David, I'm glad to hear you are happy with your present camshaft setup. I
would not sell anyone something I don't believe in, and I stand behind the
pinning solution 100%. In my opinion, welding is not recommended for the SHO
camshaft, or any other camshaft for that matter.
While welding seems to be an economical solution, be prepared to face the
problems that welding camshafts can produce. Welding camshafts in the car
(cringe) can introduce flash/metal particles into the heads, whether they are
open or covered. The more serious problem that is probable with this process is
cam warpage. With the extreme heat generated by welding, warpage of the
camshafts is a chance you take by welding. With new cams ranging from $1000+ and
up, that is not a chance we are willing to take or inflict on you, the customer.
It may even warp ever so slightly, and you may not notice it at first, but will
notice a couple of years down the road. I can assure you, there is a very good
chance of cam warpage with welding.
The Roll-Pin solution is simple and final. The $499 spent is very inexpensive
compared to the price of a new engine. The reason for the $499 price tag is
because of the material that is used when making the camshafts destroys a drill
bit during the pinning process. If there was a more cost-effective solution to
the process, I assure you we would have been using it. Be careful of what you
pay for, you may just get it.
On another note, we are also offering a new camshaft profile for the V8 SHO.
It's not up on the website yet, but we are offering a Stage I/II (Stage I
intake/Stage II exhaust) hybrid setup similar to the V6 SHO setup. You also have
the option of this setup during the pinning process for $1299/set, including
lash caps and the Roll-Pin solution. At this point I'm not sure if we will be
accepting welded camshafts for this process. We will be requiring your cores in
advance for pinning/cam grinding.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at SHO Shop 714-894-8415.
Sorry, due to the high volume of email received, I have a hard time
participating on the forums/lists in a timely matter.
Tom Guagliardo
'96 V8, Rose Mist w/ SHO Shop catalog "bolted" on.
For Sale - visit www.shoshop.com and click
on the "Custom-Built SHOs" link