Depends on what you want. The torque curve of the 12-300-4 in a 350 with the 76cc heads starts at 300 ftlb at 1000 rpm and peaks at 380 ftlb at 3100 rpm. That's a heck of a lot of torque in the rpm range that most people drive in the great majority of the time. The early intake valve closure gives decent dynamic compression even with low-compression heads, while the late exhaust opening retains the charge longer for better mileage. You can go to a "bigger" (longer duration/higher lift) cam, but at the expense of greater overlap, later intake closure, and earlier exhaust opening, which moves the torque curve up in rpm, gives lower dynamic compression, which hurts low end torque, and gives lower gas mileage. You will get more horsepower, but you will get it at higher rpm, the torque will come on at higher rpm, and there is a gas mileage penalty.
Note also that the penalties for a bigger cam apply more with less displacement, so a bigger cam on a 454 is a different question than a bigger cam on a 350. Also, the dynamic compression issue is not a problem with high-compression heads; there it actually helps by reducing knock at low rpms, allowing more timing advance. It's almost like having variable compression.
There is so much variety in cams available, you pretty much pays your money and takes your choice. But a marine/rv/truck cam in an otherwise stock 350 has a lot to be said for a street rod or a daily driver around town, including a smoking hot hole shot.
1
