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History early camshafts

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by ingram, Jun 17, 2015.

  1. ingram
    Joined: Sep 23, 2013
    Posts: 19

    ingram
    Member
    from Georgia

    I've noticed we all like to talk about cam profiles and camshafts. Most of the discussions revolve around today's camshafts. It is interesting how the early engine designers did not pay much attention to cam profiles. Some of the earliest engines did not even have an intake cam; only an exhaust cam that opened the valve at BDC and closed at TDC. It always amazes me how mechanical devices develop over time.

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  2. ROADSTER1927
    Joined: Feb 14, 2009
    Posts: 3,127

    ROADSTER1927
    Member

    Nice early motorcycle,do you have a full side picture? Gary
     
  3. ingram
    Joined: Sep 23, 2013
    Posts: 19

    ingram
    Member
    from Georgia

    This is the only picture I have. It is a 1904 FN. There are some pictures on the internet.
     
  4. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    I have lunch with ISKY everday , cant remember my name but remembers what time the sun came up on this day 65 years ago
     
    turboroadster likes this.

  5. ingram
    Joined: Sep 23, 2013
    Posts: 19

    ingram
    Member
    from Georgia

    I would imagine you have heard some interesting early camshaft stories. Please share.
     
  6. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    It took a while for cam design to get sophisticated.... read about a 1920s motorcycle racer in England who was testing his bike for top speed when it suddenly picked up 2 or 3 MPH. When he stopped he found one of the valve springs had broken and the broken ends interlocked so it kept working, but weaker. He figured this caused enough valve float to keep the valve open longer so he went home and made a longer duration cam.

    Another guy designed his own cam on paper, cut the lobe shape out of cardboard, glued it to the cam and reshaped the lobes with a file. This was for a motorcycle too.

    Quite often when you get the truth about an early cam design it was copied off someone else's. The famous Duntov cam was done this way (how did he come up with a hot cam in a few days, he copied someone else's).

    A lot of guys got their start copying Winfield's cams or Miller or Offenhauser racing engine cams. Maybe Isky can tell you about this, it would be interesting to know the origin of some of the early cam designs.
     

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