95 Dakota build

For a 5.2, I wouldn't touch that 279 cam

I have read on several forums, that the stock cam; (250/264/110) cam was, for whatever reason,installed at 119 , which is 9 degrees retarded. They can get away with this because of the 14* larger exhaust duration.
This cam comes with 37* of overlap. But installed as above (And I don't know if it's true, I just gleaned that from Dakota forums);If it's true,then the actual Effective overlap is just 12*. Well that's just great for the similarly low-rpm tuned beer-keg intake. But no header can do much with a feeble 12*. You can still install headers and reap the inertial tuning advantage, but no chance of a power bulge due to overlap.
However;
If you take this same cam and retime it, to in at 106, where it wants to be, then your Effective overlap increases to 36*, and now the headers have something to work with. Recall that the 340 cam had 44* overlap.
The problem I see is that the Ica falls from 64 to 51, which will increase the cylinder pressure perhaps too much for pump gas. IIRC the last work-up I did for a guy, put it at 164psi. but, the 318 picks up a ton of low-rpm torque, with no other down side.
Now, I realize that this cam is pretty small with maybe 182* intake duration @.050 and .411lift; but it's already in the engine and just requires a "simple" retime.
Also; OP says he's got gears, and an overdrive trans, so for very little money spent, he could have a two or three,gear "monster". I suppose the power will peak around 3900rpm, which with 4.56s would be 66mph in Drive, so that makes a 3-gear run to the finishline, and so I would expect it to trap well.
In overdrive, it will still cruise 65=2454 locked-up, with 28" tires
What's not to like about that.
I have read that the same cam is in the 5.9, so I would obviously choose the 5.9. The longer stroke would allow retarding the cam 4 degrees to in at 110, or, straight-up. This would drop the pressure to use 89/91, but the under 3000rpm torque would be much improved, making the driving experience also much improved. And yaknow, 22 cubes is still 22 cubes.
IDK, for just the time, and a gasket...... I'd try it.
I mean think about; More average power is what wins races, and 3 gears to 68mph beats 2.
I'd sooner stick my money into a 2800 loc-up TC, for some second gear punch at 30/35 mph, without having to downshift.
Jus saying
Besides, that factory cam is gonna pull some nice mpg numbers, even when in straight-up.

This is the short version.......:poke: