I am trying to buy a 068S cam and since Crane got bought out by S&S they have stopped making this cam. Any Ideas??

Thanks mike

Summit K2801. Same-same but with the lobes ground for 1.65:1 lift without having to open the push rod holes in the heads.

Almost EVERY cam company makes this style of 068 copy-cam.

Thanks Quenton

You're welcome.

Camshaft Cross Reference

This is an on-line reference that is FAR from complete. In fact, it's probably a few years out of date. Years ago I stuffed it into a spread sheet so I could sort it by .050 duration to compare what was available. You can sort it in whatever fashion you like. You can find MOST of the cams that match the original Pontiac cams for any particular characteristic. I am sure others here have done so, too.

If you had done a search for camshaft cross reference or 068 cam, you would have found this thread (among a few others) from 2003:

Cam Cross Reference Thread

A few weeks back Mike and I stopped in at the new Crane facility. They were installing lots of new equipment etc. They were supposed to be back up and running the last week of Jan. I thought they were going to continue the 068 cam but obviously not. Hmmm

Also, there is a new company in the works. Some of the guys from Crane have gone off on their own. They are making a Pertronix type gizmo to convert from points.

Sorry Duffs, didn't mean to hijack. PS your cross member went out today...

Thanks Joe

Is this a distinct feature of the summit cam, or do other manufacturers grind the lobes similarly? Does cam duration play a part in this?

This is not a distinct feature of the Summit cam. Many - if not all - of the aftermarket cam manufacturers grind their "mild performance" cams for Pontiac V-8s this way. Summit buys their cams from one of these other grinders.

When you read the cam specs, you should divide the lift of the aftermarket cam by the lift of the OEM cam at the SAME .050 lift duration. (Don't use advertised duration.) This takes the duration factor out of the discussion. You'll see that the lift ratio is usually right about 1.1, which is the same as the ratio between 1.65 and 1.5 rockers.

Though it leads into a far more protracted discussion, if you use 1.65 ratio rockers with one of these copy-cams, you can expect an additional 10% lift gain at the valve. When doing so, the valve train geometry must be fully checked out to prevent seal crashing, coil binding, etc. In most - if not all - cases, the spring seats will need to be milled (recessed), longer valves will be required, along with adjustable locking nuts and longer push rods, etc. To take advantage of all that lift, the heads would need some work ... and the upward spiral begins, followed by the downward spiral of your bank account.

So true,so true. That and the wild look in your eye when you see the advertisers claim that it will increase horsepower by 10-15%. Man, I got to get me one of those!!!!

Classic Ind, part #G9306 on P678. It's a GM "S-cam", or 068. That's what I put in my 389 a few years back. I love it.

Thanks All great info

Thanks Quenton. Good summary. At the risk of a long story, I'd be interested in some opinions here.

Car originally had a 350 2 bbl. Sat for 18 yrs in garage while life got in the way. Bought Crower 60917 cam (204/214), Holley 650, RPM intake, and hooker super comps (was to be my son's 1st ride). Found out the block was cracked, but friend building the motor had a '73 455 (4x heads) in his shop, so decided to upgrade. As my son's first ride, felt the current set up was sufficient for the 455 as opposed to different cam, carb, etc.

My friend building the motor installed 1.65:1 roller rockers and at the time, I was not aware of the push rod hole issue.

As fate would have it, my son was t-boned 2 months after the new build, and after a long painful ordeal (3 yrs) with a crooked body shop in Houston, I now have the car back (missing parts and all). By the way, if anyone is interested in a body shop in Houston to NOT take a car to, let me know.

I plan to contact the engine builder to confirm exactly what was done regarding the heads, but thought I'd seek advice from the pontiac experts here as well. Now that the car is mine again, upgrading the cam, carb, rockers, etc. is an option.

Unless I can find a drivers side replacement header (damaged in accident), I'll likely move to long branch manifolds as a start due mainly to clearance issues. Am open for suggestions on cam, carb, rockers, etc. I will also upgrade the rear diff and am leaning towards 3.08. Car will be a weekend/daily driver and would like to keep the A/C.

I realize there are a thousand ways to skin this cat, and have read lots of posts on this site concerning build options. I guess I'm looking for any major concerns with the current setup, and suggestions for improvements.

Years ago, long stories laced with opinion on build combinations used to be my forte. Now, my life seems to have gotten in the way, too. I am sorry to hear about your son's accident. I hope he's OK.

If you're in Bakersfield (as your member ID suggests) the shop you should use (IMHO) for all your work is in Valencia. I'll send you a PM with their contact info.

About 5 years ago I posted some possible combos for 455, 428 and 400 motors, all of which I had built. They emphasized using easily-obtainable factory parts and were aimed at getting very good torque (for street driving) with very nice manners at the pump. They were also intended to be budget friendly. One thing I didn't try to do was predict which cam would be best for all the different possibilities. Cam selection - the topic here, I think - will be a never-ending discussion.

It might be a good idea to start a new thread.

Yes, now in Bakersfield, and son is OK. Expensive lesson, but aren't they all. You should see my daughter's rap sheet.

I am hoping to run the motor as is, without breaking into it just yet, but am worried about the rocker ratio and potential bent push rods, etc.

Don't mean to thread-jack Duffs, so won't continue here. Will start another thread and open a whole new can or worms there.

Thanks again Quenton.

The reason that the higher ratio rockers can cause pushrod hole issues is that the pushrod cup is moved closer to the pivot/stud. If you are concerned, pull the rocker covers and inspect the pushrods for abnormal wear and check for clearance. If you see problems, replace the 1.65s with 1.5s.