MP 509 cam

[Bigdummy]

Did someone say Hosier?

 

[ProSport]

Any time I see or hear someone say the MP purpleshaft cams are old outdated dinosaurs the first thing I ask them is how quick they're running with their new high dollar fancy cam.

A friend of mine went 10.60's in his 440 Duster with the front wheels 2 feet in the air with the 509 hydraulic.
I personally had issues with my 509 in a 340 car, it kept wanting to break lifters no matter how perfect I had the preload set but I could have possibly been doing something wrong way back then. I switched to the 557 solid purpleshaft and the car never had a problem again, ran 11.70's for years with stock rods, stock oil pan, mechanical water pump etc.

Next car I built I didn't have the money for anything fancy and it was a 451 big block so I went with the 590 purpleshaft, cost me $169 with lifters! Car ran 9.90's at 136MPH at 3050 pounds with Eddy heads and no nitrous.
My next car had a 500" motor with a big fancy roller cam and Indy heads, it was fun and went 9.82 at 136MPH but it wasn't much quicker than that 451 with Eddy heads and the 590 cam.

I've temporarily retired from racing so I built a Duster with a 500" low deck with the 557 purpleshaft cam and pump gas compression(all my cars have been pump gas). I cruise it every sunny day and I guarantee I could drive to the track, run 10's and drive it home.

I strongly believe these old purpleshaft cams work very well, especially for the price. And with a good set of rocker arms and adjusters, you do not need to be afraid of checking valve lash a couple times a year.

 

[Abodybomber]

The Pruple 292 cam can still perform well. As others LOVE to rant the words, "Outdated" a lot as if the cam can not perform is ridiculous. Though the other half of such statements are true. There are better cams made today that will perform better for street vehicles.
The Purple cam makes for an inexpensive (budget) street strip cam.
It'll power a car into the low 12's with the correct parts.

I myself went to a Hyd. roller cam on my current 360 and solid roller on the next future build. It has been an expensive upgrade.

Many ask why should I spend 3 times the cash on a cam and still have to spend another (nearly) 2 times the cams price for lifters?

The roller cam has a few advantages that start to add up and the further you dive into a more and more powerful engine, these advantages start to add up and show themselves well.

The biggest two would be the abilty to really lift the valve a lot. The other is the abilty to have more area under the curve (duration @.050) to cram more air and fuel into the engine.
3, just the rolling action of the lifters instead of the high friction sliding tappet is HP.

I think so very much you will be happy at the performance of a roller cam over the flat tappet.
I don't think you will enjoy the price tag that goes with it.
An excellent compromise is a solid lifter cam. Not so expensive, and aggressive lobes are available. Investigate these areas starting with Hughesengines.com. Comp, Lunati, Crane, Bullet cams are other places to look at.

Hyd. = Inexpensive & reliable
Solid = more money but more power and RPM.
Hyd. Roller = expensive, reliable
Solid roller = Max power & RPM.

The truth.... A purple shaft,will get you there, it won't be uncool ,for the o.p's kid... A lumpy idle,let the kid get a job,to pay for the gas.... Priceless.....!

 

[70aarcuda]

Well..our 71 Fuster had gone 10.78 in Vegas with MP590....and with a Hughes 260/264 cam...it has run a best of 10.79 in Vegas
In Bakersfield....71 Fuster has gone 10.65 with MP590....and 10.64 with the Hughes....so yes the MP cams can get it done..

 

[Abodybomber]

Well..our 71 Fuster had gone 10.78 in Vegas with MP590....and with a Hughes 260/264 cam...it has run a best of 10.79 in Vegas
In Bakersfield....71 Fuster has gone 10.65 with MP590....and 10.64 with the Hughes....so yes the MP cams can get it done..

Nice E.T's ,Tony... It isn't cheap,or easy... to get those numbers...

 

[Bigdummy]

Wanna buy my engine it has a 509 purple stripe cam?

 

[Hot Metal]

My mates low budget 3150lb Dart, RB440ci, 12.7:1, .590"SFT, Victor int. 315cfm eddies, 950Holley, 4.56's, 5000stall, 13x31's = 10.1@131, max rpm 6700 on motor.