The Ford Barn

jimTN · 06-18-2014, 06:14 AM

I saw a 59AB block on ebay (not good pic) that had bronze bushings installed in the valve guide holes and used mushroom tappets sort of like A or B adjustable tappets. Had not thought of doing it that way, anyone had any experience with that method?

Pete · 06-18-2014, 11:49 AM

Back in the late 50's a group of us were having dinner with several of the big Bonneville names and one of the guys asked Ed Iskenderian about his 1024 mushroom lifter grind. His exact words were, "Now why did I ever do that?".

I had a friend that put one in his 296 he had in a 49 Ford sedan. He lost a full second at the drag strip.

JWL · 06-18-2014, 12:19 PM

Yes, I have seen it. My friend with a Bonneville car experimented with that setup. It made less power than the previous cam. However, the previous cam was a roller tappet design so not a good candidate to go up against.

The larger diameter tappet could give more area under the curve with the same event timing(as used with a stock diameter lifter) if a cam was specifically designed to take advantage of the diameter increase.

scooder · 06-18-2014, 01:37 PM

Pete, a full second! Damn! What cam did he take out?
Martin.

Pete · 06-18-2014, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scooder

Pete, a full second! Damn! What cam did he take out?
Martin.

Potvin 425.

Lawrie · 06-18-2014, 04:03 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

We took a potvin eliminator cam out and out in a Crower roller,the car then needed a wheelie bar,see my avitar.
Lawrie

Pete · 06-18-2014, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lawrie

We took a potvin eliminator cam out and out in a Crower roller,the car then needed a wheelie bar,see my avitar.
Lawrie

And well you should. That cam is far better for top end hp.
Keep in mind though, there were many going as fast as you do (with a flathead) in the old days without the blower.

Ol' Ron · 06-18-2014, 05:04 PM

They called it nitro

sidevalve8ba · 06-18-2014, 05:23 PM

I seem to remember that Mark Kirby at Motor City Flatheads was experimenting with mushroom tappets. I don't know what ever became of that though.

scooder · 06-19-2014, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete

Potvin 425.

Thanks
Martin.

rotorwrench · 06-19-2014, 09:12 AM

Barney Navaro mentioned in an interview once that the tried some modified Chrysler type mushroom tappets back in the day and they wore the follower bores out quickly. He didn't try it again after that.

saltracer · 12-22-2016, 10:03 AM

I know this is an old post, but I wanted to add a little something to the discussion. Jimmy Stevens mushroom equipped flathead has been over 300 mph and of course it had all kind of other modifications, but he had chosen to use mushroom tappets instead of rollers.

19Fordy · 12-22-2016, 10:47 AM

Here's an interesting tech article that discusses advantage of mushroom tappets with photos.
http://www.midstateantiquestockcarcl...at_heads4.html

Ed Pitts · 12-22-2016, 12:15 PM

"Here's an interesting tech article that discusses advantage of mushroom tappets with photos."

That was some really good reading! Thanks, Ed

Barn Junk · 12-23-2016, 05:12 PM

Recently I picked up a NOS stamped Isky mushroom camshaft stored probably from the 1960s at a swap meet because it looked interesting. No lifters. Unfortunately it had been used as a bathroom by probably some mice. Some pitting but would make a nice interesting display item for the collector that has everything. Email if interested as I have no use for it.

06-18-2014, 06:14 AM	#1
jimTN Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Powell, TN Posts: 2,514	mushroom tappets I saw a 59AB block on ebay (not good pic) that had bronze bushings installed in the valve guide holes and used mushroom tappets sort of like A or B adjustable tappets. Had not thought of doing it that way, anyone had any experience with that method?

06-18-2014, 11:49 AM	#2
Pete BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Wa. Posts: 5,423	Re: mushroom tappets Back in the late 50's a group of us were having dinner with several of the big Bonneville names and one of the guys asked Ed Iskenderian about his 1024 mushroom lifter grind. His exact words were, "Now why did I ever do that?". I had a friend that put one in his 296 he had in a 49 Ford sedan. He lost a full second at the drag strip.

06-18-2014, 12:19 PM	#3
JWL Member Emeritus Join Date: May 2010 Location: Fitzgerald, Georgia Posts: 2,204	Re: mushroom tappets Yes, I have seen it. My friend with a Bonneville car experimented with that setup. It made less power than the previous cam. However, the previous cam was a roller tappet design so not a good candidate to go up against. The larger diameter tappet could give more area under the curve with the same event timing(as used with a stock diameter lifter) if a cam was specifically designed to take advantage of the diameter increase.

06-18-2014, 01:37 PM	#4
scooder Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 2,593	Re: mushroom tappets Pete, a full second! Damn! What cam did he take out? Martin.

06-18-2014, 04:03 PM	#6
Lawrie Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Qld, Australia Posts: 4,233	Re: mushroom tappets Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) We took a potvin eliminator cam out and out in a Crower roller,the car then needed a wheelie bar,see my avitar. Lawrie

06-18-2014, 05:04 PM	#8
Ol' Ron Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Chester Vt Posts: 8,890	Re: mushroom tappets They called it nitro

06-18-2014, 05:23 PM	#9
sidevalve8ba Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Harrisonburg, VA Posts: 844	Re: mushroom tappets I seem to remember that Mark Kirby at Motor City Flatheads was experimenting with mushroom tappets. I don't know what ever became of that though.

06-19-2014, 09:12 AM	#11
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,484	Re: mushroom tappets Barney Navaro mentioned in an interview once that the tried some modified Chrysler type mushroom tappets back in the day and they wore the follower bores out quickly. He didn't try it again after that.

12-22-2016, 10:03 AM	#12
saltracer Senior Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Lafayette, La. Posts: 100	Re: mushroom tappets I know this is an old post, but I wanted to add a little something to the discussion. Jimmy Stevens mushroom equipped flathead has been over 300 mph and of course it had all kind of other modifications, but he had chosen to use mushroom tappets instead of rollers.

12-22-2016, 10:47 AM	#13
19Fordy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Coral Springs FL Posts: 11,002	Re: mushroom tappets Here's an interesting tech article that discusses advantage of mushroom tappets with photos. http://www.midstateantiquestockcarcl...at_heads4.html

12-22-2016, 12:15 PM	#14
Ed Pitts Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Irving, Texas Posts: 598	Re: mushroom tappets "Here's an interesting tech article that discusses advantage of mushroom tappets with photos." That was some really good reading! Thanks, Ed

12-23-2016, 05:12 PM	#15
Barn Junk Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: WA state Posts: 771	Re: mushroom tappets Recently I picked up a NOS stamped Isky mushroom camshaft stored probably from the 1960s at a swap meet because it looked interesting. No lifters. Unfortunately it had been used as a bathroom by probably some mice. Some pitting but would make a nice interesting display item for the collector that has everything. Email if interested as I have no use for it.