I called Ken this afternoon and he said the cam was done this morning and that he was just writing out the cam card for it a few minutes before I called. So I went down there and got it and lo and behold there it is still on the polishing lathe.
This is the kind of experience that you don't get when you order a cam from Summit or Muncie or one of those other places. To go pick up your cam that's been customly ground and have the employee (The Duck) grab it off the lathe and put it in a box right in front of you and hand it to you. CAN YOU SAY " MADE IN AMERICA!"
Even having the engine built and being able to go see the block being shot peened or seeing the block after it's been bored freshly. Or one of my favorites being there when the crank is being spin balanced.
I know I'm getting the same exact thing is if I click the button on the internet and punched in my credit card number, but being there at the shop smelling the cutting oil and shaking hands with the employees that work on things seems to be the real hot rod experience for me when things are out of my hands.