273/ 2 barrel camshaft options

coast2coastkidd85 said
Hello forabodies community and thank you for welcoming me and my family!

(Warning: I am NEW to ANY Internet forums/ community and I tend to babel. I don’t know when to shut up so please feel free to correct me with keeping it short and sweet or over sharing)

I do have a detailed heartfelt story explaining the backstory to my individual background and the importance of the Barracuda that I am working on if anyone is interested in reading, not sure if this is the correct outlet for any storytelling, but the offer is on the table. (This car has been a part of my fathers life since he was 7 years old, the car “disappeared” for many years and after 10+ years of VERY difficult searching and legal matters, I was able to find and rescue the car in 2018. This is a family project with my two daughters in getting it safe and road worthy to surprise my dad when the time is right)

Currently, the 273 block and heads are at a local machine shop for a very light clean up and inspection for cracks or any potential build concerns.

(A quick blueprint: The engine is original, was rebuilt in 1985 with .040 bore, .020 on rods, .020 on mains (can still see clean, clear crosshatch on the cylinders and rod caps) I have the original build badge that was on the block for this information if that’s helpful. The car was driven for a few years after the rebuild. The trans reverse went out and the car was parked for 20+ years, until I found it)

As of right now I would like to keep it as factory/ basic as financially possibly because this is THE engine that my dad learned and worked on in is developing years. We are trying to avoid any unnecessary machine work, a refresh if you will, clean up and reassemble)

I disassembled the engine (I did take measurements first. I was able to get it to run briefly beforehand. It had oil pressure and compression was roughly 120 across the board, but sounded ugly in the lower end)

I was recently told by the machine shop that the cam “got hot” and is “trash” and here is my cry for help in joining forabodiesonly. The cam does show “pitting” please see pictures.

What are my options in either “repairing” the existing camshaft or replacing it without having to take out a loan. I have not been able to find another original 273 cam. Is there a direct swap out for just a cam or will it have to include replacing everything, pushrods, lifters, rockers and so on? What’s the risk of just reusing the cam and lifters as is?

I understand and respect that quality isn’t cheap. But this isn’t going to Pomona for drags and I won’t be looking for Milner to race for pinks, I’ll leave that up to Harrison Ford. It will be driven to take the family to get ice cream on the weekends and the occasional cruise for my dad.

Any information and or experience is greatly appreciated with help regarding the original camshaft or any other challenges this may present. What can be done or should be done? I have had very little luck on eBay or Craigslist in finding another original cam for solid lifters. If I need to share more pictures please let me know. I am willing and capable of receiving constructive criticism.

(If it helps, I’m in my late 30s, I’m a mechanic in the gas/oil fields in the Midwest, my mechanical experience came from working on chainsaws in a logging shop as a child into automotive machanic work on cars and trucks from the 50s, 60s and 70s and modern as a well… if I’m being honest to help put myself in your crosshairs I’m gonna say that I enjoy watching The Waltons, Vice Grip Garage and Uncle Tony’s Garage if that helps in introducing myself.

Again I apologize for the babbling and the long story. My daughters and I are excited to be a part of this community and we look forward to your participation. (I am a working man with a schedule so if I don’t respond or communicate clearly while I figure this out in chatting, forgive me while I learn the ropes. Thanks again and Bad Fish for Life!

View attachment 1716285631

View attachment 1716285632

View attachment 1716285633

View attachment 1716285634

View attachment 1716285635

View attachment 1716285636

View attachment 1716285637

View attachment 1716285651

View attachment 1716285652

The cam is due for retirement. The pits on the lobe are spalling, caused by running new oils after they took the ZDDP out. Of course that was done for catalytic converters and they did not tell us, let the cams fail, sell us a new car (POS), and crush the old one. All corporate crap.
The electric fan in my 1940 Ford Fordor failed and I got stuck at an A&W drive-thru after driving on the highway for 250 miles. It got pretty hot and lost ring tension, giving blowby. The engine is a 1966 289 2V. When I took it apart, the cam looks very similar, spalling on the lobes and a few pits in the lifters. Mine are hydraulic lifters and I happen to have a cam I took out of a 351W that I had for a short time. The guy that bought the car for parts to build his grandfather's 1948 Mercury pickup had to rebuild the engine. Ran great and did not burn oil. It could have benefited with a Performer intake and 4V carb. Anyway, I got that Engle cam and lifters. I had drilled 2 pieces of 2 × 4 to hold the lifters in the positions they came out of the engine.
With what you describe as the intent, a short duration cam is needed considering the small displacement. The Isky cam mentioned looks pretty good to me, but I would order from Isky directly, and seriously consider specing it with a 106° LCA.
Also consider getting the machine shop to cut the exhaust seats to 40°. This aids early blowdown, enabling a single pattern cam for more torque. Uh Oh, now I stepped in it, the HP guys are coming to kick my butt. Look up and watch David Vizard's Powertec 10 videos on cam selection. I can hear newbomb starting to snort already.
With a FT cam you need to use an oil with ZDDP in it like Rotella T4 10W30 or a Lucas oil.
You and the girls have fun with it and ignore the racers that tell you it is better to just build a 360 with big cam and heads. Just put it together fairly stock so you and your girls can take grandpa to Cars and Coffee or ice cream. Your father will likely love that.
By the way, I am a mechanic also. Automotive, Heavy Duty, and Instrumentation. I also volunteered as a Corner Marshal at Can Am, Trans Am, Formula Atlantic, and Indycar races in Edmonton.
FYI; my SBF Ford cam is from Engle.
210° @ 0.050" tappet lift
256° advertised duration
109° LCA
105° Installed
0.472" lift with stock 1.6 rockers

I am having Chev LS valves, 1.9"/1.55" installed in the heads and using 1.72 ratio roller rockers. Roller tips to reduce pull on the valve stems to prevent guide wear. According to David Vizard's cam formula, those intake valves in 289 heads indicate a 106° LCA to be about optimal on a 289. Run higher compression and quick opening of the valves and you compensate by spreading the LCA a couple of degrees. In my case the 109° should be close.