Found this early Isky RPM 300 cam and lifters at a swap meet on Sunday. Need to find the specs as all I can find is it fits 56-58 Olds 324 & 371 c.i. There is a number 17562 on the tag but searching Isky site does not help. Included were the chilled iron lifters and shims. Does anyone have an old catalog or know the specs and if this is a steel billet or hard faced cam. Thanks for any help as I have searched most forums and have come up empty.
Although I can not help with the numbers, atleast you have the tag numbers. I am trying to find out what my Isky 310 Hyd fits. No tag on it, so no numbers. Are there other numbers on yours other than the tag and the ends of the crankshaft. if so, where? Maybe I can find out more about this one. I beleive mine is SBC, but want to make sure. Watching this thread to see if someone has a link to help ID it. Rod
I have a catalog from the early '80s that has specs on the RPM300 for a Pontiac, but doesnt list one for Olds rockets. FWIW the Pontiac cam is 228@050, .448 lift with 1.5 rockers, 108 LSA.
My 1970 Isky catalog shows Olds. V8, 1956-'58: Hi Rev Series Flat Tappet, Cast Iron Billet Part Lash No. Grind Type Int. Ex. Lift Hot Dur. 601-C RPM-300 Road and Drag 27-63 63-27 .448 .020 270 Sorry when I hit reply it condensed everything down. This might make more sense. Part No. 601-C Grind RPM-300 Type Road and Drag Int. 27-63 Ex. 63-27 Lift .448 Lash Hot .020 Dur. 270
Thanks for the replies. This is a solid flat tappet cam and appears to be an aggressive grind. Speaking to the older gentleman, he ran an early Willys called "Plum Crazy" and ordered the cam circa 1958-60 but never used it. He gave me two pop-up pistons later in the day as he seemed to enjoy talking about the old days. His memory is failing and he told me our meeting would be lost the next day. As I am also in my late 60's, I can relate to old times fading. Any help on these specs would be helpful.
Thanks. I believe he was running a 371 c.i. as that is what the new pistons are for. They appear to be 12:5-1 and are standard bore. I will probably have the cam checked at a later date. The people on the HAMB are probably as knowledgeable as most experts and that is why I asked here. The specs given appear to be as close as I will discover. Shims were included with the lifters. I tried to ask more questions while I was talking to him but his recall was limited.
According to my '77 Isky catalog, your cam was not a hardfaced cam. It belonged in the Hi-Rev series. Part # for cam and kit: 600300; grind RPM-300; RPM range 2500-6000; intake 27-63; exhaust 63-27; valve lash hot .020; duration 270. In 1977 it sold for $269 kit.
makes for a good story to tell at the drive-in, but I dont think it goes back quite that far. I have a 1960 Isky catalog, it lists E-2, E-3, E-4, J-202, J-203, 5-cycle for '49-'58 rockets, E-259, E-359, E-459,J-2259 & J-3359 for '59-'60, no mention of the 300RPM anywhere in the catalog. IIRC, I think the 300RPM grinds first appeared around '66/'67?? FWIW, Land Sea and Airs info matches the specs for the Pontiac grind, so I would say they are the same. Mild, slightly lumpy solid lifter street cam, will probably work very well for you.
You can not run the chilled iron lifters with this cam unless it is a hard face overlaid one, the lifters will eat it right up.
Didn't you also need adjustable pushrods with those Isky cams? I did with mine but it was in a 394 not a 371. Dave.
Thanks guys. I only listened and retold what I heard. Again, the box and wrapping looked early but if the 1960 catalog does not show the cam, then I am inclined to believe that he mixed up some years. Having the lifters with the cam kind of fooled me. Could roller lifters be used with this profile?? Also, is there a market for the lifters? I hate to dispose of anything but at same time most vintage speed equipment in Canada comes with a price. Thanks to everybody for helping to identify this cam.
