The Ford Barn

Colonel Biggs · 07-22-2018, 03:32 PM

I recently purchased one of Bill Stipe's Model "B" cams for my '31 Roadster. I was already running with an older "B" cam (from Bratton's, I believe). Lo and behold, the cam will not fit onto the distributor shaft. The shaft is knurled at the upper end, which I believe is standard. It is a very tight fit, but hammering same onto the shaft defeats the purpose. Bill does quality work, so I was curious whether anyone else has experienced this problem.

Chuck Sea/Tac · 07-22-2018, 03:41 PM

Your talking distributor cam, I finally figured out. Do you have any other distributors that you can verify it is the cam itself? Otherwise I guess, you would call him up and return, or modify it to fit.

Bob C · 07-22-2018, 03:42 PM

I've used a couple of those cams and never had a problem, never seen
a knurled shaft though.

Bob

Colonel Biggs · 07-22-2018, 03:44 PM

Sorry about that. Yes, I'm taking about the distributor cam. Since I don't like to bother folks on a Sunday with business problems, I just thought the I would check to see if anyone else had experienced this problem.

john in illinois · 07-22-2018, 04:53 PM

I have never seen a knurled shaft where the cam fits. Someone probably knurled it because it was worn. You may need a new shaft or machine to fit the cam.

John

Colonel Biggs · 07-22-2018, 06:42 PM

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I pulled another '31 distributor off of the shelf to measure the components. It has a normal shaft with a diameter of 0.4665". The "A" cam had an i.d. of 0.466".

The "B" cam that I have been using on the knurled shaft has an i.d. of 0.4685"; the shaft diameter is 0.468".

The Stipe cam has an i.d. of 0.4645". It will not fit either shaft.

I will contact Stipe Machine in the am to see what their specs are. Thanks for all of your inputs.

PC/SR · 07-22-2018, 11:17 PM

It could just be an error. I bought a Stipe front pulley that did not fit, it had not been honed to size. Stipe was a stand up guy, said to return it, or have it honed locally and he would reimburse me. Some time these things just happen.

gustafson · 07-22-2018, 11:34 PM

Clearly the OEM shafts were not knurled, wonder what else is wrong with it

Roger V · 07-23-2018, 08:46 AM

Could you post a pic of the knurled shaft? Probably a lot of us would like to see it.

07-22-2018, 03:32 PM	#1
Colonel Biggs Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Madison, NJ Posts: 156	Bill Stipe Model "B" Cam - not fitting I recently purchased one of Bill Stipe's Model "B" cams for my '31 Roadster. I was already running with an older "B" cam (from Bratton's, I believe). Lo and behold, the cam will not fit onto the distributor shaft. The shaft is knurled at the upper end, which I believe is standard. It is a very tight fit, but hammering same onto the shaft defeats the purpose. Bill does quality work, so I was curious whether anyone else has experienced this problem.

07-22-2018, 03:41 PM	#2
Chuck Sea/Tac Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Between Seattle & Tacoma Posts: 2,354	Re: Bill Stipe Model "B" Cam - not fitting Your talking distributor cam, I finally figured out. Do you have any other distributors that you can verify it is the cam itself? Otherwise I guess, you would call him up and return, or modify it to fit.

07-22-2018, 03:42 PM	#3
Bob C Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: So Cal Posts: 8,741	Re: Bill Stipe Model "B" Cam - not fitting I've used a couple of those cams and never had a problem, never seen a knurled shaft though. Bob

07-22-2018, 03:44 PM	#4
Colonel Biggs Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Madison, NJ Posts: 156	Bill Stipe Model "B" Cam - not fitting Sorry about that. Yes, I'm taking about the distributor cam. Since I don't like to bother folks on a Sunday with business problems, I just thought the I would check to see if anyone else had experienced this problem.

07-22-2018, 04:53 PM	#5
john in illinois Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Illinois Posts: 2,183	Re: Bill Stipe Model "B" Cam - not fitting I have never seen a knurled shaft where the cam fits. Someone probably knurled it because it was worn. You may need a new shaft or machine to fit the cam. John

07-22-2018, 06:42 PM	#6
Colonel Biggs Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Madison, NJ Posts: 156	Bill Stipe Model "B" Cam - not fitting Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I pulled another '31 distributor off of the shelf to measure the components. It has a normal shaft with a diameter of 0.4665". The "A" cam had an i.d. of 0.466". The "B" cam that I have been using on the knurled shaft has an i.d. of 0.4685"; the shaft diameter is 0.468". The Stipe cam has an i.d. of 0.4645". It will not fit either shaft. I will contact Stipe Machine in the am to see what their specs are. Thanks for all of your inputs.

07-22-2018, 11:17 PM	#7
PC/SR Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Santa Rosa, CA Posts: 1,278	Re: Bill Stipe Model "B" Cam - not fitting It could just be an error. I bought a Stipe front pulley that did not fit, it had not been honed to size. Stipe was a stand up guy, said to return it, or have it honed locally and he would reimburse me. Some time these things just happen.

07-22-2018, 11:34 PM	#8
gustafson BANNED Join Date: Oct 2017 Posts: 128	Re: Bill Stipe Model "B" Cam - not fitting Clearly the OEM shafts were not knurled, wonder what else is wrong with it

07-23-2018, 08:46 AM	#9
Roger V Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,593	Re: Bill Stipe Model "B" Cam - not fitting Could you post a pic of the knurled shaft? Probably a lot of us would like to see it.