Technical Cadillac guys, converting a 365/390 to hydraulic roller cam

That’s what I was thinking. The thrust plate might not work, but I bet a cam button would suffice.

Could I actually get lucky and the 2 bosses for the intake valley line up with the holes in the spider?

 

Chris , several years ago my kid was building a 240Z with an sbc , he showed me an article he found online about adapting later style roller lifters into an early block...I laughed a little at first but decided WTF why not? It took a bit of grinding on the outsides of the block over the lifter bores to clear the link bars . And if I remember correctly we drilled and tapped the valley to retain the spider. The car hauled ass and had no cam issues You know the kid I'm talking about , He now runs an off topic twin turbo Chevy .

 

I contacted them. Here is their response.

Since there are no aftermarket roller cam cores made for that engine, we would have to custom make a batch of cam cores. We have a minimum order of 10 pieces. I would need a stock cam, to get you an accurate quote, but at 10 pieces, you'd be looking at $1,200-1,600 per cam.

Mike Jones
Jones Cam Designs
JRC Technologies Group
Denver, NC (704)489-2449
www.jonescams.com

 

We can beat that price.

 

Ouch!.....what do other cam grinders used for cores? Mild regrinds on existing cores or weld up the lobes?

 

There are only a few cores left. There is only one or two core suppliers. They all buy from the same vendor. When those are gone, that's it. Bullet ground my flat tappet for me. Isky, Howards has some and Schneider has a few left.

I have talked with a few folks that said they will grind them as singles, but they have a long lead time and are all about a grand.

That SBC is looking better all the time, huh?

 

How are the thrust plates attached? Is it possible to remove the plate off of one of the lifters, install them in the engine, then reattach it when installed?

 

They have an area that is machined into the casting that is threaded on the factory roller blocks. The Caddy has no provisions for attaching. I'll see if I can find a pic.

 

CADDY BLOCK



FACTORY ROLLER BLOCK

 

The 'usual' biggest cost on a billet cam is hobbing the gear. I have spent some time pondering the idea of grafting the ass end of a oem cam to a roller blank to avoid the extra cost and it seems reasonable in theory. The only issue is obtaining the blank sans gear. Something to think about if you want a roller.

 

Not necessarily an issue, one of the cam companies some years ago made roller lifters that the button that connects the link bars could be removed from the lifter body with an Allen wrench. Find a similar set and remove the buttons and install from the bottom of the block and reinstall the buttons once in place.

 

I'm making some billet cam blanks for a Chevy II four cylinder and then for the 3.7L Mercruiser 4 cylinder for the long thread on here. Bullet just told a friend of mine they can cut the distributor gears on the blanks, so that's not an issue like it used to be. I could make one for the Caddy if he can't find anyone, and he likely won't because of the one off aspect of it.

 

The Caddy is kinda a one of a kind blank.
Pics for reference.

 

Great info.

 

Anyone figure this out yet?

 

Not yet. I know that Tony Ross is converting some. It’s probably proprietary though. I think a late model LS roller lifter would work. The cam is the issue. Tapping the valley to accept the spider should be easy enough.

 

I have a Ross racing roller cam for my 54 331 with Howard roller lifters. Tony has been excellent to learn from and help me out throughout my build. I have a local old timer doing the machine and assembly work here on Long Island.

 

I bought a 55 tbird that has a Cadillac 390 thats been worked long ago. Doing some investigating, the engine has a roller cam with keyed lifters, not sure who made this setup, anyway the engine ate one of the lifters (and probably the cam) and now I have my engine that has been machined (unless a slotted sleeve was installed and I didn't notice)for these keyed lifters and no replacements to be found.

 

Didn't Crower use that style at one time. I have seen some SBC short roller lifters that had a single roller bead/key much like that. Uncle Marion used to have several sets .We used a lot of his Used trade in stuff in the early 80s . I remember them because the block had to be broached/ grooved with a tool that fit in the lifter bore.

 

Regardless, it’s cool to see this stuff.

 

Yes, Crower made them like that for the Flathead Ford and probably others back in the day. Jesel and others make them today. Expensive I'm sure whomever you get them from.

 

Have you talked to these guys yet?
https://cad500parts.com/catalog/index.htm

 

That sucks man, I'm really sorry to hear about your engine issues.

I wouldn't foreclose the possibility that those lifters are SBC. If you wind up having to tear the engine down, those lifter bores could be sleeved for a standard Cadillac lifter, but at that price you might be better off finding a different engine.

 

The SBC and Caddy lifters are identical. I have studied them intensely.

I have checked with the Cad500 guys, they don’t do a lot of early stuff. Mainly Big CID Caddy go fast stuff.

 

I think you have the FE Ford 390 confused with the Cadillac 390 that is the topic of this thread.

 

Bump. Anyone tried this yet?

 

Racer Brown..

 

That too tall to clear the valley deal kind of kicks the whole thing in the nuts. I'm waiting to see what you do as I will be building mine in late '23.

Did you talk to Ross?

-Abone.

 

Talk to old guy at Rocker Arms Unlimited. He told me that he would convert the original rockers to adjustable, He said that he would rechrome, rebush, anneal, convert to adjustable then heat treat. The cost before inflation for 400-500 bucks. He said that was way better than running Studebaker since you retain the stock 1.6:1 ratio. Plus, you get to keep the stock height valve covers.