This is a hot street cam, good for weekend drags. Will be very soggy on the bottom end without at least 10:1 C.R. Yes you need a adjustable valve train in some form. These engines and this kit use .921 lifters and the internal lifter design is unique in this instance to Isky. If the lifters are mixed up, you better swallow the cost and send them out for resurfacing. Also new Parco-Lubrite applied to lobes would be a good idea. Talk to Daytona Cams or some similar shop. Cam life was not indefinite using heavy enough valve springs to get to 7000 rpm, lesser springs should help some. Yeah came out about 1967, replaced the E-4 I think, is in my 1967 Midwest catalog. Standard trans is a must as idle will be pretty high, which is typical for the time this cam was made. Mine was in a 406" '57 engine and was still pretty lopey. Good luck.
I bought this with the intention of building a 324 c.i. engine in a roadster. I would have liked to use traditional parts as I ran a Howard cam and McGurk rockers with 2x4's and a built hydro back in the late sixties in a 32 roadster body. Nothing is easy and sometimes better to plan a build rather than see what comes up for sale. Again, nothing ventured, nothing gained and preserving a piece of history is as important as using the parts. I will have to rethink this cam choice as I travel a lot and believe in driving my vehicles. Thanks again to all that have contributed to this thread.
The 324 must be 1956 vintage in order for that Isky to fit. The engine in my avatar is a '56 324 bored to 4" (345), TRW 3/4-Full race cam (unaware of the specs), Gotha adjustable rockers, Isky pushrods, Crane anti-pumpups, Dodge 440 valve springs, JE full skirt - 11:1 pistons, four Holley 94's on an Edelbrock intake, MSD-6, running on premium pump gas. I built this engine in 1964 and ran it one summer with a 6-deuce setup and a Mallory Mini-Mag in a different 'T' roadster when I lived in Niagara/St. Catharines area.
Davesvintage Try Ross Racing Engines in Niles Ohio Phone 330 544 4466 .He specializes in Olds motors and is a member of HAMB. also on here as Goatroper02
I wouldn't think twice about running that cam in a street car like you describe. A 228@050 solid is not a big cam.
neat score, if it were mine I would take it to my local cam grinder, Delta is near me, there must be a grinder near you too, and have them clean it up and tell you exactly what you have. they may be able to modify the grind a bit to fit your plan. I would have bought it in an instant, for the lifters if not the cam and I would run it, .448 and 270 is a fine grind for the 324
Yes there is a market for Chilled Iron Lifters. Guys who have Hard Faced Overlay cams need them and they don't make them anymore. I payed $100 for a set 10 or 15 years ago and the seller is still angry about how I screwed him.
Thanks everybody for your input and advise. I am not sure what direction to take as this is an ongoing project and changes directions every so often. I have many options at this point but the lifters I would probably sell and the cam is new in the wrap and still coated so I may have it checked but I'm sure the answers provided here are correct. Yes Paul, I bought it anyway as stuff like this only comes by once in a while and with some interesting people and stories attached, even if some dates are wrong. I had never seen a banded cam in an old Isky wrap in the original box and although the price was not cheap neither is history.Thanks again to all and if I decide not to use any part, I will let members of this forum have the first opportunity.
paul is right on with DELTA camshaft. they recut my chevy 216 cam, man it sounded great. really woke up that oil dipper too. sent them 2 olds cams last year. they sent one back, it was too worn out. recut my 303 cam.. I believe 504 lift 280 dur......and it JUST HAULS ASS.
Thanks everyone. I've just found a Merc flathead out of a Herrington conversion truck and decided to sell what I have collected in Olds parts. Goatroper2 corrected me on my intake and cam description. Seems I have a potpurri of parts and since I have always bought and sold flathead parts, I think I may just run one for a change. Course, if parts don't sell, I can always go back. When you're a senior, I think that's allowed. Will do a follow-up at a later date. Again to all that contributed, THANK YOU !!!!! This forum is always a mentor.
Falcongeorge, I have a 371 Olds engine that was built 20 or 30 years ago and not run. It has solid lifter and Isky cam #J 202. Your post states that this cam is listed in a 1960 Isky catalog you have. Does it list the specifications of this cam? The solid lifter 371 is pretty rare. The guy said it was built by a hotrod builder and originally had a 38 Cadillac transmission behind. Any help appreciated.
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