frustrated

The Corvette guys have been bitching about this very same thing for years! It's not the cam, or the install procedure that is ruining the camshafts, it the lack of zinc in modern motor oil. You MUST use an oil with zinc when breaking in a new cam. There are still oils available with zinc (Shell Rotella comes to mind) but if you can't get oil with zinc, use a zinc additive during break in.
Sorry for all your trouble. The car sounds real nice.

George