XR7 Dave
Registered User
Time to put some of the crap thats been floating around here to rest.
First of all no one, Spinning Wheels, Morana, SuperSix Motorsports, RPM Mustangs, SCP, Coy Miller, or - yes- you guessed it SuperCoupes Unlimited make their own cams (sorry if I forgot anyone). Nope, we don't. In fact, we don't even have unique profiles. Instead we all call up a major cam grinder and they grind us cams from their "inventory" of available profiles. Nothing stops another vendor -or even YOU from getting the exact same cam. No one has exclusive rights to any cam or cam profile, so infering that one cam is "better" than another or somehow "prettier" than another is just plain silly. They all come from the same place.
Now some people, and Coy Miller comes to mind, have installed cams into a motor, logged the EXACT results on an engine dyno, removed the cam, installed another profile, and then logged those results. This is research and development. This takes time, money, effort, and knowledge. If Coy wants to protect the results of his testing, that is entirely up to him.
However, the truth is that as far as I know ONLY Coy Miller has ever done this kind of testing. Period. Some of us have come close. But if you test a engine/cam combination on a chassis dyno most likely there are many variables that are left out and many unknowns. In other words, you can verify certain things on a dyno but you sure can't do qualitative back to back testing. You get an idea, but you don't know if a 112 LSA actually works better for the combination that you have than a 114 LSA will. If you claim otherwise you are lying. It's that simple. To say that one cam profile or another will give xxhp is a lie unless you have hard before and after data to back it up. I'm not talking about a peak number on a dynojet either. I'm talking about a full sprectrum, 1500rpm-redline dyno test with controlled parameters and conditions. Unless such data is published any HP claims are invalid and if you don't think so you're fooling yourself. This is why I do not make any claims about how much HP any given cam will "give you". I'm not that naive and I hope you aren't either.
Honest business folks will tell you this. People who post their cam specs (like Morana, SSM, RPM, etc.) do so because they know that their cams follow a responsible pattern and the results are going to be what is expected but they also know that they don't have a magic forumula. They are not silly enough to think that they have proprietary information. Some of us understand this.
I have not posted cam specs on this site. I'm going to tell you why too and I hope you will find the answer just a little bit humorous. See, I understand that there isn't a 100% magic formula for creating the ideal cam. Well there is I guess, if I had your engine on a dyno and was able to test individual results I could come up with an ideal cam, but in all seriousness I doubt you'd pay for such testing. So instead I have a formula that works and I tailor it to each individual's requests. Anyone want to guess where my formula came from? I'll tell you. 1) Comp Cams computer profiling software, arguably some of the best in the business (I sure as hell HOPE Victor uses the same source), 2) Dr. Fred's advice, 3) discussions with other engine builders, 4) discussions with other members of the competition, 5) general laws of physics, 6) the experience of my fellow SC'ers, 7) the experience of other un-named individuals (thanks to all those who are willing to share!), 8) my own testing and experience. What I have done is put together all the tidbits that are available to anyone and everyone else, used common (well not that common I guess) sense and some knowledge that I've gained from my own experience and come back to you with a profile that I believe will work well within your desired parameters.
Ok, that was quite a mouthful, but the bottom line is that of all the cams I have sold to members here, only a small handful were the same and they werent' the same because I have a standard cam that I offer, but rather because a couple people happened to have the same requests.
I have nothing to hide folks. Instead I approach each request for a cam with a blank sheet and I design a cam from the ground up for each person. I weigh things like desired idle quality, valve selection, valve spring choices, rpm ranges, boost levels, flow #'s, compression ratio, trans choice, budget, etc, etc, and I come back with what I feel is the best choice for the application. I don't subscribe to a one size fits all mentality and I don't offer people choices. I take people's requests and I match their wants/needs while making sure that the results are going to be responsible and will give the desired results. The bottom line is that you have to trust me and my experience. Well, either that or you can send me your specs and I'll order a cam based off of that just for you too. I'm not totally arbitrary. You can ask my advice or you can simply submit your order (which some have done). If you submit your order then you can take 100% credit (or blame) for the results. I'm ok with that too.
