Question on timing for the cam I am using

[troy.70R/T]

I have a cam that I was going to put in a 383 that I am using in my 68 Charger. The engine that I am putting it in is a 65 383 with the dog dish pistons (the 2 barrel version lower compression for that year). I think it was 9.2 compression that year not sure my book only goes back to 66.
1. heads are 2406516 closed chamber stock no port work.
2. 1968 cast iron intake
3. headers
4. Holley 750 CFM vacuum secondaries.
5. stock stall convertor as far as I know.
6. 3:23 gears
7. Car has manual drum breaks all the way around.
8. cam Mopar purple shaft 284 duration .484 lift
      I know there are better cams out there but I have had this one for 20 years and just want to use it in this used engine. I am not trying to put a lot of money into this build I am just trying to use up some stuff I have laying around. I plan on putting 3:91 or 4:10 gears in in the spring. I want a driver that will mostly be used in town and drag strip. I am getting a new timing chain and gears and have the option to keep the timing stock or advance or retard in 4 degrees. What should I do?  I would like a higher stall but I plan on having a trans built with shift kit and higher stall convertor I will be building a 440 down the road but will build the trans first and might try it behind the 383 first. 
     

[c00nhunterjoe]

If anything, advance the cam, but in my findings on a build like yours, the powerband only changes by 1-200 rpm which really doesnt make any difference so my opinion is to put it in straight up. Its going to want 20-25 initial timing and 40-42 total. It will run OK with the stock converter but something in the 25-2800 rpm range and the 4.10s will really wake it up. Stock 516 heads and that cam will be done making power by 5500 rpm. I would reccomend against the stock intake. Big block intakes can be found on craigslist in the 50-100 dollar range and will help too.

[troy.70R/T]

I would like an aluminum intake. I've looked on CL and even posted an ad but everyone things thier use intake is worth new price. I wont be pushing the motor past 5500 RPM anyway. well at least not untill I have a 440 built. I'll have to do a little brushing up on the two types of timing your talking about. Thanks

[69wannabe]

That cam may not work with a stock converter, it's 241 duration at 50 degrees and that's steep to try and run a stock converter with. I ran that same cam in a 440 with a 2500 stall converter and it still needed more stall actually. Just my experience anyway. But I would put the timing gears dot to dot and set your distributor up so you can run around 20 degrees initial and with cast iron heads around 33 total degrees. With the lower compression you may can run more total timing but that cam is going to suffer not having at least 10 to 1 compression. just my 

[c00nhunterjoe]

I ran the purple 509 in the 383, nearly identical to his with a stock converter. The early max wedge factory super stockers with 13:1 compression, 2 4's and solid cams idled fine on stock converters. The only thing a loose converter will help him with is launching. His combination will be a turd with 33 degrees of timing.....

[69wannabe]

It just depend's on where it start's pinging with cast iron heads. He may be able to squeeze out 36 degrees total. I have found that what work's for some people does not work for other's but it's not gonna be my problem if it doesn't idle in gear and suck's to drive. I'm just trying to make some good suggestion's for the cam he is wanting to use. I have made plenty of mistake's with cam's that were way too big and not matching up component's properly and it is not fun doing thing's two and three times but I finally learned for myself what works with what. A stock converter with a 284/484 purple shaft cam, good luck dude.....

[c00nhunterjoe]

I dont consider the a purple 484 cam large, by any stretch of the imagination.

[troy.70R/T]

what kind of cam specs would have been found in a stock 65 383 4 barrel cam?  just wondering?

[c00nhunterjoe]

If memory serves, roughly .450 lift, 220 @.050

[BSB67]

Regularly quoted numbers for the 67+ hp cam are 268/284 advertised, and 214/226 @ 0.050".  If these are accurate, I would guess that the 65 cam would be another 4° to 6° smaller