Crankshaft, camshaft, flywheel

[philcobill]

The engine for my 29 Special Couple is apart and being rebuilt. We notice that it does not have a stock crankshaft and flywheel. We also assume that the camshaft is not stock. I am posting some photos, and would love to hear your opinions/expertise.


As far as I can determine, this is what we have.


1. A counter-weighted crankshaft assumed to be from a 32 or later Ford (Model B or C). Can someone confirm?



2. A lightweight flywheel to work with the heavier crankshaft. I have no idea where this came from. I am not sure if it is from another Model (read later) car, or if this is a stock Model A flywheel that has been machined down. (a stock Model A Ford flywheel included for comparison.)


3. I am not at all sure of the camshaft. I imagine it is probably also from a later model ford (B/C), but can not find anything on line to compare.


Note that these parts came from the car's engine before it was disassembled, and it ran just fine.



Appreciate your opinion and expertise.


Bill Harms
Walworth, New York.

[Jim Brierley]

The crank is Model 'C' (late B) turned down on the mains to fit the A block, it's hard to tell about the cam just by looking at it, measuring the lift will help. B cams came in 3 different lifts, the most common is .305", a few at .315" and the latest had .339" of lobe lift. I can't tell much about the wheel by looking, the B was a tad lighter than the A. The crank and wheel are stupid, and one doesn't know how much the other weighs, or do they care.

[Marshall V. Daut]

Yes, the flywheel is a Model B. If the camshaft has an extra lobe near #1 and #2 lobes, that's for a mechanical fuel pump. The Model A camshaft doesn't have this extra lobe. The Model A camshaft should have only eight lobes, the Model B nine. The photo only shows the back of the camshaft. We need to see the front to decide if it's a Model B. Since you have the 1934 counter-balanced "B" crankshaft and "B" flywheel, chances are good that the camshaft is also a Model B. But which flavor?
Marshall

[philcobill]

Originally Posted by Marshall V. Daut

Yes, the flywheel is a Model B. If the camshaft has an extra lobe near #1 and #2 lobes, that's for a mechanical fuel pump. The Model A camshaft doesn't have this extra lobe. The Model A camshaft should have only eight lobes, the Model B nine. The photo only shows the back of the camshaft. We need to see the front to decide if it's a Model B. Since you have the 1934 counter-balanced "B" crankshaft and "B" flywheel, chances are good that the camshaft is also a Model B. But which flavor?
Marshall

This is another view of the camshaft. I imagine it might not show what you are talking about. I am posting it just in case. I don't have ready access to the engine at the moment, so can't get a better photo.

[Marshall V. Daut]

The timing gear is blocking access to the fuel pump lobe. When you finally can inspect the camshaft, count the lobes between the front and center bearings. If there are five, it's a Model B cam. If only four, it's a Model A.
Marshall

[jack backer]

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Make sure your crankshaft main journals have a nice radius cut..measure you cam is the only way to know for sure, looks like a B flywheel, if it is it’s 10lbs lighter than an A wheel, to count for the added crank throws of the C crank.

A cam lobes look like an egg, B looks like splitting maul …

[nkaminar]

How to measure the lift on the camshaft: Measure the base circle with a set of calipers. That will be the smallest measurement you can measure. Then measure the tip to the heal of the base circle. This will be the largest measurement you can measure. The difference is the lift.

[johnneilson]

Just another observation, the crank looks like it is set up for "B" rods.

J

[Jim Brierley]

Originally Posted by nkaminar

How to measure the lift on the camshaft: Measure the base circle with a set of calipers. That will be the smallest measurement you can measure. Then measure the tip to the heal of the base circle. This will be the largest measurement you can measure. The difference is the lift.

This is true on stock cams but may not be on a performance cam. On a performance cam you should mount the cam in V blocks or lathe and measure lift with a dial indicator.

[philcobill]

Originally Posted by johnneilson

Just another observation, the crank looks like it is set up for "B" rods.

According to someone who looked directly at the rods, yes, they are Babbitted B rods.

[Gene F]

So what will your engine end up with?