1968 340 Manual Cam

I emailed Rick Ehrenberg a question regarding the '68 340 4 speed cam a few years ago.

Actually, he called me at home to talk about the email just after he sent it. Awesome guy to do that!

Hi Rick, Now that I have converted my '69 Dart 340 to a 4
speed, I was contemplating the one year only '68 340 4 speed camshaft (I
believe part number 2899205) and came across several different specs for
that particular cam. The 1968 Barracuda "Shortcut" cartoon ad specifies
.445/.455" lift with 60 degrees overlap, 284/292 duration. The Mopar Engines
book specifies the 1968 manual transmission cam at .460" lift at 276
duration. Other info I have read indicates the specs at .445"/.456" lift
276/284 Duration, 52 deg Overlap. Which specs are correct? Is there anyone out
there that is reproducing this '68 4 speed camshaft? Would this camshaft be
suitable in a power brake car? I don't know if this cam would be an
improvement in performance and idle sound from my current Purple Shaft
P4452761 .450/.455" lift 50 deg overlap 268/272 duration. Thanks, ED


This was his answer:

This is a question that has been asked for 30+ years with no definitive
resolution. I've tried to get the blueprint for the #205 cam and failed. My
best guess is that it was originally designed as 282/292, but got nixed
either before production began, or shortly thereafter. Later issues of the
'68 parts catalog, in fact, show the AT cam (2899206) as the "only"
replacement, AT or MT. Therefore, I believe there were at least three
different camshafts, early (or pre-production / never built) MT w/ 282/292
(or thereabouts), @0.455", the production #205 (276/284, 0.455"), and the
dirt-common 268/276 ).430/0.445"

Truthfully, your question is moot. Although I believe Comp can grind you up
one that's close, if not identical, to an original (early or late? I dunno),
cam technology has improved, mostly rate-of-lift to take advantage of the
large Chrysler lifter diameter. No question that a modern cam (and, likely,
a valve spring swap) would pick you up some ponies. As usual, though, try to
keep components matched, as far as flow rates. EG: This cam you're
contemplating, installed on, say, a stock 273, would result in low end
torque being totally killed off, and an engine that would run out of breath
at a relatively low RPM because of flow restriction. The "area under the
curve" -- the average useable torque in the engine's operating range --
would be down.

From the tone of your letter, it sounds like you want a stock, or
near-stock, underhood appearance, requiring stock heads and manifolding. So,
if you wanna make more power, in addition to the cam swap, consider a radius
valve job, some hand porting, etc.

I think power brakes would be marginal. No reason for a booster in an A-body
anyway!