stock camshaft or not?

[jdempsey]

Hey all,
I'm re-restoring a 1931 Vicky leatherback...working on the engine. The engine appears to have been in reasonably good condition and was running fairly nicely when I purchased the car. Don't know any of the history other than it was probably restored in the '70's and hasn't been driven much since.
Engine is out and at the machine shop..he determined that it had stock size pistons, but the upper part of the cylinders were honed and not the lower parts which caused a "taper" in the cylinders from top to bottom. So it will be bored oversize...probably .030.

The camshaft has very little wear on the bearings, .001 or less, but has some pitting on the lobes. Think the car sat up for years probably which caused the pitting.

Is it possible to tell whether the camshaft is a "stock" grind or not? Are there any key measuring points that would tell.
I'm considering putting in a "touring" grind....but don't know whether this one is or not?
Also considering a higher compression head as well, and inserts, both main and rod. Any comments would be welcome.
Thanks for all the help.
John

[M2M]

Since you're considering a higher compression head and inserts, why not pay the extra $ and put in a new cam like a Stipe 330 or 340 rather than a grind?

[H. L. Chauvin]

Have a 1930 Townsedan with approximately 30 years prior storage in an enclosed heated garage according to the previous owner.

One side of cam, (supposedly bottom side while stored), was full of pits on lobes.

Got a new 330 cam rather than a re-grind -- best move -- lots of power.

Many messages on cams in archives.

[jdempsey]

Sounds like good advice to me! Thanks
John

[Fred A]

In the sixties when the Model A was my only car and had little money, I would put cheap engines together just to drive out the miles and get another cheap engine to go again. There may never have been a better engine to yield third world performance. Most commonly it was the main and rod bearing that limited the period of extended service. Most powerful in my sedan was an engine out of a boat that had a nice Model B cam and a police head for a little more compression. Now used but barely worn B cams can be had cheap. If not pouring thousands of dollars into an engine a less than super but adequate engine is within reach of any reasonable budget. So many current Model A owners severely overspend with little difference to show for it. The most exaggerated is Ballance. The extasy attributed to a ballance job is almost laughable when actual city driving is so not improved. It's kind of a placebo effect. The stype cams are great where money is not important, but ther can be other choices. Got lucky at the Model T meet where a fresh B cam miked out at 1.559 at the bearings for $20. Too many poor souls walk the swaps with little more than their hands tightly squeezing their wallets. Good Luck: Fred A

[MikeK]

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I'm a bit confused by your post. you lead with the word "restoring" and then proceed to propose many non-stock items: head, cam, bearings. If you are truly restoring then there is no question. Everything must be stock: head, babbitt bearings, original (not reground) A cam, including re-set original non-adjustable lifters. That will provide the true original model A driving feel and experience.

If the lead "re-restoring" was not your intent and you wish to create a modified car, then I would avoid a stock A or B cam, or any exact copy profiles for two reasons: 1) Original cam design was based on intersecting constant radii of floating origin points. There were no true continuous and smooth ramp curves. 2) The B profile requires larger lifter faces. You either need to fit original non-adjustable B lifters or use the single-lock adjustable type which have a tendency for some people to drift out of adjustment very fast. The lock nut ("double lock") lifters have too small a face profile for a B cam. I would recommend a cam which has modern ramp profiles and a lifter acceleration curve that does not require the larger diameter B or single lock lifters. Those would be, in order of increasing HP and rpm peaks: Stipe "IB" cams, the IB330 which is like a modernized A profile, the Stipe IB340 which is like a modernized B profile ("touring cam") but will run on stock diameter original or double lock lifters, and then the Stipe Road runner series, the RR340 (not to be confused with his IB340) which is for a more aggressively modified motor. There is a RR350 also, for hot hill climb or track bangers.

[Jim Brierley]

You can measure the lift of the lobes to get a good idea if your cam is stock or not. If lift is .288"-.302" it is most likely stock. Less than that means it is quite worn. B cams came in different lifts, from .302" to .339". A touring grind will not help you unless you also go to a bigger carb. Any of the B cams make for good touring. In spite of what MikeK says, there is nothing wrong with a re-ground A cam to a B profile. Some people over-think the problem.

[MikeK]

Originally Posted by Jim Brierley

. . . In spite of what MikeK says, . . . Some people over-think the problem.

I'll take that as a complement! Thanks Jim. If I ever use a regrind, you're on my very, very short list of who to trust. I know we ain't talking 6000 rpm here. Now, if we could get those regrinds nitrided. . . Damn, thinkin too much again. GUILTY!

[bill44]

I recently bought an engine already done from Antique Engineering. You can't beat the price, and it has everything done and ready to go. I have about 2500 miles on it now and it runs great.

[glenn in camino]

Send your cam to Jim Briarley in California for a Model B grind.

[Purdy Swoft]

I had mine reground by Bill Stipe and I am well pleased. It took lots of time measuring used cams to find a suitable core. I chose the Super street Winfield 3/4 race grind. I gives good low and mid range with better all around performance. It idles good, even with the spark retarded after warm up and it only cost $125.00 .