[68c10owner]

Had a 65 el camino a few years ago with the 290hp engine. Actually ran pretty good for what it was. I was surprised. The magazines did a dyno shootout on it and the 290hp engine actually made closer to 325hp. Its the same exact engine as the 260hp version with just the cam change and the higher price. If your planning to change the cam anyway best bet is to get the 260hp version and save yourself some money. The cam in the 290 hp engine is ok, was the same cam that came in the 350hp 350 engines in the vettes.

The compression is low but compression doesnt have anything to do with camshaft selection. You`ll make more power with more compression or course but to say it is too much cam for the low compression is wrong. The smog heads are hurting it more than the low compression.