So I just found out that I get back like $2000 from school now that I got a research job under the biology/chemistry college.

So OF COURSE I plan on spending it on my car.

I've been looking at cams for a while now, and have yet to really get to a solid conclusion.

My dilemma is this, I was looking at either the FRPP Hot Rod cams or the Comp NSR Stage II cams.

I like the sound of both, the comp sounds a little more old muscle loped whereas the FRPP is a mix of the stock modular sound and lopey as well.

Everything I read says the Stage II NSR are the best you can get without getting into swapping springs and the rest. I like to keep the VCT so the Thumpr are out of question unless they're that much better.

Now I've also looked into the BBR cams, but they require lockout and valve spring change but SAY they offer them most HP gains (even though the range is only from 2000-6500).

I really don't want to buy a cam and then not like it. I know I'd be content with the FRPP, but I really like the Comps better plus they're cheaper.

FRPP Cams: http://www.radmustangs.com/2005-09-M...SET_p_326.html

Stage II NSR: http://www.radmustangs.com/Comp-NSR-...ed41_p_63.html

BBR Stage II Cam Kit: http://www.blowbyracing.com/bbrst2camkit.html

 

I could be wrong but I thought that cams were a finish mod because you want them to compliment what else you have

If you don't want to do anything more to the car engine wise then they should be cool

and if I'm wrong then you can ignore this post

 

Well this Christmas I'm getting a set of Kooks LTs and the CMCV Delete Plates. I have a TB on order right now.

Those would be the only thing, minus a new intake manifold that would help it.

Plus, I wanted to see EXACTLY how much my car gains off of just cams. Because everyone I've talked to already has LTs and all the rest so their numbers are way off from what mine will be.

I want to be able to vouch for the 20-25hp increase off of just the cams.

 

Ok so I just talked to Dave from Brenspeed and he said the gains from the FRPP cams are almost nothing unless you get the CNC Heads from FRPP as well. Which I cannot afford at the time. Sooo....I guess that leaves me with the Comp Cams NSR Stage II or the BBR Cams.

Found out that BBR's stage is a NSR cam as well...

 

Changing cams w/o the springs limits how much better the cam is over stock, since it can't over power the stock springs. Also, if you still want VCT, Comp does sell a VCT limiting kit that lets you use the better cams w/o disabling it.

 

I know the Thumpr cams require the phase limiter because it can't let the cams adjust timing as far or else you'd have some serious issues.

I really don't want to change springs just yet though. I understand that they can't over power the stock springs so therefore none of them are going to give me the 40hp+ of the SPR cams, but it's definitely a much easier install.

Epecially since this is the first modular motor I've ever done cams on, and depending on how much House of Boost will charge me for installation and a dyno-tune I might just let them do it and swallow my pride. And I also don't have the tool to do it....so I'd probably end up spending the same amount.

 

so WHY waste your time installing the cams when you cant do it RIGHT the first time... and whats the point of putting the cams in IF your motor cant F'n breathe... stop trying to cut corners... DO the LT's... DO the H/X... THEN! get your cams, springs, lifters... heads are optional... BUT dont INSTALL the cams if you PLAN on doing heads... JUST WAIT till you can afford it... If you cut corners you will KILL yourself in the labor dep. and your wallet...

 

Is this your DD and how much do you want to do to the car down the road? I dont mean to sound ugly but it sounds like you are putting the cart in front of the horse. This is going to be a major expense.

I would wait and get the KOOKS installed and choose a cam afterwards to match your wants based on the PLAN !

If you are looking for sound you wont be happy with the FRPP cams. I heard one last weekend in a 3v and it was just a lillte over stock as far as lope.

 

He's going to be getting LTs soon, so I don't see whats the problem with him getting cams in the car now. It's not like it's going to matter whether he does them before or after the headers. I'm not sure if Hitech makes a set that you're looking for, but I've heard nothing but good things from their cams. Seems like people get lots of power out of them.

 

If your looking for a cam that sounds good and makes good power with stock valve springs, the Thumper cams are where its at.

