Any advice on my 440 recipe?
For $375 i don’t have a problem going with new pistons. Learning to calc compression ratio has actually been fun. But I apparently need to go back to the drawing board on the cam now too.
Call a cam manufacturer to get a recommendation. I'm not discounting anyone's knowledge or experience here, but the cam manufacturers design cams for a living, 40 hours a week. A lot of well-known engine builders have never spec'ed a cam in their lives. They leave it to the pros.
The best results are achieved by being 100% honest with the person to whom you speak. Don't say the car's lighter than it is, or the heads are better than they are. Tell them what you have and what you'd like to accomplish. Be realistic: You won't get a reliable 8,000RPM out of your current base componentry, so don't tell them you want a 7,500RPM shift point. With your goals, you'll probably be steered into a flat-tappet "shelf" cam (something they stock, as opposed to a custom grind) but if that's what they say will work, run it. Don't try to improve on their suggestions unless it involves calling a
different cam company.
Download a cam request form from one of the manufacturers (Comp had a good one) so you know what kind of questions you'll be asked.
Don't e-mail them,
call. I've had two cams designed and shipped in the time since I requested a previous cam, which I did via e-mail and have never heard a peep. I no longer need it, but I still hope someday they'll respond. :D