1970 350 Camshaft Part Numbers

Discussion in 'The "Paper Trail"' started by Marco, Dec 6, 2002.

  1. Marco

    Marco Well-Known Member

    Can anyone with a 1970 parts catalog tell me if multiple 350 camshafts were available?

    TIA
     
  2. henry white

    henry white Well-Known Member

    hi marco according to my book, the 350 engine used part # 1237736 for all 350 engines from 1968 - 1973 oddly the book makes a reference to 1970 "except 4 bbl high comp. " and then 1970 350 "4 bbl high comp. " yet it shows the same number regardless. parts group 0.519 list price then $ 41.95 i checked two buick parts books so this should be correct. hope this helps.

    henry white

    70 GS 350
    70 GS 455
    70 STAGE 1
     
  3. Marco

    Marco Well-Known Member

    Thanks Henry!

    This is what was suspected. Is your parts book from 1970, or a replacement cross-reference manual from a later year?

    Thanks again!
     
  4. henry white

    henry white Well-Known Member

    marco this book covers 1940 - 1973 inclusive and was effective in 1973. the other book is all models thru 1973 , effective april 1981 both are gm books. hope i was clear earlier, all 1968 - 1973 350 cams are the same part number.

    henry white
    70 GS 350
    70 GS 455
    70 STAGE 1
     
  5. Jake G'S 350

    Jake G'S 350 Well-Known Member

    how could this be???

    If all 68-72 buick 350's use the same cam. Then all 70 350 use the same cam. So if that is the case the only difference between the 315hp engine and the 285hp engine is the compression ratio?

    I don't buy it. :Do No:

    Do the factory cams have part #'s on them? If so where? I have a 70 350 2bbl(260hp) engine that I know is the original cam and I have a 70 "sp" 315hp that I strongly suspect has the original cam. I would love to see if these cams are the same.

    -
    could it be that the high comp cam was not available as a replacement part. I have seen this many times before. A good example would be a stage 1 fuel pump. If you order one from Acme Auto Parts it will show the same part number as a standard 455 fuel pump. It will work but we all know its not the "correct" pump.


    Jake
     
  6. Marco

    Marco Well-Known Member

    Re: how could this be???

    ...and the dual exhaust.

    Let's see where this one ends up :Brow:
     
  7. Marco

    Marco Well-Known Member

    Re: Re: how could this be???

    I forgot about the ram air setup, which Buick claimed was good for about 15 horsepower :Dou:
     
  8. henry white

    henry white Well-Known Member

    from the GM book

    parts group 0.519 camshaft, engine

    68-69 350 eng 1237736
    69-74 400-430-455 eng ( stage 1 ) 1383853
    70 350 eng exc. 4 bbl high comp. 1237736
    70 350 eng 4 bbl high comp 1237736
    70 455 eng exc stage 1 1237665
    67-71 400-430-455 eng ( stage 2 ) 1385557
    71 30-4000, 5000 ( 350 eng ) 1237736
    71-74 all E ( gs ) & B ( HP )( 455 eng ) 1237664
    71 455 eng less E ( gs ) & stage 1 1237665
    72-73 350 eng 1237736
    72-74 455 eng less E ( gs ) & stage 1 1239629
    74 350 eng ( calif ) 1244904
    74 350 eng ( less calif ) 1237736


    thats what it says in both the GM parts books, so i got to assume its right.
    i am told the stage 1 cam can be identified by one groove in it but i dont know about the 350 cams.
    if they supplied the stage 1 & 2 cams i think they would have supplied any 350 cam. i dont even want to look at the exhaust section of these books , talk about alot to read.

    henry white

    70 GS 350
    70 GS 455
    70 STAGE 1
     
  9. Marco

    Marco Well-Known Member

    Thanks again Henry! :TU:
     
  10. Nicholas Sloop

    Nicholas Sloop '08 GS Nats BSA runner up

    I don't find the one-cam-fits-all situation hard to believe at all.. Just because an assortment of different year/different model 350s have different horsepower ratings does not mean that there is really any difference between them. We all learned long ago to take ALL factory horsepower ratings with a grain of salt...
     
  11. TuBBeD

    TuBBeD Well-Known Member

    Hi,
    I think you all forgot about the pistons? I believe they used two different kinds for the 350 High compression engine and the standard 350. Maybe I'm wrong but, I thought that what made the hp difference between the two?


    Rob
     
  12. Marco

    Marco Well-Known Member

    Rob you are correct. The three differences between the two 1970 350-4bbl engines (rated at 285 HP and 315 HP) are compression ratio (9:1 and 10.25:1), dual exhaust, and ram air.

    It appears the camshafts were identical.
     
  13. Jake G'S 350

    Jake G'S 350 Well-Known Member

    Interesting...(at least to me....)

    The wife thinks I am totally nuts for even contiplating this. I guess with the ram air and duals and the higher comp ratio it is possible. Now where does the NHRA site get their information?


    And just to *&^^ me off, I discovered that I scrapped the cam from the SP engine that I had. :(

    I guess "it just doesn't matter" any way! I sure won't be ordereding a "stock" cam for the 350 build up I have planned.

    Jake
     

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