Hello, Came across this Isky cam while continuing to go through my Dad's collection. The box and enclosed trinkets are almost as cool as the cam. Looks like a early tamper proof tag on the end. Just thought I'd share it with the HAMB. Might bring back some memories.
I'm still running an old Isky 310 Hydraulic in my big block Plymouth. That stuff is very cool. I only have the sticker and spec sheet. I love the box graphics. I never got a plate with mine. What engine does it fit?
I used to run an Isky Magnum 505-T in my sprint engine. As I understand it the T stood for track. The Chevy version had a lot of low end torque, good for pulling off a corner.
Yes, the T was for track. The 505 was also made in A, B and C grinds. IIRC, the 505C was 320-degree advertised duration. It started making power above the RPM where most engines of the day had flown to flinders. jack vines
I have a 505 Magnum for a 49-55 Olds, still in the box, along with rockers, pushrods, lube and decals, purchased in '63. I am jealous of your metal tag !
It’s like taking a collectible toy out of it’s packing and throwing packaging away then playing/destroying said toy. Gone for no one else to see/enjoy.
That's why I was saying the trinkets are more interesting than the part. It's one of those toys you throw away and play with the box. Lol. I love the plate. Comes with 4 brass screws to mount most likely on the firewall.
That is one Isky, and many others, reground from a stock military steel cam. It requires chilled iron lifters. It’s stated 320* total duration (not at .020 or .050” lift as today). It’s just a guess but if you checked exact cam lift and multiplied it by 1.5 it might be 505. As I said another thread the rocker ratio was closer to 1.4 and when you count in the lash clearance it’s not what it’s claims…but most everyone in that era did the same thing. My Howard claimed 310* and .550” lift and set at .025” lash wasn’t there either. A little kill for the street but drags, or on a 1/2 mile, or Bonneville it’s a cam I would try for sure. A stock steel military untouched cam brings in some nice $$$ today. Even a stock cast iron one is good trading material. I have a RacerBrown that real close to those numbers. I ran it for a year but the Howard got me a little more speed. Nice parts ….. I’m sure you will find more to share. Looking forward to it..
Interesting take. He'll still have all the swag from the box, but a cam is meant to be run. The enjoyment is in driving the car and letting other hear the rump that cam gives the motor. I would have no qualms using that bump stick. I bet it's pretty wild.
I can’t tell if it’s a G.M.C. or a Blueflame Chevrolet. 6, but Isky still grinds Blueflame 6 cams on new blanks and Melling still makes solid lifters I have a new production Isky oval track cam for my 261 Blueflame Chevy going in my Model A stock car build. You can have that grind put on a new blank. It’s much cooler as a complete set then just the “swag”
This reminds me of my friend, he's a M$#T*^G guy. He collects all the parts in factory ford boxes and packages and scurries off to the big attic in his shop and puts it in his private collection. He has plenty of cars to use the parts on but no we cannot use those precious parts on a car!!!!!!
Here is an Isky "505" that you probably haven't seen (only 3 were made) - the lower cam of the two. The top is a 404 radius lifter cam. The 505 is also a radius lifter flathead cam - going to build a special engine for it at some point, but want to get it gun-drilled for pressurized lubrication to the lobes.
Those lobes on the 505 have such a large flat top area, they can almost double as a table. Wow! But circling back to some of the comments in this thread, B&S is going to use it and not display it.
Just a update on this thread. I have found some other GM 6 cyl camshafts in my Dad's collection. Visually they look very similar. The most notable difference is in the journal spacing and overall length. The new Isky 505 measures O.L. 28 1/4 and the other cam measures 29 1/2. Since my Dad ran GMCs and Wayne Chevys. I am assuming the Isky being the shorter cam was for the Chevy. But without the measurement being posted when I started this thread I can see where it is difficult to tell Chev or Jimmy. I hope this adds a little clarification.
What has become a very interesting sidenote to this subject and far more important to me than finding a cam is that 45+ years ago my father sold the 37 Chev with the Wayne. He, like most of us who have sold a car, regretted it later in life and talked about it quite often until his recent passing. Short story, the 52 in my avatar which I inherited was a F/Gas and the tow car for the D/Gas 37. The person and owner of the shop that recently rebuilt the 37 Chevy is a H.A.M.B. member. We PM. He says he has trying to locate me for some time. The car he says is visually unchanged and has been one of his favorite builds. The current owner and I are going to reunite the two cars after 45+ years and have a photo shoot. Yes, for those of you as sentimental as I about cars and your dad those pics will be shared. Photo enclosed is circa 1955.
That’s fantastic!!! Yes the shorter one is a Chevrolet the longer a GMC. The GMC is steel not cast. The Chevrolet look’s steel also but tough to tell. The base circles are definitely smaller than stock which makes them performance . The way to tell is next to the bearing if the space between the lobe and bearing is machined.. it’s a regrind and it’s always easy to check cam lift…. At the beginning all cam grinders made “big ones” out of little ones. When only cast irons were available they would vee cut the top of the lobe and weld in a harder material. It was called hardface overlay.
I don't have a picture of the cam because it's still in my '38 Chevy Coupe, but here's the Spec Card. Been running it since the late '70's.
Thanks for the info. I measured the drive gear and come up with the Chev and GMC both mic the same width at .418. By your data sheet this would make them both steel correct? The area between the lobe and journals is smooth and does not have a casting finish as Jimmysix suggested I take a look. Thanks everyone for your input.
The Jalopy Journal
