Jeff,

Would you please post, or at least reference, the specific documentation and resources that support your statements, particularly on the 1957 Ford 312 285 hp camshaft.

Thru the years there has been much "hearsay" on the 56-57 Ford/Mercury 312 high performance camshafts that has been recently disproved by factual documentation.     

Regards,

Dennis

Welcome to the group

You have jumped into a complex topic for your first endever.This is a topic that has eluded Y Block bench racers and experts alike for many years.

The only way to prove what was used is thru hard data documentation from Ford/Mercury or the players who were involved.

In your statements you address the M 260 camshaft setup as by being used by both Ford in there 1956 dual quad Nascar package and also the Mercury M260 race package.

The documented facts are that Mercury used the first Isky E2 grind camshaft for the M260 setup.

Ford had a different grind camshaft which was included in the Nascar package (Ford part# B6A-9000-B) for the Ford 260 horsepower setup.

The  M 260 Mercury (the Isky E2) camshaft was assigned a Mercury part number.

The Ford 260 camshaft was assigned a Ford part number.

The camshaft grind as well as the part numbers are different from each other.Merc and Ford were two distinctly different setups.All of this information is documented and verified.

The "street" 1957 dual quad "E" code 270 H.P. engine used the regular camshaft that came with the "D" code engines.This "D" code camshaft was also used in the "F" code blower engines rated 300 H.P.

No special pushrods,heavy valve springs or anything else were in the "E" 270 H.P. and "F" code 300 H.P. standard engines.Those heavy duty parts were used in the optional camshaft packages availiable OR as an upgrade suggested by Technical Service Bulletins.

The engine we are still researching is the "E" code 285 H.P. dual quad engines.

While the 285 H.P. engines are listed in the Ford parts books as engines that were built,there is little information about what they consist of.

Documentation has it that Ford was working on the 285 hi horsepower dual carburated setup and dropped development on it when the blower setup came to birth.

I personally believe that the 285 camshaft is the Phase 1 blower camshaft BUT there is no documentation to back my beliefs.

As for camshafts availiable in 1957-if you have some time research Dennis Ks postings about camshafts.As I recall there were around 10 different styles of cams speced (who knows if they were actually built??) from Ford for the 1957 model year.

There currently is no Ford documentation on file about the Isky RPM 300 ever being installed and called the 285 H.P. version.

A few of those RPM 300 camshafts have been found installed but has always been discovered on an engine that has been rebuilt.

Please as Dennis requested,if you have any documentation post it up.

We need new blood such as yourself to finish up this mystery.

Again welcome to the group!

Oldmics

P.S.-Note to Dennis K

I owe you an explanation on my Ford/Isky derivitive.

I"m still working on it and will get with you on it.

   Dr John Craft states in his book "Vintage & Historic Stock Cars" that Lincoln/Mercury Racer Bill Stroppe  built a "fleet" of 1957 Mercurys to counter Holman-Moody Ford backed operation.

   He used a 368ci Y block with "an "Isky" hot rod cam that conveniently carried a Mercury parts number".

   For what it's worth, I found it interesting.

   Missouri Mke

I'd rather be lucky than good.................

    but good ain't bad!!

Yes, 'Oldmics' inteviewed Ed Iskenderian and I posted the discussion notes in another thread on this forum: VERY RARE Y-BLOCK KIT ON EBAY

Link:  http://www.y-blocksforever.com/forums/Topic52451-3-9.aspx

If anyone has any new tangible information on the 1956 - 1957 312 High Performance engines or camshafts, particularily the 1957 285 hp, it would be most certainly welcome.  From work, I personally knew some of the individuals that worked on the 8V and S/C programs, and have already talked to all that are still with us to help put the puzzle back together, along with researching available engineering information on these engines that was still available before I retired from Ford.  I recently started contacting the families of  deceased key individuals to see if they still had any info re this.  These questions, probably should of been asked 20+ years ago, when everyone was still around.     

Regards,

Dennis

Thanks for the link, and a belated congrats to Oldmics on his purchase.  Unfortunately, being several months behind is nothing new for me.

Mike

I'd rather be lucky than good.................

    but good ain't bad!!

Don W

Assuming:

D= 312 4V 245 hp

E = 312 8V 270 hp

E+= 312 8V 285 hp

F = 312 S/C 300 hp

F+ = 312 S/C with Domestic Special Order cam, and no factory HP rating

I don't think there was a D+.  After the S/C ban in NASCAR, the 57 Ford hoods had "245 hp" lettered on them.  Now whether they were running any "special" camshafts or other components, I don't know.  If so, perhaps that could be the "D+" ? 

Back in the day, Steve Honnell mentioned they would let him run his S/C 57 T-Bird in the four barrel class if he took the blower belt off, and yet still had the advantage of the DSO cam.  

Regards,

Dennis

   I wanted to thankyou for welcoming me into the gp.....As you probably suspected I don't have any real proof what ford used in there 285 hp engine. I apolojize if I mislead anyone. I only know what I've read...And even with that there are some things that are vague and possibly inacurate. Where I've read this was from the Internet.....There was a claim a few years back on the internet that the the supposedly used RPM 300 cam could develop an honest 300 hp. That what the person wrote. I believe this was used on the supposed 285hp engine. There are some people I know in CTCI That maybe able to help....I'll see if I can get some information... I just recently built a 312 E-code engine this past winter and installed it in my 57 Ranchero...I had the M-260 camshaft ground off a stock cam by Berry cam Services a few years back in Lester Praire Minnesota. There's .433 lift for both the intake and end exh. according to the grind card 268 degrees of duration. I, went a little overboard and put the dual dampened valve springs in, single piece spring retainers and the 5/16 tubular pushrods....So far I'm pleased with the results...Just wated to share a little info. on what I like to tinker with

Jeff

      Welcome to the group. As you've discovered there's a considerable amount of talented people with serious knowledge of Y blocks in general, and the dual quad, and F codes in particular on this site. Dennis is a retired Ford Engineer, John Feistritzer has raced F codes fo over 40 years, Ted Eaton, retired engineer, has built some of the quickest Y blocks ever. Etc. Etc.

        We welcome everybody that likes Y's, they even let me yap occasionally. 

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart)