Not sure what the cam is. Was rebuilt by the P/O in the early 90s and while I have have some records, they don't indicate the "size" of the cam. Know it was "blueprinted," ported and polished, and a big bore kit installed. Since I have the normal aggressive cam symptoms: needs high idle speed (1050-1100 rpms), torque is lower than my previous '72 with stock B20, smells rich when running and gets only about 20 mpg and, of course the vacuum at idle is screwed up, I have to assume he wanted the biggest cam possible. I've had to add a vacuum pump (Pierburg, runs off the cam) and a vacuum reservoir, along with a gazillion check valves, to help with braking. Actually never thought about messing with the valve settings. If you could give me some guidance, I'd think about experimenting with that.

Only problem is that after years of fussing with it and making adjustments to compensate for the cam, including running fuel pressure at 32 lbs, the thing does run beautifully and is now a pleasure to drive. So maybe I should just count my blessings. I only put a couple of thousand on it every year, so gas price isn't an issue, and only people behind me can smell the stink

As to the valve cover, you make a compelling argument about the proper oil distribution. Perhaps I'll dig out that old cover and have it powder coated. I'm sure Planetman could supply me with a decent gasket.