[b-man]

Stick the factory 068 cam (Mellings SPC-7) in it, less likely to wipe a lobe due to the slow acting low-lift lobe. A performance cam that was designed to last through the vehicle warranty period and beyond.

If you want your engine to tolerate cheap low octane gas a cam with a lot of seat timing like the 068 should be your saving grace, the XE268 would be the opposite of that.

Toss the stock cast rods in the trash and buy some decent offshore forged rods.

Ross custom dished pistons or Icon custom dished to your specific compression target are a go.

Balance the rotating assembly and use hardened exhaust seats along with all new stainless steel valves and bronze guides. Do it right.

Honestly you shouldn’t build it to run on cheap low octane gas, the added efficiency of an engine with slightly higher compression that runs on premium will more than offset the added cost of premium fuel. It’s a win win situation, you get the same overall cost per mile and more power at the same time.