Stock cam with Offy 3x1

[Javabean]

Hey all,

I have an Offy 3x1 set up waiting to go onto my car, which has been in the basement all summer, Just haven't had the ability to put it on. At this point I really want it on the car before winter and don't really have the resources for a cam swap. With the exception of headers and better exhaust the 200 is bone sock as is the drivetrain (2.73 3speed). The head is a '66 with the larger valves and 3 angle valve job. Carbs are three '63 Autolites 1100's.

Obvious a better cam is the best choice, but I doubt that'll be happening soon. So how bad would my performance suffer with a stock cam and Offy 3x1? Would it be worth it?

Thanks,
Jay

 

[ludwig]

What about the Chevy rocker arm setup? The poor man's new cam.

Check it out with the 'search' function. Other guys know a LOT more about this. Undoubtedly, someone will soon chime in.

 

[CobraSix]

It's kind of hard to quantify just how much it'll effect performance. Part of the 200's lack of performance is it is set up to be pretty asmathic. Between lack of valve lift and the log head...it's a wonder it makes any power at all.

The Offy fixes the log head problem. The Cam (or rocker arms) fixes the other.

Personally, if you really want the car on the road to enjoy (which I'm am a HUGE fan of) then put the offy on and don't worry about. I'm sure you'll miss about 10-15HP of the gains of a cam, but you'll probably be too happy with the Offy set up to even notice (or care). Then later, when you have the resources you can either do a rocker arm swap to increase valve lift or pull off the head and put a new cam in.

Additionally, from what it sounds like your block is in the car, only the head set up is not. I don't like swapping cams from an I6 in the car as they are long. Sure, it can be done but it's a pain. If that's the case, I say put the head on and wait on the cam until you pull the engine. Or just go with the rocker arms later.

Then again, that's just me. I love driving my car, which means I try to have it on the road by May and only work on it during the winter. So I say put the head on...and go have fun.

Slade

 

[wallaka]

What about the Chevy rocker arm setup? The poor man's new cam.

Check it out with the 'search' function. Other guys know a LOT more about this. Undoubtedly, someone will soon chime in.

Thought that was only for 300s...

 

[ludwig]

Thought that was only for 300s...

What I said.

 

[gtm1086]

I ran the offy set up with a stock cam and a header for a few years it made a huge difference over the stock carb.

 

[Javabean]

Thanks for the replies fellas! I think that's what I'm gonna do for now.

Jay

 

[jahearne]

And with a progressive linkage as long as you're not opening up the outter carbs, it's almost like running on a single carb anyhow.

No matter how good the outter carbs are, they will introduce a small vaccum leak, so you'll have to tune for it. If worse comes to worse, just block off the outer carbs until you can do some serious work to your motor in order to get the maximum benefit out to the Offy setup.

Good luck,