Technical Roller cam early hemi

Where to find a solid roller cam core for a 1957 392 hemi to get custom ground or buy a roller cam already ground for street use with some choppy idle

 

Talk to Bullet Racing Cams - they have a ton of different grinds and will come up with a cam that fits exactly what you are doing. Make sure you buy the best roller lifters you can. I'm not sure if the better Crane lifters are even available anymore.

Another source would be Chet Herbert cams - see this link below.

Early Hemi Roller Cam - Custom Ground To Spec. - HERBERT CAMS & PARTS

The most important aspect of this is to get a cam that is designed for the rest of your components - including the typical usage, the induction system, the weight of the car, the rear end gears, transmission type, etc..

You'll also need custom pushrods to go with the package (Smith Brothers) and the right set of valve springs - given the grind. The whole package needs to be setup to work together.

 

Herbert always had good stuff,,,,,I’ve used several parts from them .

Tommy

 

If you're not familiar already, make sure you're familiar with the early Hemi limitations and issues when you go over .500" lift at the valve. Coil bind over .500" lift coupled wth valve pockets that will likely hit water if you try to cut them deeper will be awaiting you.

 

All good info ^^^^^^ Crane actually lists cams for the EarlyHemi and they also have replacement intermediate gears for use with the billet cams.
Plenty of cam companies will cut a billet for the 392 so start calling.....

 

I have a Herbert roller cam in my blown 354.

I worked with them on the grind.

I have Johnson Lifters on mine.

 

This an excellent point.

Even before .500" lift stock rockers are approaching geometry issues.

 

Yup. The key is not just finding someone that can source an 8620 steel billet that fits the Hemi, or is able to grind one.

The key factor is finding a cam grinder that will work with you to make sure that the grind that you are selecting is appropriate for your use, or will work with you to develop one, and then make that happen.

This won't be an inexpensive endeavor, so it is best to do it only once. The "wrong" cam can make for a really unhappy driver, and an empty wallet.

 

I'd be careful mixing and matching various company parts unless you have a very firm grasp of all the factors involved. Timing set, cam, lifters, pushrods, springs, dist gear, and probably spring retainers and keepers along with a possible rocker arm upgrade.
Better to deal with a single company that can walk you through the selection process and has pre and post sale help. Otherwise, any issues will result in finger pointing and/or blaming the user for not understanding something that was not discussed before.

 

I didn't know they were still doing cams. I bought a few in the stock car days, cheaters with a mild idle that pulled like a locomotive. I stopped in his shop in 1984, I had no idea Chet was in a wheel chair. He gave me a shop tour, most of the cam grinders were older than I was at the time.

 

I have no idea as to how good the modern grinds are from Herbert . . . though I've worked quite a bit with Bullet and my machine shop (who builds high-end blown-alky Hemis) - he uses Bullet for just about everything. His engines are $60-80K - he is on the high end of the scale.

 

I’ve had good custom grind experience and support from Comp Cams. Considering a ’57 392 Hemi myself. May look into different heads for the build to get some chop.

 

Just an update to this thread. I spoke with Howards cams, they are no longer doing rollers for early Hemi's. He said they can't get the cam blanks for early Hemi roller cams anymore. The guy that used to supply them has passed away.

 

If you want a roller cam call Smithberg Racing.. Just got customer roller cam for the old 331 hemi.

 

I have an old Engle roller in the engine in my dirt modified. I wouldn't plan on using stock exhaust rockers at all. I broke one in my engine that very quickly broke and took out the valve and piston. I was lucky enough to find a set of Donovan forged units at a swap meet soon after. That was 20 years ago; I don't think that would happen these days.

 

I’ve built a few early hemis, mostly 331 & 354 and one destroked to 302. I ran roller camshafts in all them.

Ben Herheim at Howard’s Cam’s has done a bunch of excellent work and developed my last solid roller. Herbert’s Cams has early hemi short nose cam blanks and will grind whatever profile you send them.

As mentioned above, roller lifters are taller than flat tappet so you’ll need shorter pushrods and max gross valve lift for any oem rocker setup is 0.500”