Robin (UK) Posted March 2, 2018 Report Posted March 2, 2018 My car is just about to get a replacement engine, which is a strong-running unit from a friend's car. (He's dropping in a V8) The motor was hopped up sometime in the 1960s and was run with dual carbs and fenton headers, but we know nothing about the internals. Looking at part numbers, we've found the following... The motor is a Plymouth unit, with a P23 number (1951). The number on the crank appears to be correct for the year, but the camshaft is showing a Dodge number. Is there much difference between the Plymouth and Dodge cams? Could there be a 'performance' reason for swapping to a Dodge profile? Or is it perhaps just that the part was available at the time and/or it's been reground? I'd welcome any ideas or thoughts. Thanks, Robin Quote
Andydodge Posted March 2, 2018 Report Posted March 2, 2018 Robin, for 1951 Plymouth had a 23" engine 217.8 cubes, 7:1 compression & 97 neddies......Dodge for 1951 had a 23" engine, 230 cubes, 7.1:1 compression and 103 Clydesdales.........I've never seen any cam specs for the side valve six engines but I suppose that extra .1 of compression , larger bore and maybe someone spending a few minutes with a flat bastard file on the Dodge cam would account for the extra 6 horses.........I had a 1/2 race cam ground by Waggotts here in Oz for the 230 I was building and was told by Waggotts that it should have given at least an extra 20-25 horses due to the longer duration and lift, unfortunately I sold the uncompleted engine so can't say but I was aiming for around 170-180 horses with a twin carb setup, finned alloy Edgy head, split exhaust, HEI dissy, decent balance, electric fan and the 1/2 race cam.......the best stock 23" engine was the 57-59 ones that had 8.0:1 compression with the cast iron head, carter BBS single throat carby and 132 Plymouth horses and 138 Dodge horses in 1957..........the cam may have helped a bit..........the whole engine more so..........lol........If you can get the cam reground or get an edgy regrind then I'd be doing that.........can't but help....................andyd Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 2, 2018 Report Posted March 2, 2018 v-block and measure the duration and lift... Quote
Robin (UK) Posted March 10, 2018 Author Report Posted March 10, 2018 Checked with the guru (George Asche) and he says there's not much difference between the cams, so it's most likely that the Dodge cam was probably the part that was to hand at the time. Thanks for your replies. 1 Quote
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