Any old time Gearheads on here machine shop guys with experience early 70's hot rods

PPosey

Twelve Pointer
I have a 1970 429 out of a 70 Torino uses flat Tippett hydraulic cam I'm rebuilding the engine after 34 years of good service couple of the Cam lobes are rough. So I'm going to replace the cam and lifters.
I'm getting a lot of information about how hard it is to find a good flat tippit hydraulic cam these days need some advice on a trusted brand I don't want to go with anything severe, current cam I have in my car is a low to mid-range fairly mild cam I'm attaching an image of a cam spec sheet I want something that matches it or even a little milder for the rebuild my driving style changed a lot since 1987.
Really I think I factory-spec cam for a 429 or 429 Cobra Jet would work for me, car has 11:1 compression and more than enough horsepower and torque from the factory. I would like a slight lobe at idle though.
 

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perfectroadglide

Ten Pointer
Cam selection could vary depending on stick or auto. Vacuum and torque converter will be affected too. That high compression will be hard to get good gas. I would go with a stock rebuild and use a high zinc oil for breaking in that new cam and lifters.
 

PPosey

Twelve Pointer
C6 tranny built to factory specs, the factory cam for the 1970 429 is just a tad more mellow than the one I have ran for the past 34 years. Mine is more the SCJ level.
Will use the special "old style" oil in the car as I have for the past 34 as well.
Biggest question is what brand of cam to trust,
 
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PPosey

Twelve Pointer
And gas is an issue, run 90 plus octane ethanol free. I did convert to a duraspark ignition a few years ago and that helped with gas issues.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Crane used to be one of the better ones, like you I have been far removed from it for a long time. Don't know if they are still on the market.
 

buckshooter

Old Mossy Horns
C6 tranny built to factory specs, the factory cam for the 1970 427 is just a tad more mellow than the one I have ran for the past 34 years. Mine is more the SCJ level.
Will use the special "old style" oil in the car as I have for the past 34 as well.
Biggest question is what brand of cam to trust,

If you had info on what camshaft brand they used in 1970 that would be perfect , if it's still available.

I had a cousin that had a1970 Torino that had the 429 SCJ and a 4 speed.

That was one plant you in the back seat machine.
 

PPosey

Twelve Pointer
Ya mine would flat scat as well. I dropped it into a 73 mustang back in 87. Been 34 years since it was built by my dad and I and the C6 tranny had had enough.
Pulled the motor as well and as I have took it down keep finding issues. Cam needs replaced, probably needs bored as well, new pistons, crank needs turned.
At least the heads still look great, valves and springs are all good,
I figure if I get another 34 years out of it I'll be happy and 88 years old. Odds are the motor will outlast me.
 

PPosey

Twelve Pointer
I found a guy that cut his teeth on C6 trannys many years ago, it will be back to 1970 shape with better quality components in a couple weeks.
 

Blackwater

Twelve Pointer
That 266 duration should give you a noticeable lope and some low end punch. The last big bore Ford I built was a 460 but we didn't change out the cam. About forgot all I ever knew about building engines but hope to build my Mustang's 289 before cashing out.
 

bigten

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Per your question, I would say Crane, although there are other quality sets on the current market.
Yet, I think proper lube on assembly and correct break in procedure is more important than manufacturer.
Another place that will deserve close attention, even though you say they are fine, are the heads. Especially the seats and guides. Those were designed for leaded fuel as the lead was a lubricant and lessened wear in those areas. With the lack of that component in fuel, the guides and seats will wear and allow the valve to go deeper into the seat to the point of eventually not forming a full seal. Worn guides will allow for oil seepage into cylinders. Any competant machine shop can install new guides and seats that prevent that. If you go that far, price new valves and clean up the exhaust ports.
 

PPosey

Twelve Pointer
Started taking the heads apart today, guides all have been within spec so far and all valves and seats look good. Once I get them apart I'll check each valve for a good seat fit. Heads were ported and polished 34 years ago. I did the job then, kinda wierd to see that work after all this time. The only oil seapage I have found so far is that oil was being pulled into the bottom of intake ports on 3 cylinders from under the intake manifold. Gasket had started to deteriorate.

Ordered a Crower cam today. Its a little milder than the one I had but works over a wider rpm range. My driving is alot milder than it used to be!
 
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hot_rod_eddie

Six Pointer
Call comp cams. They will guide you through the process and ask you the right questions. Examples - what is the weight of the car, what do you want to do with it? What rpm range, how loose is your converter, heads, compression ratio, transmission, rear axle ratio, etc.,etc. They will pick a couple options based on your answers.
Most major cam companies produce quality cams. The trick is matching to your setup.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Started taking the heads apart today, guides all have been within spec so far and all valves and seats look good. Once I get them apart I'll check each valve for a good seat fit. Heads were ported and polished 34 years ago. I did the job then, kinda wierd to see that work after all this time. The only oil seapage I have found so far is that oil was being pulled into the bottom of intake ports on 3 cylinders from under the intake manifold. Gasket had started to deteriorate.

Ordered a Crower cam today. Its a little milder than the one I had but works over a wider rpm range. My driving is alot milder than it used to be!
Yeah, mine would be also. I had a wild cam in a 427 chevrolet back in the day. Nothing like if you got caught in several stop lights in a row having to sit there running it about 2500 to keep from having to clear it out constantly. It was fun back then but I wouldn't go through that crap for anything now. I would love to have the car and that engine back right now but it would be toned down considerably.
 

