Re: [FWDLK] Roller tappet cams

Wayne,

I can’t answer your question, but I would suggest contacting a couple of cam grinding companies. They are in the business and might know.

In WWII, some of the airplane engines used 4 valves per cylinder, overhead cams, roller rocker tips, and probably roller cam followers (lifters). Exotic stuff compared to flat head automobile engines common at the time. Rollers may have been in some specialty race car engines even before WWII.

Dave Homstad

56 Dodge D500

-----Original Message-----
From: Forward Look Mopar Discussion List [mailto:L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Wayne Graefen
Sent: Saturday, September 02, 2006 5:06 PM
To: L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [FWDLK] Roller tappet cams

I have a question that is outside my realm of knowledge that one of you historians or engineers can probably comment on or answer.

When were roller tappets first employed in automobile engines as a race-option upgrade? I know the question is a little convoluted. Maybe Duesenbergs had roller tappets in limousines? I don't know. But what about at Chrysler Corp?

The reason I ask is that my '53 Chrysler New Yorker Pan Am race package New Yorker has roller tappets and camshaft # 1555153 which isn't in the parts books. As the 300C tech, I know that the stick 300Cs could be ordered with any cam and some of them were "rollers". May have been true with the stick Bs also?

But I'm guessing this is the earliest Chrysler put a "roller motor" into a streetable car. Looking for your input.

Yes, I realize this is not a 300 or ForwardLook direct question however it is about historical development that directly led to those cars.

Wayne Graefen