My knowledge of camshafts other than stock is very limited, but is that E4 Isky cam that you mention approximately the same as the Ford original stock one?
I'm not afraid of Isky brand products, nor am I trying to replicate the completely stock engine, it's just that I want a silky smooth idle that I have never found anywhere except with stock cams. I have one of the replacements that are still available but the general consensus is that the 57 and earlier are better. I had a 57 with the 312/245 HP engine and it ran strong and idled ok, but I have never had the opportunity to see one of those E4 cams in action. Something tells me it's not the same?

copied this from the Isky online catalog

http://www.iskycams.com/onlinecatalog.html

301444 E-4 2000-5000 .425 .015 260° 216° 108°
SOLID .425 .015 260° 216°








Tom from the chiggerfarm located in the beautiful Heart of Central Texas

When you cannot dazzle others with your brilliance, baffle them with bullcorn!

Chigger:  For some reason, virtually all std replacement cams for the Y-Blk are based on none 57 specs. (earlier & later)  As Mummert has noted, they are essentially truck cams!  If you want dead smooth idle, that's the one.. Note however that Ted's comments on the E4 spec it with a 112 LSA, not with Isky's original 108*  I'll presume it will idle somewhat better with 112* but you'd need to clarify on that. ..  Why the 1957-D code cam has not been available has been a head scratcher? Seems silly!  As far as I know it had a good idle but may not have been dead smooth. However, if I recall correctly (?) Mummert had some reservations about what he called the "jerk" rate on the 57 cam. Apparently that had something to do with ramp acceleration rates on it.. Again, clarification needed there... After 1957 & the intro of the F.E. series big blks, the Y-Blk was religated to being their base engine with max economy in mind, hence the return of a very mild cam.          


Paul

While the Isky E4 ground on 112° lobe centers calms down the idle, it still has a rumble in the exhaust note.  Here’s how the two camshafts compare to each other:

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Thanks guys, looks like there are lots of variables in choosing camshafts. I will just use the NOS one I already have (B8A-6250-C) which I believe is probably the first of the watered down version that eventually became the 60's truck cam. This (B8A) part number would have come about in or around 1958, and was changed at least once more before y-block production ceased. I wonder if cam specs changed each time or just part numbers? 

I was the proud owner of one of those 57 312's for a few years in the 60's and I don't remember noticing anything about the idle characteristics, but I was young and smooth idle might not have been as important to me then as it is now. Only thing I remember is how I liked the performance of that car at the time.






Tom from the chiggerfarm located in the beautiful Heart of Central Texas

When you cannot dazzle others with your brilliance, baffle them with bullcorn!

You could just take a used and worn stock 57 cam and have it reground  to original specs.
There would however be some differences if the regrind was measured against a virgin cam.

That's probably the only way to get you as close to an original grind as possible.

Oldmics

Tom: You could go to Mummert's site & check out his selection of cams.. While I tend myself to stay essentially stock (my 57 car is licensed as a "stock" collector car), if the engine was coming apart, it's later non 57 stock replacement cam, wouldn't be going back into it!  Your leaving a fair anount of power on the table & I'm not sure why, to just get a dead smooth idle?  And, also badly reducing the great exhaust sound of a Y-block!  


Paul

Thank you all for the help, I will revisit Mr Mummert's selection and think about it. I appreciate the suggestions.

Cheers, Tom



Tom from the chiggerfarm located in the beautiful Heart of Central Texas

When you cannot dazzle others with your brilliance, baffle them with bullcorn!

The info Ted posted in this thread about '57 Ford O.E.M. cam specs was the most helpful I've seen for comparing and considering numerous aftermarket camshaft offerings.  As some Forum members have said, I would be happy with the availability of a '57 FoMoCo camshaft clone for some engine applications I'm seeking to rebuild or the engines of acquaintances I'm trying to help with their rebuilding efforts.

To follow-up on Paul's suggestion, the technical specs for John Mummert's camshaft offerings are on this page of his web site
http://www.ford-y-block.com/camcards.htm

My impressions of what Ford and numerous aftermarket replacement part suppliers have offered for y-block camshaft replacement for years is strictly plain-Jane or utilitarian.  Addressing Tom's question regarding Ford's part number system, IF the production specs for y-block replacement camshafts have changed over the years, my understanding is that the 'interchangeable' part would not REQUIRE or trigger the issuing of a new Ford replacement part number.


NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

Tom; A footnote re the replacement stock cams, if you insist on using the one you have.. It was discouvered some years ago, by J. Mummert I believe, that the oil groove in the journal is undersize from original specs. It needs to be machined a bit deeper, to help avoid top end oiling issues..


Paul

Thank you, yes I have read about the oil grove needing some help. I also see where there is a procedure to groove the block to accomplish same. That idea seems to appeal to me whenever I have a bare block to work with. 
Wish I knew what "jerk" rate and ramp acceleration are? 
I also did not know there would be a difference in a "regrind" cam and a "virgin". I assume then that regrind just means grinding a different configuration to an existing lobe without adding any new metal? So it would result in the lobe shape you wanted, just smaller?  With that in mind, it would probably take a cam core from a 57 to regrind in order to come anywhere close? Does anyone know if all the 57 cams were better than the later ones or is it only that 245 HP one? What about the earlier cams from 55 and 56? I don't find specs for these older cams anywhere.



Tom from the chiggerfarm located in the beautiful Heart of Central Texas

When you cannot dazzle others with your brilliance, baffle them with bullcorn!