Correct camshaft for '62

[Rick C.]

Could someone provide me with a source for the correct camshaft for my 250 hp '62? I can't find anything from the major Corvette reproduction suppliers or auto parts companies that's close to the specs I see in the ST-12. I'm far from a camshaft expert so maybe I'm missing something. I just want the engine to perform as it's supposed to.

Thank you,
Rick

[Joseph L.]

[Rick C.]

Re: Correct camshaft for '62

Joe,
Thank you! I should have realized the relationship between lift at the lobe and valve lift, which I see in some vendor's specs. Thanks for the basic explanation and part #.
Rick

[Duke W.]

Re: Correct camshaft for '62

What Joe said... see the following nearby thread post #17 for more information on the '57-'66 and '67-up "base engine" cams.

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...41-327-Rebuild

Duke

[Rick C.]

Re: Correct camshaft for '62

Thanks, Duke.

Now the challenge is to find one. Some suppliers are telling me it's obsolete and others just say not available. I contacted the factory and they said it's still a valid item but production is behind due to COVID and they don't expect to be caught up until the end of the first quarter.

RockAuto has a cam with specs identical to the CS-274 which they call ES-274 and it's made by Enginetech. Since the specs are the same as the
Sealed Power cam and the part numbers are coincidentally the same, I wonder if the Enginetech cam is actually a rebranded Sealed Power cam? Has anyone had experience with EngineTech parts from RockAuto?

Or there's this one from Comp Cams:

https://www.compcams.com/factory-mus...all-block.html

Thoughts? Quite a difference in price - $36.00 vs. $150.00
Thanks again!
Rick

[Duke W.]

Re: Correct camshaft for '62

If you're having a problem finding a real Sealed Power CS-274 contact Crane Cams. Crane manufactures the cams I designed one of which uses the same lobes as 3896929/CS-274 just reversed and retarded several degrees, and I believe a 3896929 exact replica is a standard catalog part.

I would only buy anything from Comp Cams if they were absolutely the only vendor that had what I was looking for and that's likely never going to happen.

I'm not familiar with Enginetech cams... never heard of them, but identical high level specs don't necessarily mean the exact same lobe. Suggest you contact them and ask if the lobes are ground to the GM drawing number 3896930. That's the actual part number of the finished camshaft; 3896929 is the ASSEMBLY of camshaft and indexing pin, which is how GM service camshafts were delivered.

Duke

[Rick C.]

Re: Correct camshaft for '62

Thanks, again, Duke! I've ordered the Crane cam. It was an interesting process. The Crane website is and has been down. I had a tough time getting through by phone and when someone finally answered he said he wasn't actually from Crane. He was from Comp Cams and that everyone from Crane had gone home "sick" and the Crane calls were being forwarded to him. He works for Comp Cams and told me that Comp Cams now owns Crane. He couldn't help me because he was not familiar with the Crane catalog. I ended up using an online Australian site catalog to find the part #. For the 3896929 grind, it's Crane part # 968711. I also called Enginetech and asked who made their cams. Was told they were made in China so didn't pursue that any further.

Rick

[Duke W.]

Re: Correct camshaft for '62

Good perseverance. Unfortunately a lot of OE equivalent engine parts appear to be disappearing, so for anyone contemplating an engine rebuild think about buying parts now. Even if you don't use them, name brand OE replacement parts should hold their value or even appreciate with time.

Duke

[Bill B.]

Re: Correct camshaft for '62

Thanks, again, Duke! I've ordered the Crane cam. It was an interesting process. The Crane website is and has been down. I had a tough time getting through by phone and when someone finally answered he said he wasn't actually from Crane. He was from Comp Cams and that everyone from Crane had gone home "sick" and the Crane calls were being forwarded to him. He works for Comp Cams and told me that Comp Cams now owns Crane. He couldn't help me because he was not familiar with the Crane catalog. I ended up using an online Australian site catalog to find the part #. For the 3896929 grind, it's Crane part # 968711. I also called Enginetech and asked who made their cams. Was told they were made in China so didn't pursue that any further.

Rick

I am in the process of a engine rebuild now and ran into the same problem calling Crane this morning. A Comp rep. took my phone call and said that Crane will soon be part of Comp. He wasn't at all knowledgeable with Crane products and tried to get me to get a Comp # 12-670-4 and also said I would need their valve springs and the the heads would need "slight" machining to make the new springs work. I'm not sure I want to do that. I have also read a few negative reviews of Comp so I'm not sure I want to use them.

In your research, Rick, do you know what must be purchased along with the Crane 968711 Cam (springs, lifters, etc)? Thanks and good luck on your rebuild.

Bill B.

[Duke W.]

Re: Correct camshaft for '62

Assuming that the Crane 968771 cam is an exact duplicate of the 3896929 then use OE equivalent 3911068 valve springs (about 80 pounds seat force, 200 open), Sealed Power VS-677. DO NOT use higher rate/force springs! As a general rule you should buy lifters from the cam vendor for full warranty coverage, and all vintage Chevrolet V8 hydraulic lifters are pretty much the same.

Rockers, balls, and pushrods can be reused as matched sets if they pass a close and careful visual examination (using a good magnifying glass) for galling or unusual wear. Mating surfaces that look "polished" are okay to use.

As a general rule valve springs are replaced when a new cam and lifters are installed, and ten years ago a set of 16 VS-677 springs could be bought for no more than 20 bucks, but they are now apparently hard to find. If you have a hydraulic lifter engine and don't plan on any kind of racing it's probably okay to reused the existing springs. OE spring breakage on SBs, especially low revving hydraulic lifer versions, that are not run hard are very rare.

Duke

[Rick C.]

Re: Correct camshaft for '62

Thanks for the additional information, Duke, since I will need everything. What little engine work I've done was a long time ago and I didn't expect it would be hard to find parts for a 327. I'm hoping that Sealed Power springs and Speed Pro springs are the same thing since it looks like they are both Federal Mogul products and I can find Speed Pro springs with the VS-677 number.

One last question if you don't mind answering: What is the correct push rod length? I've found several different sizes. I assume the shorter ones are used when a block has been decked?

Thank you,
Rick

[Duke W.]

Re: Correct camshaft for '62

Off the top of my head I don't know OE SB pushrod length. As I said in an earlier post chances are the rockers, balls, and pushrods may be okay to reuse. I think different than OE length pushrods were offered by the aftermarket for radically different valve train geometry. For a normal rebuild of and OE engine where surfacing of the block decks or heads is only don't if ABSOLUTELY necessary, OE length pushrods should be fine.

Duke