The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop 261 Engine rebuild questioms, pistons, camshaft.

I just bought a NOS 261 block and head. Block #3837012 and Head #3836850. I know the low compression this combination has and want everybodys opinion on using a custom set of Forged Domed pistons from Venolia. They told me the can make a set to raise my compression to 9:1 whithout milling my block or head. I'm going to bore my block +.060. My next question is camshaft. What is everybody using on a performance build? The Clifford 268 Mechanical or the Patrick's 264 solid lifter camshaft and how are they holding up? I have heard of a Bull Dog camshaft but I cannot find one, are they still avaliable? Has anybody used the finton headers from Patrick's with the Jet Hot finish and how has it held up? Has anybody used the clifford ram flow intake for a 2 or 4 brl carb with like a Holley 390 carb compared to a dual fenton/Offenhauser intake? I have read about quality problems with the Clifford intakes, leaks etc..Any take on that before I spend my money on a intake rather either Finton or Clifford or Offenhauser?
Thanks,
Gary












Thanks,
Gary

I have a heavilly modified 261 using Jahns 10:1 pop up pistons and they fit the stock, except for porting, cylinder head easily, so your Venolia's should fit too. Because mine is more race then street, I'm using an older,not in production, Clifford mechanical cam from 1970! It has held up well. Patrick's could be an ERSON cam or DELTA cam, both very good. You might want to search there sites. Can't help with other questions as I'm using home made intake exhaust, but, Fenton's are good. I would stick with the new style Patricks sells unless you are looking for something more period correct.Then I would seach for the cast style.They are readily available.

Patrick's camshaft is made by Howard cams. I was told the bull dog cam was made by Delta but not sure? Anybody know the specs on the Bull dog cam?
Thanks,
Gary

Yes,I realize you are correct about Patricks/Howard cam. It's ERSON who makes Cliffords or at least it used to be.

I think if you ask Patricks,he will tell you it's a delta cam with the howard grind specs.

Just a question, why would you bore a NOS block .060"? Leave the extra metal there for better cooling, and to give you something to machine if you need to on the next rebuild. The extra displacement from an overbore won't be noticed. Just a thought.

John

Gary,
Our truck, Walter, has an engine similar to the one you are building. We stuck with stock pistons and decked the block and milled about .040 off an 848 head (probably a good idea to drill the extra steam holes if you use the 848 head). We first ran a "3/4" cam from Patrick's and they are very, very nice and helpful people but I was not impressed with the cam. I ordered a "Bulldog" cam from Tom Langdon - The Stovebolt Parts Co. - and it has been excellent. I don't think Tom sells cams anymore but the box mine came in said "Delta" on it. I haven't looked recently but I did find their web site - they are located out in Washington, I believe, and we still grinding all kinds of specialty cams the last time I looked.
A small single 4 bbl carb will probably give you good performance with a minimum of tinkering. We are running 2 of Tom Langdon's Holley/Weber progressive 2 bbl's on an old McGurk intake from a swap meet and absolutely love them (and like the way they look). They give great throttle response, good fuel economy and since they are a progressive 2 bble they behave like a 4 bbl.
We are running the Fenton headers and they work fine. I have no experience with the Jet Hot coatings.
You didn't mention ignition and I've run both the Pertronics conversion and the mini-HEI from Tom Langdon - both good systems and the Pertronics is considerably cheaper.
Sadly I have had similar experience with Clifford Performance. When Jack Clifford was alive they had great products but it seems that things have gone down hill in the last few years.
Good luck with your project!
Ron

The jet hot coating will last you a life time.I had jet hot do my fentons and intake manifold.I have run it a year and a half and they still look like they did when delivered.If you go through jet hot,you can choose what color you want.

bowtietim,

I am curious. You say the bulldog cam is alot better than the 264 from patricks. How so? I would love to hear a sound clip of that bulldog grind at idle in the 261. Do you have one or know of one?

I called delta cam and ordered a Bull Dog cam. They were super nice people to talk to and very helpfull and new exactly what I wanted and needed. I also ordered a set of solid lifters to match the Camshaft. Does the McGurk intake fit with the Fenton headers without modifications? I see the McGurk Dual intake advertised for the 235 is it the same intake for the 235 or 261? What is the bolt pattern for the Langdon's Holley/Weber progressive 2 bbl's?
37Chevy

Langdon's sells an adapter for the 2bbl to 1 bbl pattern.

I don't have a sound clip of Walter at an idle, but that is one of the things we like best - the way he sounds at an idle. (My son can do that sort of thing - I'll see if he could put something like that together) That and Walter just made better power and would rev more freely with the Bulldog cam. We did some 1/8 mile drag racing with him and he sure felt like he made better power with the Bulldog cam. I'm not sure what you mean by the Patrick's "264" cam. It has been several years ago that I got my cam from him and all they offered were 3/4 and full race cams - I had the 3/4.
It took a little bit of fiddling to mate up the McGurk with the Fentons but mostly with the retaining hardware. I also ran heat from the headers to the manifold and that took a little messing around. The setup works well and we drive it year 'round up her in South Dakota (not much in the winter with those '50 heaters being what they are!).
It has been so many years ago that I did the conversion I can't remember if the H/W bolt pattern is 3 or 4 bolts (4 I think). It doesn't matter if you are interested in making the swap. Tom Langdon sells the adapters to fit a standard 235 or 261 manifold and they are (were) about $15 apiece. They also worked fine on my McGurk intake.