adjustable lifters
 

Hi all , does anyone out there know anything about the lifters made by Hi lift lifter company and has any one bought them off a mob called Shaw City engines in Fresno Ca. Looking for lifters for my 1940 V8 ,any advise would be great
cheers Robin Gregory

Re: adjustable lifters
 

Hi Lift Johnson solid #A-2032 lifters as i understand it are the ones to use as there are others out there with questionable pedigree.

Re: adjustable lifters
 

You can buy them directly from Hy-Lift Johnson... at least here in the States. Might be worth an e-mail to them.

Re: adjustable lifters
 

Have you Tried Mike's Sidevalve Supply in south Aussie I got a set for my 8BA off of mike a couple of years back he make his own the website is www.flatattackracing.com

Re: adjustable lifters
 

Purchased mine directly from their factory in Michigan. I also came to the conclusion these were the only ones still made in USA.

Re: adjustable lifters
 

They are still the only brand to use, they are made here in the states and are pretty much the same as they've always been.

To date we've sold dozens upon dozens and have not a single issue or "loose" adjuster.

We still buy them in "bulk" (photo below) by the trays, 92 pieces per box! We then box up the sets in the shop!

Do not purchase any lifters advertised as "Johnson-Style", most with this label are "off-shore" mfd.

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. We've actually shipped a number of these over to your country fairly recently, the only issue getting parts overseas is the higher frgt costs and the "Customs" declarations. We use the Post Office for most small pkges!

Re: adjustable lifters
 

Do they make hem in he hollow version as well?

And I gotta ask, why 92 to a box?

Re: adjustable lifters
 

Hi Ralph, no "hollows" to the best of my knowledge. I would assume if they did have them that the cost would likely be higher?? Just guessing, and since we have no issues (weight-wise) with the "solids" we really have no need to change!

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. With respect to the packaging, Johnson uses "standard" size boxes, the present size fits 128 lifters (Chev, Pont, etc) but due to the 1.000"+ Flathead lifter diameter they can only fit 92 pieces in same area!

Re: adjustable lifters
 

Hard to believe that, back in the early 60; they were only 12.95 a set. I got really upset when they went up to 20 bucks. I thought, at this rate they'll be 50 pretty soon???

Re: adjustable lifters
 

Hi Ron, your memory's holding up reasonably well based on those prices mentioned?

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. Here's a shot of an ad found in a 1962 Sears "Automotive" catalog. Definitely "the good old days", it's about the time I started racing cars at the local track. It's been all "downhill" (or "uphill"), depending on how you look at it all, since then?

Re: adjustable lifters
 

This is an interesting letter posted some time ago in regards to the quality of 'off shore' Johnson lifters.

Re: adjustable lifters
 

Hi again guys , thanks for the interest . But my main concern is the lifters I bought from Shaw City Engines in Ca. Don't laugh but they have been selling cheap on the evilbay from 40 bucks a set to 250 bucks . now my question is would be they Hi lift lifters or not ??? and has anyone dealt with this mob??
cheers

Re: adjustable lifters
 

If you know someone with a Rockwell tester have them checked for hardness. I bought some off Ebay a few years ago and had them checked and they were OK.

Re: adjustable lifters
 

Can you post the ad link? Would like to see it

Re: adjustable lifters
 

First question are they hollow or solid lifters.

Re: adjustable lifters
 

go to big mike in SA correct parts right prices and in the odd case there is a warranty drama youre dealing with some one on this side of the puddle that gives a toss not a faceless voice

Re: adjustable lifters
 

The 8n Tractor lifters were all I could find when I started My shop.and the first few engines used them. These are solid and work very well in a street engine. I still used the 50lb spring pressure, and this was on the L-100 cam. So not to worry about them

Re: adjustable lifters
 

While a certain hardness is one of the requirements of long life in a lifter, it isn't all. Metal compatability is another parameter that is essential.
Before the availability of Chinese lifters there were almost no adjustable lifter or lobe failures in flathead Ford engines. The type of iron used in lifters is extremely important. It can be like rubbing your skin with a piece of silk or a piece of sandpaper. The micro finish on different material lifters can vary widely even when finished by the same machine.

Ford found this out in 1957 when they produced the EDB cam in the 312 Thunderbird engine. After testing and before production release, they came out with a factory bulletin saying they expected in excess of 1% of the cams to fail before 200 miles. (which they did)
It was metal incompatibility with the lifters and was cheaper to let it go rather than retool at that late date.

Looks like there are 3 alternatives now.
1 - Use Hi-Lift solid lifters that are made in the USA.
2 - Find a set of antique hollow ones that are salvageable.
3 - Use the stock hollow steel ones.

Your required performance level will determine which.

Re: adjustable lifters
 

This is an example of a fake Johnson hollow lifter.
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...0&d=1564859306

Re: adjustable lifters
 

Ok, another question. There are lifters advertised as "Isky Lifters", are these HI Lift Johnson's or off shore? Isky has always had a excellent reputation.

Frank