Tell them where IHRA got the specs for the F codes!!

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Dennis:

I alwys thought it odd that NHRA accepted the Engle 124.  True, it was 290 degrees duration, but the exhaust timing was slightly different, indicating a lobe center change.  I guess they didn't check lobe centers back then.  And yes, I ran the 124 back in my stocker days.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

I cannot speak to why NHRA did not have the 285 hp engine listed, however they did have the 245, 270, and 300 hp engines listed.  The majority of the 312's, particularily 300 hp supercharged cars, campaigned in NHRA drag racing were in 60's and not only were they winners they were National Record Holders in their respective classes. 

In addition, I don't think NHRA differentiated between the 300 hp supercharged cars running the standard and the high lift camshaft, they all ran the same class and everyone ran the high lift cam or the NHRA accepted Engle #124.  Perhaps it was the same case with the 270 and 285 hp versions.

Regards,

Dennis

   

A further note; It does not surprise me that the NHRA did not have documentation on the 285 engine. Ford's factory racing program was not involved in Drag racing in 1957. It's involvement was with NASCAR & to a lesser extent the USAC. The N.H.R.A was a fledgling organization in 1957, not the professional, (pro Chevrolet) outfit it is now. Also, many drag strips were still independent in 1957.

Paul

Dennis: the only thing I've seen was the Ad that I referred to much earlier in this discussion. The sales pitch was that the new 57 Ford was like riding in a ships stateroom, with an outline of a ship behind it etc. However, at the bottom of the Ad in small print is a reference to the availability of a Super V-8 of 270 H.P. & also available a version with "up to" 285 H.P... This isn't the first discussion on the subject of high performance cams for Y-Blocks. It's been hit on before both here & in YBM. All I can say is that from my memory way back, we were told that the Oval Track (non supercharged) cam in 1957 & possibly in 1956, was an Isky E-2 grind. As mentioned previously, since it would have been a limited sale item, my best guess is that Fords racing management sent Ford blanks to Isky to be ground. If they had used Isky's blanks, they would likely have been declared illegal. Unfortunately, other than the Ad, I can't document any of this...

Paul

More food for thought on the 1957 Ford 312 - 285 hp engine/camshaft:

Everyone I contacted to date seems to agree it was a cam change, but what the cam specs are, no one seems to know.  The story about the blower cam being an Isky is certainly engrained.  Using basic logic, the 285 hp cam should be hotter than the std 256 degree Ford cam for 1957 used in the 270 hp engine.  I would also expect it to be the same or hotter than any of the 1956 race cams.  In addition, the 1957 engine would also have the larger intake valve and 1.54 ratio rockers to help raise horsepower from 260 to 270.

Another item I looked at was part number allocation.  Ford part numbers are issued sequentially.  All of the B7A-6250-A thru E part numbers are spoken for other applications.  Likewise, EDB-6250-A thru E.  It may of had an ECZ prefix, but again I didn't find any ECZ cams that weren't already used for a different application.  If a unique 285 hp camshaft existed, it should of been issued a Ford part number.  Nor does a unique cam appear in the 1957 Police Interceptor Parts List.   

Some think the 285 hp cam and 300 hp high lift blower cam are one and the same.  The EDB-6250-D blower cam was released for production on 12/5/56.  This release date incidently is close to other supercharger related components, early Dec 1956.  If this cam was also used on the 285 hp engine I would expected it to have an earlier release date.

Does anyone recall any photos or articles on Ford's with a 285 HP engine in it?

I plan to keep searching on this subject, stay tuned.  

Regards,

Dennis

 

 

 

The event duration timing marks were measured differently in the good old days as opposed to the common use of measuring event duration at .050.

The Ford measurements were taken at different points such as .005,.009 and other lift points.

The differing measurement points would not match up since Ford never used .050 as a reference point for these cams.

Oldmics

This is a confusing issue. Eickman's book lists the std 1957 cam as P.N. B7A 6250-B @ 256 degrees (advertised) & .400" & .420" lift with 1.54 rockers. On a separate page it lists the High lift supercharged cam as P.N. B7A 6250-C @ .290" intake & exhaust cam lift. Open & closing timings is given but no advertised duration. The timings are very different from the std cam.

Paul

FYI. I contacted the guy with the cam on eBay about casting marks. Here is his reply, for what it's worth;

Sorry this took so long, but I finally got this out and gave it a close look. The casting numbers are not on this camshaft. It has the Fomoco logo, and the numbers are as follows. 28 is stamped on it in two places and L 29, is also stamped on the metal. That is all.

FIGHT CONFORMITY! 

Dennis:

H.J. Van Schoik (sp?) from Indy ran a dual quad '57 Custom at Muncie back in the '60s.  I was running a '56 Bird 260 and was not nearly as fast as he was.  I asked him what cam he was running, he said the "Darlington" cam.  But if the 285 was not listed in the NHRA classification guide, he was probably calling it a 270.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"