Cooling down a 350: heads/cam, just for kicks

[Alex V.]

So I traded some Jeep parts for cash and a fully dressed 350. Top to bottom: Weiand Xcelerator intake, 461 camel hump heads (dated K164) w/1.94 intake valves (originally 62 CC chambers but may have been shaved), TRW cast flat-top double eyebrow pistons in bores .010" over. It has a flat-tappet cam that I've not ID'd yet (assuming it's pretty hot given the rest of the build and that it was in a S10 that was raced), and haven't pulled the pan to ID the crank but it is 3.48" stroke. All this in a '70 010 block stamped as a 255HP truck application. HOWEVER, the rear of the block is chipped off right in the casting for the oil filter and it has been rigged for a remote setup. The epoxy or whatever they used doesn't appear to be leaking (though it has grease and stuff on it that indicates it has been run) so I'm casually considering selling the stock 2-bolt, cast crank '78 350 out of the Suburban (figuring the long block is worth $350-400) and doing something cheap but usable with this engine (valued at $250 in the trade) to keep the Suburban mobile but get some money out of the deal easier than parting this one out.

Taking the pistons as a constant, I have either the camel humps (putting compression north of 10.5:1) or a set of the original heads for the 'Burb's 220 HP 327 (1.76 valves and 68CC chambers, IIRC) that I might have redone and stick on it which would get the compression down to around 9.5:1. I don't expect perfection because I'm not building the engine from scratch, but with something like Summit's 1065 cam and a lower rise intake (maybe something for mid torque that my 4GC would bolt to) could this be an engine that doesn't drink fuel and performs well from about 1,500 RPM on up? Also, it doesn't need top end - the Suburban with its 4-speed and 3.73's is in its zone at 2,000-3,200 so if it runs up to 4 grand alright that's all it needs.

Is there any chance the small-valve heads with a mid-range cam and moderate compression would get enough air through above 2 grand to develop power (325 gross HP is high for my purposes) but retain enough smoothness not to jerk the 'Burb into pieces via the 4-speed? The current engine had a 3/4 cam in it when I got it and it was a bad combo if you didn't like whiplash.