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Old 01-05-2014, 03:23 PM   #1
Hitchhiker
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Default Can I put a b cam in an A block?

Is there any problem with this? I have a reground B cam and want to put it in my rebuilt A engine. It looks the same except for the fuel pump lobe. This is my first experience opening one of these up and I didn't notice the lobe until I pulled it apart.
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Old 01-05-2014, 03:26 PM   #2
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

Yes you can.
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Old 01-05-2014, 03:26 PM   #3
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

Sure, It will fit just like an A cam.

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Old 01-05-2014, 03:34 PM   #4
Purdy Swoft
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

The fuel pump lobe won't be a problem. You will need to use adjustable lifters. The stock model A lifters won't be long enough. The best lifters are the self locking or sometimes called single lock. The self locking lifters have a larger base where the cam meets the lifter and is very important. I use lifters from Bratton. Page 42 part number 9160 price $71.00 for a set of 8 .
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Old 01-05-2014, 04:30 PM   #5
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

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Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft View Post
The fuel pump lobe won't be a problem. You will need to use adjustable lifters. The stock model A lifters won't be long enough. The best lifters are the self locking or sometimes called single lock. The self locking lifters have a larger base where the cam meets the lifter and is very important. I use lifters from Bratton. Page 42 part number 9160 price $71.00 for a set of 8 .
It's got adjustables in it already. I'm taking out the stock cam on a never run rebuild for a winfield SU-1A
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Old 01-05-2014, 05:11 PM   #6
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

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I see they recommend a model b grind cam on an engine built for touring . Is this because of more lift and duration? I was wondering about sound,do they still have the chug-a-ty chug-a-ty sound that the model a has?
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Old 01-05-2014, 05:20 PM   #7
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

The original stock Model "B" cam used a larger diameter lifter than the "A" cam, but with a regrind follow the reccomendation of the cam grinder

I have a stock (not reground) "B" cam in my car, still sounds the same, still same low end power, better fuel mileage and top speed

How good a reground cam comes out depends on the regrinder and what the condition of the cam core started with was.
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Old 01-05-2014, 05:28 PM   #8
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

Also does anyone have any input on bronze vs aluminum timing gears? I am going to need to order one as my fiber one is +3.
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Old 01-05-2014, 05:34 PM   #9
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

Get the gears as a set--cam and crank, I have had the alum gear for 40 years, crank gear new at same time, no noise
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Old 01-05-2014, 05:40 PM   #10
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

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Get the gears as a set--cam and crank, I have had the alum gear for 40 years, crank gear new at same time, no noise
I'm worried about getting the crank gear off. How hard are they to do? I'd be worried about heat near the babbit.
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Old 01-05-2014, 05:57 PM   #11
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

I have a stock (not reground) "B" cam in my car, still sounds the same, still same low end power, better fuel mileage and top speed. Thanks Kurt for the info. Beautiful coupe,great job on it.
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Old 01-05-2014, 06:31 PM   #12
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

Pictures can be deceptive, it's the first car I painted, now after 40+ years the paint is starting to come off the fenders

The crank gear can be quite tight, I have had to drill a row of holes to weaken the gear, then wacked the area with the holes with a chisel to pop it loose---off the car I have a 40 ton press
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Old 01-05-2014, 10:04 PM   #13
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

Hitch if your installing a Winfield grind even the new single lock lifters may not have a large enough base they were ground for B lifters which were bigger again
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Old 01-05-2014, 10:15 PM   #14
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

I'm running a Winfield super street 3/4 race cam in my roadster and use the self locking lifters from Bratton. It runs good and has for the past seven years.
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Old 01-05-2014, 10:15 PM   #15
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

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Hitch if your installing a Winfield grind even the new single lock lifters may not have a large enough base they were ground for B lifters which were bigger again
Hmmm how do I tell what lifters I have? What ones do I need? I guess I will take one out.

I've read a few places that the SU-1a is mild enough to be okay.
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Old 01-05-2014, 10:27 PM   #16
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

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Hmmm how do I tell what lifters I have? What ones do I need? I guess I will take one out.

