Comp Cam recommendation

Hey guys, we’ve recently gotten a 69 Skylark with a stock as far as I know 350/th350. It does have the iron 4bbl intake. According to the specs, it should have a 2.72 gears. I have a credit from comp that I have to use ASAP and am considering going ahead and getting a cam/lifter set to put in the future. I’d like to keep it relatively stock as it’s gonna be a cruiser and don’t want to have taller rear gears or wild idle.
Comp has a 252, 260 and 268 durations. I’m thinking the 260 with 212 duration at .050, .454 lift, but the 110 lobe separation seems like it might have a rougher idle.
If anyone has suggestions or comments I’d love to hear them. Everyone has been very welcoming and we’re happy to be a part of this forum.

 

See about a custom grind. Those are ok cams but technology has passed those design up. And those cams really perform better with headers. With higher lift you will need new valve springs. 50 year old springs are inadequate.
The 110 should be a fair idle. Are you willing to change torque converter . 2200 would really help these cams. If I had to I would probably get the 268 and advance cam 4 degrees, and run a 2600-2700 small block rated torque converter.

 

Definitely willing to change TC and springs. I really am just looking for slightly hotter than stock. If those aren’t good cam specs for that then maybe I’ll get something else with the credit and get a custom grind. Was hoping one of the three would be good candidate, but I’m not familiar with what these engines like, and seems like headers and intake (most parts?) are pretty expensive for these blocks.

 

I ran the 268 cam...back in 1983!

Bone stock 71 engine nothing but the cam and headers, Holley 650 double pumper carb, and a 256 rear gear, would do a 100 mph in 2nd gear.

It was a little slow out of the hole but at 2500 rpm it was on! I killed some cars on the street with that cam it wasn't bad car had a nice lope to it.

Put in a 342 gear with it and a 2000+ stall convertor and it will run decent with that cam.

But the TA 212 cam would be a better choice.

Parts are no more expensive on Buick engines as compared to the new modern engines.

 

I did have a 268 in my 74 GS back in early 80’s. It was recommended by my engine builder at the time. It was my daily driver so it was a rebuild on the cheap so to speak. All stock except for a slight increase in compression with forged pistons 30 over and very minor head work. Was impressed, was my first and last Stage 1. But with what I know now I feel there’s better options.

 

Larry, I have not checked the casting numbers. I’ve got the manuals and will run the numbers this weekend as I go over the engine more. A stock 69 base model should have 9:1 compression right? The later ones were lower? If it is a stock 69 350, what cam would you recommend for a mild cruiser without having to put a bunch of performance parts in?
I’m still considering, depending on what I find the condition of this motor to be in whether to keep it Buick 350 or go with SBC or LS, that’s what I was comparing the price of performance parts to.

 

If it’s an original 4 barrel engine compression should be 9.2 / 9.5 depending on if it has the steel shim head gasket still. If it’s originally a 2 barrel engine compression is 8.2 / 8.5 depending on if it has steel shim head gasket, which the low compression engine doesn’t usually have. personally I would suggest the crower level 3 cam. Works well in the low compression engine when set advanced 4 degrees and some converter. The higher compression will run fine with it set at zero or even retarded 4 if compression is higher yet. With a good recurve of distributor and performance tweaks of carb will run well enough with stock intake and exhaust. But big valves would increase potential.
RO is 2 barrel engine code RP is 4 barrel. Located on block head deck in between cylinder 1 and 3 .

 

Thanks for that Alec, will check that soon, I'm pretty sure it's a stock 2bbl, but I do have the 4bbl on it now. I'm rebuilding the edelbrock 600 that came with it to get it running but I'm considering a Q-jet or thermoquad if I can get a hold of a nice adjustable one. I'm leaning towards getting the Comp 260 for now, and may sell or trade it at a later time if i decide to go with something else. Has anyone run a Comp 260 212/212 .454 lift cam with stock motor and gears?
https://www.compcams.com/high-energy-212-212-hydraulic-flat-cam-and-lifter-kit-for-buick-350.html

 

If you want it relatively stock’ and ‘cruiser’, verify what you have and that it’s healthy, then put a properly built Qjet on it and curve the distributor. A free cam that requires you to buy gaskets, fluids and other parts isn’t a bargain if the cam sucks. The fact that you’ve gone from ‘stock cruiser’ to ‘maybe an sbc, maybe an ls’ makes me think you need to pin down what you want before you start spending money. Tuning and maximizing what you have should be your first step. After that, if you want more power, decide on budget, driveability, power etc. that will define the next step. The ls engine has a lot of fans for good reasons (it’s a great engine in a Chevy, mods are plentiful, power and durability) but I wouldn’t swap one into a Buick just because Buick parts cost too much. The sbc swap would make no sense at all. (In my opinion).
Patrick

 

The Buick 350 will flat blow away an LS from the get go, the LS engines lack low end torque.

 

Yep they do. But tell a LS fanatic.

 

I'm going to tell you from experience , do not over cam your engine. You need to figure out how much money you want to stick in the engine and what you want and what you want it to be. I over cammed my engine before rhoads lifters it was kinda dog on low end, I put Rhoads lifters in it made a big difference and now it it hauls ass. Before you spend money think about what you want it to do and how much it will take. Be sure to read over threads and/or ask questions. I should have done more myself.
Last thing too big of lift will require valve guide machine work. I had to have the valve seal area machined down to clear. A better cam is one thing but there can be a too big of cam if the engine isn't setup right. Josh

 

You didn’t set your combo right . You needed more converter or tuning.

 

I had a 268 in my first engine. I liked it. Liked my crower lvl 3 better. They back open yet?

 

HAHAHA, yeah, your right, the LS outdoes ANYTHING
The LS's run good once they get wound up, but for immediate low end grunt, a Buick V8 has it going on
Even the Hemi is a dog off the line, I more than once was lined up with one at TNT, I blew his doors off leaving, but once they get the squirrels going, they'd pass me half track

 

50 shot of nitrous would take care of that!^^

 

LOL, yes it would!
Who knows, if our local (to us) tracks don't survive this crap, I/we may never find out

 

I'd put the money into some rearend gears rather than a cam, then start planning for a 200-4R swap.