Vortec engine question??

[utvolman99]

I was planning on buying a 97 vortec engine with about 50k miles, swaping the cam adding an intake and carb and bolting it in the car. Well, it looks like the selection of roller cams is very low. It seem almost everything required machining the heads to allow for more lift? The heads are good to up to .500 lift but I cant seem to find a kit for under that. I called comp cams and they suggested having the heads reworked or not even bothering! This is really starting to cheese me off! Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

Thanks for you time

[grumpyvette]

just one suggestion... get the better springs and clearances machined on those vortec heads to take advantage of their potential hp or buy heads that already can handle the increased lift and durration youll need to make good power If your not able to do the head work yourself, a good machine shop can add the correct springs and do the machine work to allow a .550 lift on those heads for about $250 or less (sometimes much less) so don,t let that kill your project!! a good roller cam ,intake, gaskets and carb will cost at least $750-$1000 total so your looking at adding 15%->25% or less to the total cost to do the job correctly. your only other reasonable choice is buy the intake and carb but get 1.6 ratio rockers added to give the stock cam slightly more flow and add headers to help the effective flow range rpm.

[utvolman99]

Thanks, since I will be getting a guarentee with my engine I may install it stock at first. I can always add a cam and rockers after I make sure the engine is okay!