Hey all. The time is coming nearer. I have pretty much located spot on the XC I will buy, and my 351c motor is about to be stripped down this weekend. Now I am seriously considering stroking the beast, but as far as camshafts go, I have no idea. I want something that is an absolute animal, lumpy, but reasonably well behaved so I can drive it through the city on a weekend. This car will ONLY be an occasional work horse and weekend driver.

Will start up a thread with pics when I get solidly into it, but atm I am forming a plan of attack.

Thanks for your input

You want it to be an animal and lumpy but want to be well behaved?

in short, yes. But by that i mean i dont mind it being lumpy, just not too unpredictable. on a scale of 1-5, 5 being you cannot idle or it will stall and 1 being stock, id be after a 3.5 or 4

a little clearer?

Weekend warrior and occasional workhorse don't work together. Also how can you choose a cam when you're not sure about the motor?

Stroke it to a 408 and that animal cam just became a tuff street grind. slap on some CHI 3V's and that can also tame the cam.

well i was thinking of the 383 stroker kit, coupled with the 2v heads.

i think they can work together, i hardly think a weekend warrior would be unable to tow!?

Weekend car's don't tow, only workhorses do. If your towing and have an auto your limited to 2200-2500rpm stall convertor and roughly 3.2:1 or 3.5:1 gears. Won't be an animal at the stip but will hand a few their backsides anyway.

As for strokers, I've recently being assisting with parts selection for a mates stroker. A 383 was dearer to do than a 393 or 408. I wouldn't recommend a 408 as the pin sits too high in the piston. It'll consume oil. If you use a 6" rod? You'll have clearance issues with the piston skirt in most cases. Stock blocks are really limited to 393ci.

The dearest engine of the lot build wise was a 378 of all things. It was $1200 more to build a 393 than a 351 and $1000 less to build a 393 than a 383. A 393 was $1200 dearer than a 393.

Cam selection for a stroker is the same as a 351C. Just make sure the cam suit the heads.

that didn't quite make any sence to me. Could you please report that with the correct figures.

378 = dearer than 393 by $1200
383 = dearer than 393 by $1000
393 = cheapest to build

A 393 build was $1400 dearer than a 351 build.

Make sure the sums are done inc machining before building. Machine work is were most of the cost is.

I won't quote exact figures a people might not get the same prices when approaching the same people. They seem to offer many different prices on the same items mainly machine work.