097 Duntov cam

Carmine

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
Hi everyone. I'm still in the process of reading about and gathering up parts for my 265 build. I'm going to try and stay as focused on what was available prior to 1966. I really don't want any after market parts if avoidable. So, this leads me up to some discussion of a cam. I did some research and found that a 097 Duntov solid lifter cam was a very popular part. Seems it was used in a variety of sbc from the late 50's-late 60's. I wouldn't expect to find a brand new one and don't even think I would want one, new or not. Camshafts come with alot of numbers/specs which mean little to nothing to me. I really don't know what all that stuff is about. Would anyone happen to know what present day cam has about the same numbers as the 097?? I wouldn't expect an exact match but would like to come as close as possible. Many thanks, Carmine.
 

55Brodie

Well Known Member
Sealed Power CS113R is an exact duplicate of the GM 3736097 camshaft. But, as noted by Floyd above, it was intended for 283 and 327 engines. I ran one in my old high school 62 327 Impala and loved it. Not super lopey, but the solid lifters sounded like feeding time at the zoo!
 

oldskydog

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
Should be available at your local NAPA.
I still have the cam from my old 56 225hp Corvette…..wonder if it is any good?
 

Carmine

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
Did you get a block or what????
No, not yet. Tuesday, Sept. 10th, I'm making a trip to MA to pick it up. Everything but a carb., distributor and starter. It's a '57 265 block that was removed from a car with only 30,000 miles on it. The present owner has had it for numerous years on a engine stand, hoping to rebuild it someday for his '57 Belair. Never happened due to poor health. Several years ago, he removed the heads and took a look. Said everything looked fine. So, guess I'll see. A roll of the dice.

Floyd, do I still have to notch the cam even though it's a '57 block?? From what I read, the oiling system was changed in '57 and this was no longer required. I certainly want to do the right thing. Thanks for the heads up on that dual 4 intake. I wonder if carbs. are available for that?? For time being, I think I'm going with a single 4 barrel, period correct, AFB. If I can't find one, then I would have to make an exception and go with a 500 cfm Edelbrock.

Cecil, I don't really know. From what I read, usage isn't always the villain. Many times it's just the age of metal itself. Gets fatigued naturally??? Hard to believe that a solid piece of metal such as a camshaft, would do that??

I'll check into that Blueprint and Sealed power camshaft. That was a big help. Thanks everyone, Carmine.
 

Carmine

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
Carmine,Pull the cam that's in the engine now.If the rear journal is notched you'll see it.
Great idea :think. Now why didn't I think of that?? I'll look for that notch Don when I break it down.

My friend put an AFB on his 265. Not sure where he got it from. First time I ever saw a carb. like that. I was use to seeing a Rochester 4GC ?? 4 barrel on some of the sbc. I do have a '64 intake with an original 4GC that I took off a 327/250 that I had. The carb. worked well but that's not what I want. I've seen tons of these AFB's at car shows/swap meets before, never needing one. No great rush and I'll keep looking.

Those '56 265 dual quad heads are almost impossible to find. And when you do, you must leave your first born lol. I acquired a set of '56 265 pp heads. Never realized it, but they used these heads for years and years. Right up to mid to late 60's. At least that is what I read. I also have a set of '64 327/250 heads. Not sure they are pp or not. Could be. So, between the '56 pp heads, the 327/250 heads and the stock 265 heads that are coming with the engine, I (machine shop or someone) will have to figure out which set will give me the best CR. Then, I will use those. I have a suspicion that the 327 heads and the 56 heads might have the same size combustion chamber. Will have to check that further unless someone here knows. Thanks, Carmine.
 

Don Jacks

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 3
Chamber on the 56 265 was a bunch smaller.Use your 56 PP heads on this engine with 1.84 intake valves for a 305 engine.Consider your self lucky that those replacement pistons are forged.New.today they'd have to be custom from somebody like Ross.
 