 

why cam it when you need a tune... and then doing headers and tune..... Why not get headers untuned... then cam and tune? makes more sense to me...

 

I don't really understand how I'm putting the cart in front of the horse. Let's see what my options are from here.

1) Cams, LTs, CMCV Delete Plates (puts me at roughly 350+hp), not pushing anything past its limits at all

2) Single-Turbo, which would be VERY expensive, require my car being down for more than a day, and would require some HEAVY tuning and be a bad idea in general before new block and trans.

3) ^^^ New block, probably a 302 with forged internals from MMR, or a PJ block from Saleen with same as above. MOST expensive option, almost impossible for me at the current financial state to afford, AND requires a full tear-down.

Sooooo, I'm not quite sure I understand. I have the LTs in que, along with the TB (will be here next week) and the delete plates. I already know I want the best bang for buck without doing a spring swap because I don't feel the need to go THAT extreme. It's still a DD for school. MPG doesn't affect me at all I'll pay the gas to drive my car any day any time. I enjoy it and its much better than wasting it on drugs or booze.

I just need a better explanation, not trying to be a dick.

Thank you for reading. Obviously that's too challenging for some people on here. I am getting LTs, but dad's orders are that I have to wait til Christmas for him to chip in or else my sister will flip **** lol.

EDIT: I just looked into those Hitech cams....and I am amazed. One guys showed 306/310 on a 2v with just a P.I. polish and minor bolt-ons, still stock heads and manifolds. ******* christ. Lol.

BUT to not avail, no 3v cams. FML lol. Those would be sick if my car saw that kind of gains.

Yea, I was looking into it some more and realized that they're the better way to go. They have been proved to make nothing less than 25+hp, generally after LTs, delete plates and a CAI/TB mod they see 30-35hp (dyno proven)

Maybe because I can get the tune for free after paying for the session once. As for your first post thanks for not reading ANYTHING. And, your logic is completely wrong. You start with something you're trying to test first, in my case the hp gains from cams on a lightly modded bolt-on car. THEN you add heads and a new intake manifold.

Heads right now would be a waste because I'd gain nothing from them, and even after cams it'd be better to spend my money on a 302 PJ block, or an MMR shortblock than buy new heads. Trust me I'm not pushing my car by no means. I know what the block can handle, but right now I can't get the money up to get a shortblock built and I'm not doing anything that will even slightly push the motor to its limits until after then.

I think you may need to rethink your thought process a little bit before you start typing in ALL CAPS. And read before you post next time.

Once again not trying to be rude, but I hate people who think I have no idea what I'm doing.

Rude.

 

and I think your some snot nose kid in college that cant afford to mod the car right so you look to slip by... but thats just my opinion... again not trying to be rude... but you should wait till you can afford it instead of trying to slip by doing stuff that should be tuned after they are done... Why not just wait till you save up and slap all the mods on at the same time... labor will be cheaper and you will get a tune good for EVERYTHING you put on it... not part after part after part... plus... Get your base tune... thats what you want first... then your after mods tune... who cares doing 1 part a time and tuning to see what you gained from 1 THING

 

Umm I do dickwad. Maybe you should read next time, I GET THE TUNES FOR FREE!

For the third time now.
I have a base tune from HoB already, and when I get my cams all I have to do is pay for installation, which I also get super cheap because I personally know the guy who founded it. Then they'll dyno-tune it for free.

Just because you have no ******* clue what you're talking about doesn't mean I'm some snot nosed kid. I pay for all of my **** while taking 20 hours of school, going to work 30 hours a week, and doing research as an undergrad study. I bought my car, and since then I have worked my *** of to get everything I can for it.

I'm not loading up credit cards just so I can roll around like some hot ****, but yet poor on the inside. This is my goddamn car and I'm building it for myself, no one else.

Waiting to slap all the mods on there at one time is stupid. In that case, everyone on this forum is idiotic for buying a CAI and putting it on before they get a TB, and then not waiting to do that until they get a new intake manifold, but not waiting to do that until they get a stroker motor.

You're a ******* tool, and all you want to do is seem like you know something.

