The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Got the last one in stock!

Every now and then I do a search on Ebay for scarce stovebolt parts- - - - -54/55 235 main bearings, rocker arm shafts, connecting rods, and especially camshafts. I just scored a brand new Melling CCS-1 solid lifter cam, the last one a vendor had on the shelf! The price was pretty reasonable, so I doubt that they knew how scarce those things are. I had one already, along with an Elgin E-293S cam which seems to be out of production now. I plan to hang onto one each of those cams in new condition for a regrinder to use to make a master cam if needed. The Elgin cam is a clone of the 261/Corvette camshaft, and the Melling has a slightly more radical grind on the exhaust lobe.
Jerry

Like a Lucky Penny!
Nice find. I have the Elgin 293S cam in my 235. I love it!!

Summit claims they have five CCS-1 cams in stock. If you want to buy one, better confirm that they actually do. "Trust but verify!'
Jerry

What does this style cam offer? More power?(at what speeds) or a different idle? Just curious. A friend of mine just got rid of his dad's old repair/parts facility. Started in the mid forties late last year. I just didn't have a lot of time to check it all out. I got some equiptment, including an army surplus line boring machine, and an in vehicle crankshaft grinder .

The factory cam that was used in the 6 cylinder Corvettes and the 261 medium duty truck engines added a little more low end torque and a slight gain in HP without creating a choppy idle. The Elgin E-323S cam is an exact duplicate of that grind, with slightly different clearance adjustments. I don't think it's currently in production due to a lack of new cam cores being made. The Melling CCS-1 is still available new in very limited quantities. It has a somewhat more radical exhaust lobe which helps exhaust scavenging at medium to high engine sped for more efficient volumetric efficiency, also without creating poor idle characteristics or reducing intake manifold vacuum. Both cams will require a slightly richer carburetor mixture to get their best performance- - - -not necessarily MORE carburetor- - - - -just a bit richer than original.
Jerry

Also the stock camshaft Chevrolet used in the 1959 through 1962 235 engines produces max torque at around 17% less rpm and gives a flatter torque line. There was on the Heritage Pages (sorry but I haven't been able to locate it after GM "cleaned up" those pages around a year ago) a memo to dealers explaining the changes, what they caused and why they were made. The memo also mentioned it was one of the steps GM was taking to reduce smog in bumper to bumper traffic...that being more power at lower rpm. You can see the effect of the changes if you compare the power curve lines GM released for those engines. They got close to max torque around 1600 rpm and the line stayed flat until around 2800 rpm.

Jon, those later production 235 cams were almost all hydraulic. It would be possible to duplicate that lobe shape and put a mechanical lifter clearance ramp on it, if someone could have a conversation with someone who runs a cam grinding machine. I'll talk to a guy I know about maybe doing that- - - - -I wash his face every morning!

Yes, a lot of them were, Jerry. That was the trend, you know. If you find a 1959, 1960 or 1961 truck engine (either a 235 or 261) those will be mechanical camshafts, so you could copy one of them. GM posted a decent amount of camshaft data on the Heritage Page for 1959. Hopefully you shave that guy while you're conversing with him occasionally...

He got tired of scraping his face a couple of years ago- - - - -since he doesn't have to look at that butt-ugly mug very often, he just lets the foliage "grow wild"! Sort of reminds me of what a USAF drill instructor said about facial hair back in basic training!
LOL!
Jerry