# Feedback on a Cam Swap and Rhoads Lifters



## 1AMike (May 11, 2009)

I've got a '66 389, now has a 3 speed auto and a 3.08 rear. The engine is originally a high compression (10.5:1 092 heads) 2bbl out of a full size car. It now has a later quadrajet (not sure of the cfm) and the HO exhaust on it. The car is primarily street driven but I do run it at New England Dragway 2-3 times a year. The car pulls from the line like crazy but runs out of breath. I know this is because of the 066 or 067 cam it has in it. 

I am thinking of swapping to a cam like the RAM AIR 9785744 ( more aggressive than the 068 but not the thumper that the Ram Air IV cam is). I am thinking of going with the Rhoads lifters so I don't sacrifice much low end grunt but I worry about putting 4000-5000 miles a year on them. 

Has anyone had experience with Rhoads lifters on a primarily street car?
Has anyone put this cam in to a 389 or 400, auto, mild gears with the Rhoads lifters and have experience with the set up? 
Anybody have a Ram AIr IV cam in a 389 or 400 with Rhoads lifters and what is the drive quality on that?

Thank You,
Mike


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

I have a friend with Rhodes lifters in a big-cammed 455. They're noisy at idle, but stone reliable. He likes them. You don't need them for an 068 cam, which is pretty mild...I don't know about the 744 cam. I know the 744 is not a very street friendly cam, particularly with an automatic. It's got little low end, and works in the higher revs, about 4000 and up. If you do MOST of your driving on the street, I wouldn't run it. But, ;with the Rhodes lifters, maybe it would work better. Contact Butler Performance, Wallace Racing, or Rock & Roll engineering for further info...you'll probably get the info you need.


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## auburnconsulting (Nov 3, 2008)

you also could go with 1.65 roller rockers and keep your cam and lifters. this would tell you if a larger cam with everything else the same would be making a difference. heads , springs, convertor, rear gear carb.


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## VettenGoat (Jun 19, 2007)

I've run Rhoads lifters as one of the few deviations from my otherwise stock 327/350hp motor in the Vette. I've heard from others they are "old technology". Maybe so, I've run them since 1983 and they've been great. They do chatter like mechanical lifters, but its sweet music on a summers night.

I'm running a Comp Cam #274 with .488 intake lift and .491 exhaust in the Goat's 421. I have RA exhaust manifolds and am still dialling in the tri-power. But I gotta say I'm still partial to the old RA III Cam I once had in my 68. You don't want to go too radical with a stock QJet unless you modify the metering rods. I also went with 1967 400 heads and 428 pistons (valve angle is different between the old 389/421 heads and the 400/428/455 heads. I've been really pleased with the breathing characteristics of the RA exhaust manifolds, warmed up 400 (2.11 1.77 valve) heads, and the thumping Comp Cam. Still, I 'd probably recommend you take a hard look at those 3:08s if you want to cut those 1/4 times.

Cheers n' gears
Mike


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## RATTCRUSHER455 (Jul 24, 2009)

*Rhoads Lifters*

I May Have Some Answers About Rhoads Lifters, I Have A 71 Formula 455 H/o Many Years Ago We Dumped The The 068 Marshmellow Cam (stock) And Slammed In A Hc-02744 Hl Cam Needless To Say The Power Range Of This Monster In A 400 Is About 3900-5600 When Shoved In A 455 It Drops To A Estimated 3400-5200. Due To The Crazy Duration Of This Stick We Used Rhoads Lifters To Knock The Duration Down A Bit About 10 Degrees . In My H/o Motor It Needed A 2500 Stall And A 373 Gear Set To Get This Combo Working. Yes The Lifters Do Chatter A Little I Have Headers On So I Here The Tinging A Little More Than If You Have Manifolds. With All Factors Considered The Car Really Starts To Make Power Around 2800 Rpm And Man It Pulls And Very Hard. I Also Have Rhoads In A 77 T/a 455(96) Head Motor 041 Ramair Iv Cam (mellings) In This App With A 4 Speed And A 373 It Pulls Super Hard Also. Power Range 2500-5500 Esti. (needed Rhoads To Save Vacuum) . The Only Draw Back Is My Gear Sets For Driving 373 Is A Little Much, On The H/o Car I Decided To Add A Gear Venders Unit On It To Help The Thd 400 So Know With Six Forward Gears And Over Drive That H/o Motor Should Be A Real Streetable Blast


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

auburnconsulting said:


> you also could go with 1.65 roller rockers and keep your cam and lifters. this would tell you if a larger cam with everything else the same would be making a difference. heads , springs, convertor, rear gear carb.


If you disside to do this give me a PM. I have a brand new set of roller tipped 1.65 ratio rockers that will not fit my heads. I would gladdly trade them for a 1.5 ratio set.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

RATTCRUSHER455 said:


> The Only Draw Back Is My Gear Sets For Driving 373 Is A Little Much, On The H/o Car I Decided To Add A Gear Venders Unit On It To Help The Thd 400 So Know With Six Forward Gears And Over Drive That H/o Motor Should Be A Real Streetable Blast


a gear vender unit will only add the overdrive. yes you may have 6 forward gears, but it's just overdriving each gear. You don't have 6 forward gears AND overdrive, you have an overdrive in each gear.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Rukee said:


> a gear vender unit will only add the overdrive. yes you may have 6 forward gears, but it's just overdriving each gear. You don't have 6 forward gears AND overdrive, you have an overdrive in each gear.


They call it split shifting for 6 gears with the GV. I have a GV in my 90 454 SS and I hit 2nd at the strip, then hit the GV to split 3rd and it didn't shift quick enough. It is slow to shift. I love the GV driving it daily with 3.73s, but I don't think they work good enough to split shift.


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