The bottom line is that if you get a cam from SuperCoupes Unlimited you will be buying my experience and my sincere desire to make your car perform the best that I can. This is something that I believe you cannot get from anyone else. No one (not even Dr. Fred) has the dyno and tuning experience that I have. Coy has dyno experience but lacks (IMO) real world experience, particularly with 5spd SC's. SSM and some others have Mustang experience that is relevant and valid but not exactly the same as SC experience.
Does that mean I can do better than anyone else? No. It means that I do my homework and I continue to have your best interests in mind. SCU is devoted to the advancement of performance in the SC world. I will help you select your own components even if you don't buy them from me. I've done that for many people here and I will continue to do so. However, if you choose to buy things from me it will not be because I have the lowest price (although I do try very hard to be competitive and very often you will find that I am the low price leader). Instead I hope that you will buy from me because we are partners and fellow enthusiasts. I do not sell parts just to sell parts. I sell parts to help you out and if I don't make a living at it then I can't much help you out. I want you to be responsible with your money and I want you to have success with your SC. The parts I sell are all parts I use on my own cars and they are also parts that offer a performance or cost advantage over others that are available. I have worked hard to develop relationships with the companies for which I sell products to bring things to the SC community that will benefit you. If I can't offer that benefit I don't sell the parts. Again, I am not a parts vendor for the sake of selling parts. I am a performance enthusiast who is taking this very seriously. I expect the same from any of you. I dont' sell gimmicks and I will decline to get caught in the middle of a circus where a customer is trying to shop price and numbers putting one vendor against another. I bring a responsible price to the table but please don't waste your time trying to price or number shop me against another vendor. That doesn't mean you aren't encouraged to ask if you think a price is out of line. Most often there is a good reason and I'll be happy to explain any differences.
On the other hand I have been asked more than once asked me to provide others with the specs for some basic cam packages to sell to the "typical SC'er". You may draw your own conclusions as to why a vendor might do this. Personally I feel there is nothing wrong with this but the bottom line is that some people are leading and some are following. You choose whom you will trust.
First of all no one, Spinning Wheels, Morana, SuperSix Motorsports, RPM Mustangs, SCP, Coy Miller, or - yes- you guessed it SuperCoupes Unlimited make their own cams (sorry if I forgot anyone). Nope, we don't. In fact, we don't even have unique profiles. Instead we all call up a major cam grinder and they grind us cams from their "inventory" of available profiles. Nothing stops another vendor -or even YOU from getting the exact same cam. No one has exclusive rights to any cam or cam profile, so infering that one cam is "better" than another or somehow "prettier" than another is just plain silly. They all come from the same place.
Now some people, and Coy Miller comes to mind, have installed cams into a motor, logged the EXACT results on an engine dyno, removed the cam, installed another profile, and then logged those results. This is research and development. This takes time, money, effort, and knowledge. If Coy wants to protect the results of his testing, that is entirely up to him.
However, the truth is that as far as I know ONLY Coy Miller has ever done this kind of testing. Period. Some of us have come close. But if you test a engine/cam combination on a chassis dyno most likely there are many variables that are left out and many unknowns. In other words, you can verify certain things on a dyno but you sure can't do qualitative back to back testing. You get an idea, but you don't know if a 112 LSA actually works better for the combination that you have than a 114 LSA will. If you claim otherwise you are lying. It's that simple. To say that one cam profile or another will give xxhp is a lie unless you have hard before and after data to back it up. I'm not talking about a peak number on a dynojet either. I'm talking about a full sprectrum, 1500rpm-redline dyno test with controlled parameters and conditions. Unless such data is published any HP claims are invalid and if you don't think so you're fooling yourself. This is why I do not make any claims about how much HP any given cam will "give you". I'm not that naive and I hope you aren't either.
Honest business folks will tell you this. People who post their cam specs (like Morana, SSM, RPM, etc.) do so because they know that their cams follow a responsible pattern and the results are going to be what is expected but they also know that they don't have a magic forumula. They are not silly enough to think that they have proprietary information. Some of us understand this.