I've read a few places that the SU-1a is mild enough to be okay.
The SU1A will work fine at Bonneville.
It is a 280 degree cam.
It is designed to run with a 1 inch diameter lifter so you should be ok on that count.
A lot of those grinds are running on the street but the gas mileage and the low end performance sure isn't what it could be.
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Old 01-05-2014, 10:30 PM   #17
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

Depends on who ground the cam
Check by putting Prussian blue on the lifter base and turn the engine over a few times remove and check you must not have contact near the edge of the lifter base
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Old 01-05-2014, 10:52 PM   #18
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

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The SU1A will work fine at Bonneville.
It is a 280 degree cam.
It is designed to run with a 1 inch diameter lifter so you should be ok on that count.
A lot of those grinds are running on the street but the gas mileage and the low end performance sure isn't what it could be.
What if it was a SU-1R instead? This is all new to me. I have both. I get them confused. Or is there another you could recommend?

My engine is counterbalanced and has a lightened flywheel. I have a 6.3:1 head super winfield head and am messing with a bb winfield or a stromberg 97 for carburetor.
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Old 01-05-2014, 11:22 PM   #19
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

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What if it was a SU-1R instead? This is all new to me. I have both. Or is there another you could recommend?
In the first post I should have qualified that to an original Winfield SU1A grind. There are many cam grinders out there now that stamp most anything SU1A just because it has become a magical number.
The SU1R is slightly less timing at 272. Still too much for street use. (unless you do several other mods)
A good grind that will give good street performance and mileage is a 77B.
Originally it was ground for the flathead Ford V8. In the 50's it was found to work very well in a mildly modified A or B. It has a stock idle and noticeable improvement in performance.

"Been in the cam business 60 years"
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Old 01-05-2014, 11:27 PM   #20
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

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In the first post I should have qualified that to an original Winfield SU1A grind. There are many cam grinders out there now that stamp most anything SU1A just because it has become a magical number.
The SU1R is slightly less timing at 272. Still too much for street use. (unless you do several other mods)
A good grind that will give good street performance and mileage is a 77B.
Originally it was ground for the flathead Ford V8. In the 50's it was found to work very well in a mildly modified A or B. It has a stock idle and noticeable improvement in performance.

"Been in the cam business 60 years"
My engine is counterbalanced and has a lightened flywheel. I have a 6.3:1 super winfield head and I am messing with a bb winfield and either a single or duel stromberg 97 for carburetors. I basically bought a whole collection of parts together so can try many different combo's. I am trying to make a good hot rod engine for my traditional pickup.

...don't worry guys it could be back to stock in a weekend....

I appreciate your input Pete.
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Old 01-05-2014, 11:47 PM   #21
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

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Originally Posted by Hitchhiker View Post
My engine is counterbalanced and has a lightened flywheel. I have a 6.3:1 super winfield head and I am messing with a bb winfield and either a single or duel stromberg 97 for carburetors. I basically bought a whole collection of parts together so can try many different combo's. I am trying to make a good hot rod engine for my traditional pickup.

...don't worry guys it could be back to stock in a weekend....

I appreciate your input Pete.
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You could most likely get away quite well with the SU1R, assuming it was ground to the original master profile.
In any case it would be a good idea to degree it in the block you will run it in. Then you will know what you have.
Info on degreeing a cam can be found with a Google search
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Old 01-06-2014, 12:04 AM   #22
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Default Re: Can I put a b cam in an A block?

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You could most likely get away quite well with the SU1R, assuming it was ground to the original master profile.
In any case it would be a good idea to degree it in the block you will run it in. Then you will know what you have.
Info on degreeing a cam can be found with a Google search
I degree'd the su1a today and realized I had a +3 degree cam gear.( that's what the +3 means duh!) and also realized I might have the cams mixed up. So I am going to order another cam gear. and degree the 1R which is the one i will use. I definitely don't know what all the cam card stuff means, as the 1A seemed smaller than the 1R on paper.

Again ,thanks for the advice!
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