Bean

Eight Pointer
From everything I’ve been hearing there seems to be a major problem getting a lifter that will last. It’s all internet rumors mind you but a lot of people are saying that since the “virus” started quality has suffered severely
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
From everything I’ve been hearing there seems to be a major problem getting a lifter that will last. It’s all internet rumors mind you but a lot of people are saying that since the “virus” started quality has suffered severely
This was in 77 when I changed my car over from solids to hydraulic I used the lifters that were spec'd for the cam. Soon as we started it up one was banging. I had adjusted them prior to startup, I was sure I had them right but I waited for it shut up and went back through them. All was quiet and every time you would shut it down and it would cool off it would loose it's prime. I was pissed and jerked all of them out and went with another brand.

Changing a set or even one lifter out isn't a terrible big deal on an old school engine but when you buy new you don't like to have to go back inside one that quick.
 

PPosey

Twelve Pointer
Crower and I talked awile today. He sugested a couple and I picked the milder one, it's a little less that what I had and a little more that the factory CJ cam. Should be a good fit for the total package.

Hydraulic flat tippet Lifters are a mess right now, there is alot of cheap junk in the market. I'm ordering a set of Crower Lifters from Summit, Crower didnt have them in stock but Summit does.
 

perfectroadglide

Ten Pointer
Yeah, mine would be also. I had a wild cam in a 427 chevrolet back in the day. Nothing like if you got caught in several stop lights in a row having to sit there running it about 2500 to keep from having to clear it out constantly. It was fun back then but I wouldn't go through that crap for anything now. I would love to have the car and that engine back right now but it would be toned down considerably.
That 427 today, with a Holley FI system, the one that looks like a carb, would be awesome. No loading up at stop lights, smooth as silk. I wish we had that when I was young. My 428 with 1180 Holley was the same way.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
That 427 today, with a Holley FI system, the one that looks like a carb, would be awesome. No loading up at stop lights, smooth as silk. I wish we had that when I was young. My 428 with 1180 Holley was the same way.
Yeah, a little later on in life I had a 78 F250 4X4 that originally had a 351 in it. I put a 429 in it out of an LTD patrol car of all things. I resisted the impulse to modify it and left that engine bone stock. That was a very powerful sweet running engine. I could only imagine having one of those big blocks with todays FI systems. It would be sweet.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I love Holleys as long as you use them almost daily. If I had a muscle car now something that probably set way more than it was driven I probably would go with an Edelbrock. I don't know if Holly has gotten their gasket and acellerator pump seal issues corrected over the years but if they set long they used to be terrible for drying up and leaking.
 

agsnchunt

Old Mossy Horns
if I had a muscle car today, I’d have fuel injection.

a big part of that is my inability to tune anything with more than 1 cylinder.
 

PPosey

Twelve Pointer
Rebuilt the Holley about 5 years ago after 10 years.
Taking the block, crank, and old pistons to the machine shop tomorrow, will reuse the pistons if the guy says good to go. The engine only has 25 000 miles on it in the last 34 years, garage queen.
Valves all checked out and I have been working on one head today.
I love those big old intake valves.
 

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PPosey

Twelve Pointer
Waiting on parts, found a NOS set of rocker arm fulcrum balls and rocker arm lock nuts, had to track down 1 rocker arm as well.
 

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45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Where he car pics??? You're bring back memories of cruising in my 72 340 Challenger. We had some cool cars around those old farm towns. A 73 Mustang, 68 Road Runner, 70 Duster, 69 Le Mans, 76 Camaro, 73 Torino..
 

JoeR

Eight Pointer
I have a 1970 429 out of a 70 Torino uses flat Tippett hydraulic cam I'm rebuilding the engine after 34 years of good service couple of the Cam lobes are rough. So I'm going to replace the cam and lifters.
I'm getting a lot of information about how hard it is to find a good flat tippit hydraulic cam these days need some advice on a trusted brand I don't want to go with anything severe, current cam I have in my car is a low to mid-range fairly mild cam I'm attaching an image of a cam spec sheet I want something that matches it or even a little milder for the rebuild my driving style changed a lot since 1987.
Really I think I factory-spec cam for a 429 or 429 Cobra Jet would work for me, car has 11:1 compression and more than enough horsepower and torque from the factory. I would like a slight lobe at idle though.

I like Comp Cams. Use them still today.
They list plenty of cams for your engine.
Give them a call to get great advice on choosing the right one for you.


Joe
 

PPosey

Twelve Pointer
Where he car pics??? You're bring back memories of cruising in my 72 340 Challenger. We had some cool cars around those old farm towns. A 73 Mustang, 68 Road Runner, 70 Duster, 69 Le Mans, 76 Camaro, 73 Torino..
My Mom still has the 69 roadrunner she bought new in 1969. Dad and I restored it 20 years ago.
Last car he built before he died was a 64 belvadere, 440 6pack and a 4 speed. You just have to see that car to believe it. Better than new. Dad was a master at restorations, I'm a rank amateur.

Mine on the tale of the dragon
 

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77f150 beast

Eight Pointer
I got my eye on this thread.Nice work so far she gonna be slick when complete.And like everyone else mentioned build that thing to drive comfortably with just a little rumble.Hit the car shows and ice cream parlors,good times.Cant wait to see it all done up.
 
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