First off, I am not at all mechanically inclined, so I need opinions from any of the wonderful posters on this board. I am wanting to add an hydraulic camshaft & lifters only for my '69 390. Engine has stock heads w/ factory arms, headers, Holley 670 and a worked Powermaster intake, toploader and 3.25 gears. I'd like an aggressive, choppy idle but without any vacuum issues. Street engine will never see 6000 rpm. Any opinions on lift and durations and manufacturers? Thanks!!

How many miles on the motor?

I would not go split duration because they usually loose off idle torque unless it is small like a XE262, those are all Comp Cams grinds.

Crower has some close lobe center small cams also.

3.25 gears will make the choice tough because too big a val and you will go SLOWER and use more gas.

All the aftermarket cams are choppier then stock because stock has lobe separation of about 112 or 114 even 116 on some 2v grinds... so most aftermarkets are at 110 lone separation this make the exhaust not choppier.

Now a 280H grind will sound great, but..... i would question the 3.25. The 4 speed will make it a little better though.

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1967 FE 390GT engine: 416 CID 233/238* @ 0.050 Solid Lifter w/ 4 spd TL.
1968 GT/CS Mustang. 289/c4
1995 Mercedes e320 I6 DOHC, 216 HP wagon.
2003 Tundra SR5, 4.7 DOHC, 4x4.
Another Galaxie (one day.)

Oh and a Bicycle - daily driver to save gas for the 'F'un 'E'xcursions.

I ran your engine thru the Gonkulator since I wondered mainly about straight pattern vs dual pattern. Since your exhaust flows pretty good relative to the intake my bet was closer to straight pattern, and though there is a lot of "magic" in the computer on this point, the Gonk favored a straight pattern or nearly such - it wanted exhaust duration only a couple degrees more than intake, or even equal.

I installed all the 5 cams below 4 degrees advanced.
I took the average of peak torq and power or (T+P)/2 and got:

390gt cam, 207-221-116-.481-.490
(T+P)/2=381

204-214-112-.484-.510 cam:
(T+P)/2=382

Elgin 1048p, 218-218-112-.528-.528
(T+P)/2=393
Torq 415 at 3700
Powr 373 at 5200

SSI 223-223-112-.513-.513:
(T+P)/2=393
Torq 410 at 3800
Powr 376 at 5200

Comp 270H, 224-224-110-.528-.528:
(T+P)/2=396
Torq 409 at 3800
Powr 383 at 5200

I kept the lift of all the cams low enough so that hopefully the stock rocker assy is up to the task.
The Comp 270H would have the most "rump" due to its overlap and also gave the highest numbers, but would cost more than the Elgin or SSI. Pippin also liked the Comp 270H so I think any of the last 3 cams are approx what you want.

What is the car and its use?

Thanks guys! The 390 is original to my '69 Mach 1. Engine was rebuilt about 7000 miles ago and runs strong. BTW I said Powermaster intake, I meant Streetmaster. Just needing it to sound good, maybe a few more horses, don't care so much about top end. I am considering a later change in my rear gears to around 4.11s.