Boss 351: solid flat tappet or solid roller cam?

[Capt. Slapshot]

Here's my dilema. I'm restoring a 71 Boss 351 but am not sure what kind of cam to put in the motor. The last Cleveland I built I put in a Comp Cams 282S Magnum cam (.570 lift intake/exhaust). It was a nice street cam, definately was happy with it, but that was quite a few years ago. For this Boss motor, I'm considering putting a roller cam in it, but I don't want a real radical roller cam. I want to drive the Boss on the weekends & enjoy the car, but be able to open her up when I want to make the Boss shine. I've never had any experience with roller cams, so I need some help. I was looking at the Comp Cams 288R (.623 lift intake/exhaust) and the Lunati RRO-304 (.608 lift intake/exhaust). Lunati also said they have a custom grind of .570 lift on the intake & .595 lift on the exhaust in a roller cam as well. As far as the rest of the engine, 4-bolt block & it will have Hooker Super Comp headers. I'm switching the intake to an original Ford over the counter dual plane intake from 1971 (D1ZX-9425-CA) & an original 1971 Ford over the counter 780 Holley vac sec (D1ZF-9510-VA). I'm wanting to go with that setup over the my original Boss intake/carb. As for tranny/rear end, it's the original wide ratio toploader & 3.91 gears in the rear. I've been also told to have bronze lifter bore bushings if I'm going to a roller cam as well. So basically, which roller cam would be the best streetable cam of those 3 (or are there others) or should I stick with a solid flat tappet like the Comp Cams 282S again? Since this is a Boss 351, anything hydraulic is out...period. Thanks everyone!

 

[2+2GT]

If you are restoring a real BOSS 351, why would you consider anything other than the D1ZZ-6250-B BOSS camshaft?

 

[Hack]

Go to the Network54 Cleveland forums and search there. There have been a number of cam related threads recently. The Boss cam is a good cam, but I would take advantage of modern lobe design and get something that will make more power.

Ford 335 "Cleveland" Series Engine Forum: solid flat tappet cams vs hydraulic roller cams

There's a link to one of the recent threads.

 

[2+2GT]

Hmmm… The BOSS 351 was the best 1/4 mile time, in stock form, of any 65-73 Mustang. I can see modifying a 71 H code for power, but a BOSS? They only made 1806 of them.

 

[Capt. Slapshot]

If you are restoring a real BOSS 351, why would you consider anything other than the D1ZZ-6250-B BOSS camshaft?

Because I plan on driving & enjoying the car & not limiting it to street driving concourse/trailer queen 100 point show car. If the technology is there, why not use it? Is the value of the Boss going to take that much of hit by using a roller cam? No, it won't. Am I making it a pro-street motor? No, I'm not.



Thanks for the forum link, I'll check it out.

 

[Hack]

Hmmm… The BOSS 351 was the best 1/4 mile time, in stock form, of any 65-73 Mustang. I can see modifying a 71 H code for power, but a BOSS? They only made 1806 of them.

Is it possible to have enough power in stock form? I say NO.

I wouldn't look down on someone for storing the original motor and building something to run more often, especially when it's a collectible car.