Go take your shitty Saleen and walk somewhere else bitch. At least I build my own car, not just throw money away to have someone build it for me.

 

I wasnt trying to be a dick either, in my mine it just seemed that you were going about it the wrong order. With all the new info I see where youre coming from now.
Everybody wants the most bang for thier buck, I was thinking that these cars are so senitive to changes that you were going to mess up, and not that you were idiot or anything like that.
Good luck with whatever setup you deciede on!

 

Yea, I understand where you're coming from. And they are very sensitive. I just wanted to be able to say the cams gave me XXhp alone. Not with this, this, this, and this i gained XXhp.

Idk. All I could find online is how much people gained after LTs, delete plates, and cams. Sometimes even ported heads. To do all of that at the same time as a college kid is almost impossible. Plus, I've been itching to work on my car. It's been killing me thus far to just have it sit the same week after week.

Sorry if I took your comment the wrong way. I hate posting questions on this forum for that reason though. Everyone thinks I'm an idiot and I have no clue what I'm doing. Yet, I've probably done more engine work than most people out there.

So sorry for my misunderstanding TUFF. I apologize.

 

Hey its all good !

 

I paid Saleen to build my car cause I can afford to pay for it ... and i also can afford to wait to do all my mods at one time... instead of wanting to know how much every single little part adds on... to me that makes no sense at all... I would prefer to go internal 1 time... do it right and be done with it... then all the bolt ons at 1 time... instead of having to do it over and over and remove this to get to that again and again... Just my 2 cents

 

And I appologize for calling you a snot nose kid... I was probally having a shitty day at work or something... I did the college gig and it sucks and its hard to save up to mod cars... been there... done that... my reference to waiting to do it all at 1 time was simply trying to save the trouble of stripping screws,bolts, dropping **** in the engine bay and having to find it, etc... to me.. its just so much easier to only have to do it 1 time, that way you wouldnt have to keep taking certain things off and putting them back on... was all my point... and sorry about the previous snot nose comment

 

It's alright, we all have shitty days so I feel you there. And I get where you're coming from on the not having to take it apart multiple times just to add on another part, which is a very obvious point.
But I love working on my car, or any car in general. I literally start to get bored if I don't work on it at least once a month if not once every week. So to me it's a pain in the ***, but worth it. Kind of like marriage, sometimes you wanna choke her, but then other times its all worth it in the end.

 

In that case... I choose to choke it every chance I get

 

Agreed. I think I'm going to go with the Thumpr Comp Cams and see how well I like them. If they don't work out I'll just get some VSR's when I get the money for them and some new heads.

 

Those cams are made basically for guys just like you. They are made to sound super mean at idle, but still have pretty good street manners and make power. Not something a lot of really loopy cams can do.

 

Yea, I mean honestly I was shocked to see them put out more power than the NSR cams.

I would see the Thumprs as a cam just for sound, but the put out a solid 10hp more on almost completely stock cars, and I saw a difference of 20hp on a car similar with my bolt-ons and LTs.

I'm excited, this will then make my car an exact twinkie of my father's '65 Shelby GT350. The color scheme, the exhaust and the cams lol. I think he's still got me beat with the lope though because his car actually rocks back and forth because the cams are so freaking lopey.

 

Thats what they were made for. They are made to sound really mean at idle, but actually make power. Some people love to use a cam that is to big for their setup and while it will sound mean, it will perform like ****. These cams are made to sound mean at idle, but actually make power.

 

Car Craft did a test on a SBC and those cams out performed some of Comps older performance grinds. Comp has done their HW on the Thumpers.

 

Awesome, I think I've finally made up my mind on these guys. I'm wish I could do the install myself, but I'm just worried of messing up the timing chains and everything. We have the tools to do it, but we used those on the old 302 in the '65. I'd be worried to break open a mod motor.

 

If you have done a cam swap on a 302 you can do it on a mod motor. Its not much harder at all. I know it sounds and looks intimidating, but really its not much harder then a pushrod motor.

 

I guess I could try it and if worse comes to worse I could still just take it to get HoB to put them in if I couldn't.