273 valvetrain question

If you are going so far as to replace the cam, it would be not much more to pull the heads to check the gaskets, and maybe put in better ones. If the PO used the stock Felpro out-of-the-box head gaskets, that will drop compression ratio almost 3/4 of a point over the original .021" thick shim head gaskets, so it would be good to get any such gasket out and put in the .028" 1121G's.

BTW, what head casting PN's did you find?

While there, take a pix of the piston tops to see what you have in there. Then the SCR can be better determined and a better cam choice made. I know I would do this in a heartbeat with such unknowns in the engine at this point.

This really made me chuckle:

That may be a good plan. I'm not an experienced engine builder, so thats why I am hesitant. I have an 09 Challenger and done bolt on stuff and installed a procharger system. Clutch, headers,rear ends, etc. Only motor I have helped build was father in laws Miata. haha So I haven't been on the inside of too many motors.

Head casting is 4323302 and matched a listing for 85-86 318 "fast burn" heads from what I saw.