I have not posted cam specs on this site. I'm going to tell you why too and I hope you will find the answer just a little bit humorous. See, I understand that there isn't a 100% magic formula for creating the ideal cam. Well there is I guess, if I had your engine on a dyno and was able to test individual results I could come up with an ideal cam, but in all seriousness I doubt you'd pay for such testing. So instead I have a formula that works and I tailor it to each individual's requests. Anyone want to guess where my formula came from? I'll tell you. 1) Comp Cams computer profiling software, arguably some of the best in the business (I sure as hell HOPE Victor uses the same source), 2) Dr. Fred's advice, 3) discussions with other engine builders, 4) discussions with other members of the competition, 5) general laws of physics, 6) the experience of my fellow SC'ers, 7) the experience of other un-named individuals (thanks to all those who are willing to share!), 8) my own testing and experience. What I have done is put together all the tidbits that are available to anyone and everyone else, used common (well not that common I guess) sense and some knowledge that I've gained from my own experience and come back to you with a profile that I believe will work well within your desired parameters.
Ok, that was quite a mouthful, but the bottom line is that of all the cams I have sold to members here, only a small handful were the same and they werent' the same because I have a standard cam that I offer, but rather because a couple people happened to have the same requests.
I have nothing to hide folks. Instead I approach each request for a cam with a blank sheet and I design a cam from the ground up for each person. I weigh things like desired idle quality, valve selection, valve spring choices, rpm ranges, boost levels, flow #'s, compression ratio, trans choice, budget, etc, etc, and I come back with what I feel is the best choice for the application. I don't subscribe to a one size fits all mentality and I don't offer people choices. I take people's requests and I match their wants/needs while making sure that the results are going to be responsible and will give the desired results. The bottom line is that you have to trust me and my experience. Well, either that or you can send me your specs and I'll order a cam based off of that just for you too. I'm not totally arbitrary. You can ask my advice or you can simply submit your order (which some have done). If you submit your order then you can take 100% credit (or blame) for the results. I'm ok with that too.
The bottom line is that if you get a cam from SuperCoupes Unlimited you will be buying my experience and my sincere desire to make your car perform the best that I can. This is something that I believe you cannot get from anyone else. No one (not even Dr. Fred) has the dyno and tuning experience that I have. Coy has dyno experience but lacks (IMO) real world experience, particularly with 5spd SC's. SSM and some others have Mustang experience that is relevant and valid but not exactly the same as SC experience.
Does that mean I can do better than anyone else? No. It means that I do my homework and I continue to have your best interests in mind. SCU is devoted to the advancement of performance in the SC world. I will help you select your own components even if you don't buy them from me. I've done that for many people here and I will continue to do so. However, if you choose to buy things from me it will not be because I have the lowest price (although I do try very hard to be competitive and very often you will find that I am the low price leader). Instead I hope that you will buy from me because we are partners and fellow enthusiasts. I do not sell parts just to sell parts. I sell parts to help you out and if I don't make a living at it then I can't much help you out. I want you to be responsible with your money and I want you to have success with your SC. The parts I sell are all parts I use on my own cars and they are also parts that offer a performance or cost advantage over others that are available. I have worked hard to develop relationships with the companies for which I sell products to bring things to the SC community that will benefit you. If I can't offer that benefit I don't sell the parts. Again, I am not a parts vendor for the sake of selling parts. I am a performance enthusiast who is taking this very seriously. I expect the same from any of you. I dont' sell gimmicks and I will decline to get caught in the middle of a circus where a customer is trying to shop price and numbers putting one vendor against another. I bring a responsible price to the table but please don't waste your time trying to price or number shop me against another vendor. That doesn't mean you aren't encouraged to ask if you think a price is out of line. Most often there is a good reason and I'll be happy to explain any differences.
On the other hand I have been asked more than once asked me to provide others with the specs for some basic cam packages to sell to the "typical SC'er". You may draw your own conclusions as to why a vendor might do this. Personally I feel there is nothing wrong with this but the bottom line is that some people are leading and some are following. You choose whom you will trust.
Last edited: