bill.lunney

I'm trying to build a '56 265 Vette spec. engine. I have a 3720991 block, access to 3725306 heads, but am unsure which of the '56 four barrel manifolds matches up to these heads. There are several listed in the info I found online. These include:

3737109
3735448
3837109

Does anyone make a camshaft for the 210HP 265? Was it a mechanical lifter type or hydraulic?
Thanks in advance for your help! I'm a newbie...
Bill

JohnZ

The 3735448 is generally accepted as the correct 210hp intake manifold, although some early cars have been observed with the 3837109.

Nobody reproduces the original '56 #3711354 solid-lifter camshaft as far as I know, although others may have a source for it. '55 and '56 were the only two years where the base engine used a solid-lifter cam - from '57-up, the base engine cam was always hydraulic. All '55-'56 cams also had a flat machined on the rear cam journal (the flat on the hydraulic cam was larger than the flat on the solid-lifter cam) to feed oil to the lifter galleries, and they used a special 2-hole rear cam bearing.

bill.lunney

That's the kind of info I like! As no one makes the solid lifter cam, would anyone have the specs on it?
If not, would the 3736097 (if grooved) work?

Thanks JohnZ

JohnZ

That cam had slightly more lift and about 35* less advertised duration than the "097" Duntov cam. Any small-block cam will work as long as the rear journal is machined with the flat.

emccomas

John;

Correct me if I have this wrong...but you can also connect the two holes in the rear cam bearing (an oval shape), or machine a small slot in the rear of the block so that the flat on the cam is not needed.

The flat on the cam allows oil to flow from one hole in the cam bearing to another. connecting the two holes in the bearing together into one oval hole, or notching the block is an alternative.

JohnZ

That's correct, Ed - I didn't want to complicate the issue any further for him.

Judging probably isn't in his plan, but if it is, the real issue will be coming up with a cam that has solid lifters (for the expected mechanical sound) and has base cam idle smoothness. Otherwise, the good old "929" base hydraulic cam will work fine (with a flat on it or with the rework to the rear bearing or bearing bore).