here is some info from a TSB

I re-typed it here as when I scanned it the site shrunk it to near unreadable.



SUPERCHARGED ENGINE IDENTIFICATION (1957 Cars and Thunderbird)

The major differences between the two types of supercharged engines, currently available through production, are listed below for identification purposes.

A. Supercharged engines are normally built with the standard camshaft (B7A-6250-B) and single valve springs.

B. Domestic Special Order (D.S.O.) supercharged engines are built with a high lift camshaft (B7A-6250-C) and use additional dampener springs.

C. The only method of positively identifying the two supercharged engines without removing the camshaft, is by measuring the camshaft lobe lift. The camshaft lobe lift is 0.272 inch (intake valve) on the standard camshaft and 0.290 inch on the high lift camshaft. (refer to the 1957 Supercharger shop manual for additional service information).



marv

Here is info on the EDB high performance cam

marv

Re blower and 8V cams:

One internal document I have indicates the 285hp engine was cancelled upon release of the Supercharged 300 hp engine on or about 30 Dec 1956.   

The 1957 Ford Supercharger Shop Manual lists two cams, a standard camshaft which is the 256 deg and a high lift which is the 290 deg.

The 256 deg was also used in the 312 - 245 hp 4V, 270 hp 8V, and 300 hp S/C engines. 

There were two DSO camshafts, the earlier one was 290 deg .446" EDB-6250-D (Engrg p/n) / B7A-6250-C (Service p/n).  The design was completed on 8/11/56 and released on 12/5/56.  Previous to the release the cam was assigned an XE part number.  

The later DSO cam was 302 deg .454" EDB-6250-E / B7A-6250-C.  The design was completed on 12-10-56 and was released on 6-12-57.  Previous to the release, this cam was also assigned an XE part number.

I think these camshaft release dates coincide somewhat with release of the Phase 1 and Phase 2 blowers.

For whatever reason two different camshafts were assigned the same service part number.  This coincides with the TSB previously posted and the Ford cross reference list.

The use of a DSO cam would give what I believe is referred to as the 340 hp engine.

IF the 290 deg blower cam was used in the 285 hp engine, it most likely would of carried an XE part number.

In addition, (>1962) there were camshafts B7AE-6250-A,B,C,D,E, AND F.  Note B7AE not B7A.

A - Same as EDB-6250-D, except crossdrilled

B - Same as EDB-6250-E, except crossdrilled

C - 290 deg x drilled and induction hardened lobes

D - 302 deg x drilled and induction hardened lobes

E - Same as EDB-6250-D but with induction hardened lobes

F - Same as EDB-6250-E but with induction hardened lobes

Now is everyone confused?  LOL

If anyone comes up with info on the 285 hp cam, I would certainly like to hear about it.

Regards,

Dennis

Wow dennis, thats very informative! i wonder if any members have any of these cams as described? regards bill.

  AussieBill            YYYY    Forever Y Block     YYYY

 Down Under, Australia

That's very interesting! I believe I have one of those B7AE cams in the 322 Y-Block engine that's in my '48 Tudor. It was given to me by a friend in 1965. He said it was the "blower cam". He bought it from a Ford parts counter but never used it as he was going to FE engines. It is cross drilled. I always wondered why it wasn't grooved...now I know! The next time I adjust the valves I'll check the lobe lift to see if it's the .446" or .454".

Thanks Dennis!

FIGHT CONFORMITY! 

I believe Mummert is having a repop of the 290 made, which he calls a blower cam. Probably with more modern lobe configurations though. John is extremely knowledgeable about cams, and if he sells it, it works.

  My cam in a Engle which was ground on a new billet, but using more modern lobes and slightly more lobe seperation than the factory cam. It would check stock (290) as it must for pre stock. We cannot get these from Engle any more as they have no more Y block cores.

 I still kind of think, and maybe Ted could verify, that some of the 56 cams and the 302 were ground by Isky and numbered by Ford for Nascar, well USAC. Can't prove it though. Maybe we should ask Ed, he's still around.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

My cam is one of the blower cams he used to sell. The specs on the card are 226@.050, 274 advertised, 112 separation, and .295 lift. These specs clearly don't match what has been posted so far, though.


Lawrenceville, GA

Lobe lift for the 290 and 302 duration cams were .290 and .295 respectively.  Kindly report back what you measure.

Regards,

Dennis

Who, me?

I had to check it one time and it measured .288. It had somewhere around 11K miles on it at that time. Allowing for geometric error, measuring with the head on, it most likely is the bigger of the two. It's advertised to be .295. Unless the duration was measured differently back then, it's not a copy of the 302 duration cam.


Lawrenceville, GA

No, my reply was directed to "Philo".  Sorry, still learning how to navigate this forum.  However I do have a question for you.  When you mentioned "he used to sell" in a previous post, who (cam manufacturer?) were you referring to? 

Regards,

Dennis