I have a SB Ford with 11:1 compression, racing pistons, crank,
oil, and a 35-518-8 comp cam. The cam produces a fairly nice torque and hp curve, and a somewhat nice idle if I take the idle rpms down to 600-700. I would prefer to idle the engine around 950-1050 RPM but the cam looses most of it's great sound and rumble - smooths out quite a bit. Perhaps I want something a bit more nasty sounding... not sure if that is the right word, but I think it can be interpreted.
I'm hoping some of the more experienced engine builders could give me their input on this cam, and the possibility of putting a more aggressive or bigger cam in this engine. Is this a large cam to start with? Average?
Does changing the cam require removing the engine? What else would need to be done once a cam is changed? Should I take it to an engine shop or try to do this myself? Thanks for all your help?