350 Daily Driver build, Comp questions, Please point me in the right direction

[MrGoo]

Hey Gents! Let me give a little back history on my truck. I bought it about a year and a half ago and the previous owner bought it from a friend and didn't know much about it. Through doing my own research (block number research, carb research, and it being pretty much complete still) I feel like I know everything about it now. It's a 85 c10 and came stock with a 305 and the th350c that's in it. It had a 350 crate engine in it when I got it with the esc removed redneck style. When I bought it, the leaky valve covers had coated the under hood area in nasty sludge. I put on a set of gaskets and rebuilt the carb and it has been completely dependable since.
Long story short, my wife was driving it and a piston rod broke. As a result the block was ruined and I'm going to rebuild from a new to me block that I bought on Craigslist (it's at the machine shop getting checked out). I've already deleted the smog gear to help it run and I know on the rebuild I will be finding a set of junkyard vortecs to use, and reusing the quadrajet, and using an intake like the Edelbrock Performer. I have to find another crank too because the original one was eaten up when the rod went out.
I'm trying to decide on what cam to use. I have read a ton of article online and everyone is looking for that perfect sound. I don't really care about sound as much as performance. This is going to be my daily driver once it's back up and running. It has 3.08 gears and once the spring comes back around I'm going to add a 700r4 for overdrive.
My main question is can someone point me to an article or articles that can explain cams to me? I can take internet wisdom and just use someone tells me to use but I really like to have a full understanding of the what's and why's. I appreciate the help. I have read a ton on this forum about deleting the esc from my truck and then rebuilding my quadrajet and almost every other question I've had about my truck has been answered on here.

[rich weyand]

Edelbrock 2101 is probably what you want to use for the spread-bore Qjet.

Since you are not running pollution controls, you want to connect the vacuum advance to manifold vacuum, not timed (ported) vacuum.  Timed vacuum is a pollution measure:
http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/c3-technical-performance/60830-ported-vs-manifold-source-vacuum-advance.html

This is probably more than you ever need to know about setting the timing for best performance:
http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=29498.0

This is the best read I've found on camshaft selection:
http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/wiki/How_to_choose_a_camshaft

[MrGoo]

Thanks! This truck has been a learning experience all around. I had to learn about carbs and after reading the book by Cliff Ruggles I feel like I know my carb inside and out. The truck has a standard gm hei distributor so I'm familiar with ported vs manifold but this build is going to be a little different. I'll give those articles a read. I enjoy learning and I've been doing it out of necessity. I just want to squeeze every bit of power out of a stock build and know what the numbers mean when I look at them. Thanks!

[78BIG-TEN]

If you can get a copy check out Car Craft issue September 2002,440 HP budget built Vortec Small Block.My 350 almost the same and very happy with it.I have 700r4 with 308 but don't use od till after 60 mph.Im going to change to 342 or 373 gears to make engine happier at lower speeds in od.Also I'm using a vette convertor with stall at 2000 to 2200 stall.

[rich weyand]

I'll throw another tidbit in here. 

You race horsepower, but you drive torque.  As an example, the 1970 Buick GS 455 Stage 1 had 360 hp and 510 lbft of torque.  In the 1/8 mile, basically stoplight to stoplight, it would smoke both the 1970 Chevelle SS454 LS-6 (derated for insurance reasons at 450 advertised hp, but more like 525 hp really) and the 1970 Hemi Cuda (425 hp).  They both beat the Buick in the quarter mile, and both were much faster on the track.

But back in 1970, everybody learned not to mess with those Buicks.  I know; I was there.

I only have the stock 350 with the low-compression heads, but I cammed that engine for maximum torque, and get somewhere around 420 lbft at 2500 rpm.  It is wonderful to drive.

Horsepower at high rpm and torque at low rpm are often a trade-off in an engine build.  Careful how much torque you trade off to get high hp numbers, because in a street machine you will miss the torque more than you use the horsepower.

[78BIG-TEN]

I agree with Rich,thats why I went with a little different cam than what was in the article to get my 78 in a better operating range .With the gear change I plan on doing will help even more with the 700

[Dan75k20]

12-235-2 comp cam 4x4 works well in my 355 dd 75 k20