Looking to upgrade to an aftermarket camshaft? Use this knowledge to help make sure you don't just buy a BIG cam, and instead get yourself the BEST cam for your engine.
In the last episode, we looked at how Dart tackled the weaknesses in the factory 2JZ block. Now we're moving upstairs to the cylinder head, where Kelford Cams have spent more than 60 years developing the camshaft and valve train technology that lets us make 1,000 horsepower without destroying streetability.
Choosing the biggest cam available might sound like the obvious route to more power, but that's rarely the best answer. Kelford now develops cam profiles around specific power targets, RPM ranges and turbo combinations, while Toyota's VVT-i system lets us manipulate intake cam timing to improve low-RPM response without sacrificing performance higher in the rev range. For this build, that wider usable powerband matters more than chasing the enormous cam profiles found in 3,000+ horsepower drag applications.
The rest of the valve train follows the same philosophy. We're using 1mm oversized valves, lightweight beehive springs and titanium retainers, along with Kelford's DLC-coated shimless buckets to improve durability in a street-driven engine. Kelford then validates its cam and valve train packages using a Spintron, allowing engineers to monitor valve motion at high RPM and identify issues such as valve float before the parts ever reach a running engine. The result is a complete package designed to make our 1,000 horsepower target while remaining responsive, reliable and genuinely usable on the street.
The engine will be built live at the PRI Show in December 2026, bringing the people behind the parts together to assemble the complete package. From the block, crankshaft, rods and pistons through to the cylinder head, valve train, turbo system, electronics and everything required to bring it together, this is a 2JZ built by the companies that know these components better than anyone.
Entry is completely FREE, there are no strings attached, and the giveaway is open worldwide.
🏁 Enter the HPA Legends 2JZ Giveaway for FREE
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Previously: Building a Stronger 2JZ
00:25 Building a 1,000HP Valve Train
00:52 60 Years of Kelford Cams
01:58 Are You Choosing the Wrong Cam?
03:08 Why Bigger Isn't Always Better
03:50 Making 1,000HP Streetable
05:00 How VVT-i Improves Response
05:30 Why We Chose a VVT-i Head
06:28 Controlling the Valve Train
07:03 Modern Valve Spring Technology
08:01 Why DLC Coatings Matter
09:16 Our 1,000HP Valve Train Package
09:52 How Kelford Tests Camshafts
10:55 Inside the Spintron
11:27 What's Next for the 1,000HP Build?
