Should I run a camshaft from the 1955 Crowfoot Holden?

[Stygian]

My engine builder Eric races historics and one of his mates owns the ex Norm Crowfoot 1955 Holden Special. Eric said that he was building a hot grey motor and this guy gave him a Wade 140 grey motor cam that the special used to run.

I rang Wade and they sent me the specs. It's 40/70 advertised duration, 237.5 @ 50 thou profile with 430 thou lift at the valve. This is a big cam and probably not streetable, but Eric told me that he drove the Crowfoot Special with this cam and he said it went beautifully.

Fortunately, Eric has been able to get some lumpy top 3.125 inch pistons from another racing mate of his. These can be machined from 12:1 down to the desired compression ratio. Could this cam run in a hot street grey with 10:1 compression? Or would it be a pig to drive? I know it would be good bye vacuum brakes.

Thommo, the cam in your FB had similar specs to this by memory?

By the way, here is a pic of the Crowfoot Special.

[Devilrod]

I'd say go for it!

Might keep up with a red then

Sorry couldn't help it....

[mudgroup]

hey styg.... i would say go for it... i'm not sure if you've had a run in a car with such a 'lump'... i know i hadn't before i had mine done...
lets just say... its different

[Stygian]

It's all good DR Yeah, a reco stock 186 would probably keep up with it and be easier to drive. But not as cool or as much fun

Mudgroup, you're running the Wade 240 in your grey (32/70.5 advertised duration, 220 @ 50 thou, according to the Wade catalogue). What compression are you running and what's your wagon like to drive? The Wade 140 is bigger than the 240, so if the 240 is "interesting" then the 140 is going to be a lot more so. I drove Thommo's FB at the Nats and it has a 35/75 in it. I was quite impressed with how tractable and well mannered it was down low.

I've spent a lot of time doing research on cams as it's a critical choice. I've spoken to Wade cams, gotten recommendations from Crow Cams, Camtech and from the forum's own HPaddict. I was considering running a much smaller camshaft (Wade 102) and 9:1 compression, but Eric's phone call last night about the cam and hi comp pistons got me all excited...

[mudgroup]

styg...
your right.. down low... i think the 140 will be too much...
wagon is great on the open road... but if it was a daily around town its a bit much...
i drove the wagon for the first time today after diving the ute for a couple of weeks.... which has stock cam in it... and it is much nicer around town... just doesn't gurgle or dance like the wagon

i think running high comp pistons would help... the cam alone... doesn't do much more... on the dyno they were very similar...
if you have the cash to throw at it.. go for it.. but... its a grey...

[Stygian]

i think running high comp pistons would help... the cam alone... doesn't do much more... on the dyno they were very similar...
if you have the cash to throw at it.. go for it.. but... its a grey...

So you're running stock compression mud? Sounds like it if you aren't getting much of a difference from the stock cam.

In any case, I'm ringing Wade back on Monday as their tech guy had today off. I'll ask him what the 140 grind needs in terms of compression and whether it's doable. It probably is too big. I don't think 98 PULP in a grey motor will take anymore than 10:1.

Yep it's a grey, but I've always wanted an old school nostalgia hot grey powered EK. It's for fun not 11 second quarters.

[Devilrod]

Yep it's a grey, but I've always wanted an old school nostalgia hot grey powered EK. It's for fun not 11 second quarters.

As much as 11 sec quarters are fun, sometimes outright speed is not the goal. If it's not a daily driver I say go for it.

[Stygian]

put it in, if you don't like it pull it out......

Impeccable logic there Tim. I'll talk to Wade Cams on Monday and see what they say. By the way, would you or anyone else know what the length of a grey motor conrod is, from big end hole centre to little end hole centre?

[Blacky]

5 1/2"

[Stygian]

Thankyou Sir Geoffrey

[Stygian]

Looks like the cam is going in!!! Wade Cam's tech guy told me their 140 grind is streetable so long as the following is done:
Static compression ratio is set at 10:1 minimum or 10.5:1 maximum keeping a predetonation safety margin.
98 octane PULP is used.
Adequate carburation. Triple Strombergs on Speco manifold is great.

I'm a happy camper

[mudgroup]

shweeeeeet !

[Thommo]

Killer

[Stygian]

Yeah guys, as Big Kev used to say, "I'm excited!"

[Stygian]

Well, not only am I getting the Wade 140 cam from the Crowfoot Holden, but also the race prepared head (30+ hours of porting work), special double valve springs, new 179 valves and racing standard custom harmonic balancer. Many thanks to David Reid for making these goodies available.