

Bottom line: I think that is great advice ZIPPY shared, if you want a little more "oomph" than going a step up may be quite alright I'm thinking.

Thanks for all the replies so far.

I am really liking the crower cam ZIPPY reccomended!!! that 112° LSA will work great on the street with power brakes.

https://www.crower.com/camshafts/mopar-426-hemi-66-71-compu-pro-hydraulic-cam-294-hdp.html

I havent bought a converter yet.

Any reccomendations to go along with this cam? I would like a budget concious choice that will do the trick.

Yep

Loaded question: If someone wanted that today, what would be the best source?

.....Or would it be a fruitless search, and more a matter of finding a modern converter with fairly similar driving characteristics, but not necessarily the
same construction as OE (such as maybe a tight 10" or similar).

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/bmm-10417



i read someplace i will need crank bolts with a low profile head in order to use one of the cheaper B/RB non hemi specific converters....

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/MRG-914?rtype=10

For a mild street build and use I would look for a good used 12 inch class A motor home converter
Works good, last a long time as well as the fluid in it doesn't stink and looks darker than normal ATF

does your hemi have a 6 bolt or 8 bolt crank ?

8 bolt. i would need to buy 2 sets. those are thin head bolts i think u need them to run a generic 727 converter on a 8 blt hemi crank.

i also think the lug bolts on a hemi converter are bigger? i guess i can retap the lugs on the converter to use the hemi flexplte?

hemi specific converters carry a hefty hemi pricetag. dont wanna spend 1200 bux on a converter for a street driven cruiser.

how about these 2? cause the b&M i posted earlier is rated at 350 lbs max torque i think....

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/tci-141200

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/bmm-10415

All the Hemi and Max Wedge converter came with 7/16 converter to flex plate bolts, the stock 7/16 6 bolt crankshaft flex plate bolts work on those converters also

turbo action 17501 11" Hemi Style has around 3000 stall.

i know these are good quality.....but 3000 is kinda higher than id like to go.

wonder where they are priced at nowadays.....they are closed i will call monday.

instead of buying 2 sets of bolts why not just buy these ?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/arp-200-2905/make/dodge

As far as the convertor ... considering you are outside the country and trying to find US companies to ship to you reasonably ... I'd probably get the B+M as I am not a fan of TCI.

I have one of Turbo Action's "Hemi" converters. They can build them to be a little tighter than the 3000 rpm that is advertised. 11" cores are getting tough to find. I had to wait a few months before they were able to build me one. Well worth it.

yes those look like they will work as well. they seem to have low prifile heads as well.

shipping is not an issue I usuallyt ship to a US address, then my freight forwarder takes care of it.

I am asking about converters because I have played very little with autos. My mopars are always 4 speeds, and whenever they have been autos they have been bone stock non performance ones like 2 barrel 318 cars.

I did buy a turbo action converter a while ago for a high horsepower application and it cost me $$$$ and it was good.

Last time I bough a converter it was a hughes 2500 stall unit for my dads el camino and it failed prematurely.

thats why im asking about if I should go with the B&M one above or the TCI. im clueless about the quality.....

Ill give em a call on monday.

i have run that B&M holeshot converter in my charger for many miles. [well, before i parked the car around 2006 or so]
i bought it in the very early 1970's, and it is a good street converter in my opinion behind a 383.
if it means anything, my charger has 3.91's for a rear gear.

Back in the 70’s Chrysler sold pallets full of 10-3/4” converters to B & M, painted and sold as Holeshots.
Not sure which converter they were - my guess they were the 340 model.

i can't remember what i paid for that converter then, but maybe around $100.00 from the speed shop on main street.
used to hang out there friday and saturday nights when i wasn't working on something. it was kind of the local "watering hole" for the gear heads back then.
a more fun time in my life.

I think a real good ballpark grind would be a bullet solid F/T with about 238/238 @.050 on 110 which I think is similar to the old racer brown Street Hemi grind.

The hemi rocker ratios are really low so you need a really sharp valve job to maximize the low mid lifts and keep the cam overlap down. get it right and a hemi can be pretty snappy.

Way back in the 80's there was a nice crower Monarch(?) cam that really woke up the hemis without killing any bottom end or drivability.

My stock 68 vert behind a 383 would go almost 3000, still got it too.