Last edited:

Carmine

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
Chamber on the 56 265 was a bunch smaller.
So, thinking out loud here Don, those 265 pp heads would give me the best CR; yes???
I'm learning some stuff about machine shop work as I'm going along. From what I read, if you plane the heads, you decrease the size of the CC giving you more CR?? But, with that comes a bolt alignment issue with the heads/intake and gasket sealing with the intake?? That can be a problem all by itself; vacuum leak?? And, if you use I think a thin steel head gasket, this also affects the CR?? (Increases it??) What I'm trying to do is increase the CR from the stock 8.0:1 to something better, by not using aftermarket parts. I know I'm limited because of my approach, Carmine.
 
Last edited:

Don Jacks

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 3
Yes.We're in the process of doing a 56 265 4bbl.motor now.Have the block decked for zero,then use a head gasket,like Fel-Pro .038 thickness.
 

Carmine

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
Thanks. I think we were typing at the same time. I know about custom pistons from Ross. For my 348/434, $100.00 each. OUCH, Carmine.
 

Greg Reimer

Well Known Member
Carmine- a few things. The '57 265 block is a good one.It had thicker walls because they used the same block casting on 283's, so it was thick enough to accept the .125"overbore. The crank is a small journal steel unit. Don't use 265 rods-they were too skinny and broke at the big end.Use the '65-67 small journal 327 rod. it had a bigger beam section and extra mass around the big end around the rod bolts. The 57 block didn't have an oil metering notch in the rear cam journal, I know that '55 265's did, but definitely by '57, that had been changed for the good. Also, the four barrel carbs on the 265 and the 283, even on some of the stick shift 348's were Carter WCFB's. The dual four barrel cars probably all had the dual point distributor with the older style clip on cap and no vacuum advance. Those are out there, just don't get nailed spending too much for one. I have one I'd sell pretty reasonably that checked out to be from a '55 265 Corvette engine. It would need disassembly, cleaning up, and new points, rotor, and cap. They were a pretty good distributor,especially for back then. They look neat,as well.
You had a question on deck height. Deck height is the distance between the top of the piston at TDC(top dead center) and the deck of the block. That can be as much as .040-.060". That much plus the head gasket thickness can really change an engine's mechanical compression ratio. Decking the block is when a machine shop resurfaces the block in an attempt to make it flat, and to get rid of excessive deck height. A zero deck block, let's say, has the top of the piston flush with the deck of the block at TDC. Now, a problem with that, is that at 6000-7000 RPM, an OEM rod will actually stretch about .028-.030" and the piston actually starts coming up higher than the top of the block. A zero deck short block requires-actually demands- a head gasket about .032-.035" thick. OEM steel shim gaskets were a lot thinner than that. If you are going to use them, you need a minimum of .020" deck height after all else has been done to the short block.
Cylinder heads-if you use the '64 327 head, it's either a head ending in casting number 896 or 520. They are identical, I've even seen both number heads on the same engine, but they have a different valve cover bolt pattern than the 55-59 heads. The older script valve covers with the embossed CHEVROLET on them won't fit the later head. Script valve covers off a '60-67 283 would be the right valve cover for this application, they are probably not hard to find. Just don't try to put the early covers on the late heads or vicea-versa.
Also, the 265 and the 57 283 blocks had no side engine mount provisions lika all the '58 on up blocks had, You can't put a 265 in a later car than a '57 Chevy because of the lack of side mounts. If you're putting this engine in a '55-56 or '57 Chevy,no problem.
When you get your short block built and your heads back from being surfaced, then you torque down your heads for final assembly, set up your intake side gaskets, let the gasket cement dry, then manually set the intake in place and check your intake bolt hole alignment. If the bolt holes are off, take the intake down to the machine shop and have him surface about .030" off both sides, the front and the rear. That will get all those holes in the right place, but you might need a distributor spacer to keep from bottoming out the distributor before it's snug on the intake.
That camshaft, the 097 Duntov was also called the "30-30 Duntov" because it was a mechanical lifter cam, and the proper valve lash was .030" Intake and .030" exhaust. The engine will have a very noticeable valve lash noise that went with the whole package. 409's had that same lash noise with factory camshafts as well.
This sounds like a fun project. Like anything, take your time, ask all necessary questions along the way,and do it right the first time.
 
Top