Hot Rods Norris cam history?

I have a Norris cam out of an old race motor (SBC) and I really can't find to much on the company. The search I did showed me VW drag bugs using the Norris cams in VW motor and that is about it. Does anyone has info on the company and could tell me more about this grind 358SR? Thanks

 

Norris Cams was started by Norris Baronian(spelling).He was an Isky employee before
going it on his own.As was Sig Erson......Dont know any specs on the product..

 

Thanks any one else have more info?

 

Norris Performance Products (Norris Cams)



14762 Calvert St, Van Nuys, CA 91411-2705, <!---->
<!----><!----> Phone: (818) 780-1102
www.norriscams.com (appears to be inactive)
Charles Baronian

'Bout all I could find for current info...They used to have a good rep in the '70s & '80s...always a small outfit with a couple of employees...mostly custom grinds. As was mentioned, he was an Isky employee for a long time....if memory serves he worked both jobs at the same time for awhile.
<!----><!----><!---->

 

yeah thats all I could find also called and noone answered. Thanks

 

You used to see some Noris Decals around the drags in the 70s. Jungle Jim used one in his Funny Car.

Bob

 

Norris Barsumian of Norris Cams passed away(very sudden)10-12-08 in the VA Hospital in Reno Nevada. The obit should be in the local paper 10-16-08. Goggle RGJ.
Norris will be put to rest,next to his wife Peggy at Mt View cemetary in Reno.

 

I can tell you a little bit about it. I have to look around here, I should have a list of most of the masters. If not, I'll try and get ahold of Chuck for you. Norris Barsumian (not related to Norris Baronian, the founder of Norris Camshaft), partnered up with Chuck's dad and ground cams for motorcycles. He left about 30 years ago and what was left of Norris Motorcycle Camshafts became Megacycle Cams. They (the Baronian family) have always have been wonderful people to deal with.

 

Sorry it took me so long. Here is the timing tag for your camshaft.

 

That's beyond the call of duty to follow up on this...we appreciate it!

Can you tell us anything else about the company or its history?

 

Norris Baronian started out as one of the early hot rodders here in Los Angeles, post WWII. He went to work for Ed Iskenderian and became his shop foreman. He is on Ed's right, in the photo below...Ed is all the way to the left of the group. Photo is from 1957.



That photo is from a GREAT book called, "High Performance: The Culture And Technology Of Drag Racing, 1950-2000". Norris left and started Norris Performance Products/Norris Cams. When he left, Sig Erson stepped up to become Isky's shop foreman. As Bob W stated above, Jungle Jim was a Norris sponsored racer.





As I posted above, Norris Barsumian was partners with Norris Baronian for a few years...Baronian doing car stuff, Barsumian doing motorcycle stuff. Like most partnerships eventually do, theirs parted ways. Norris Motorcycle Cams relocated to San Clemente until he sold out to Megacycle. Norris Performance Products is still in the same place to this day. After Norris died, the business was run by his wife, Lucille, and his son, Chuck. Sadly, Lucille is no longer with us and Chuck runs the biz by himself nowadays. I would say a good percentage of his business is classic imports, such as: VWs, Porsches, Volvos, Fiats, Alfas, Opels, Toyotas, and Datsuns. I still use him whenever I can, picking the best of the masters he has to choose from. Some work quite well, as I put together a pump gas, solid-rollered, 408" 351W for a guy last year that made 590HP with a set of AFR 205's on it.

 

Best of luck with your project.

 

ran his cam in my modelA for lots of years...lots hi rpm hp for a mild speced cam still have spec card &will run it again

 

I have Norris cams in a 650 Triumph flatracker that was built back in the mid-late '60's. The beast sounds like a fueler!

 

I have a Norris Cam for a blown BBC that I bought in but cannot find any specs on it.If anyone could help would be great. The grind # is 450DMR. Thanks for any help, have been looking for about a year.

 

I'll see what I can do for you tomorrow.

 

Bigsteve, Just wondering if you managed to find any specs?
Thanks

 

Haven't been able to get ahold of him yet. I'll post it as soon as I know...

 

Anyone know application for this Norris part # NPR-160 Stainless Steel Rocker Arms?


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Just at a guess, with 1.6 ratio & 7/16" stud fulcrum, I'd say SBC.

 

I hope they are. just looking for some confirmation.

 

any help?

 

bigsteve: since your so close, is there still a physical shop in van nuys? the phone # just rings.
i usually avoid the SFV...

i have a 'norris 340' (for a 4banger) and would like some more details on it.

 

I had some Norris rockers back in the 70's. They were for a hemi. They were pretty good for the time. When spring pressures escalated, they weren't strong enough and newer products came to the market.

 

Call between 8am and 230pm.

 

Brand spanking newbie here.

I have a new Norris N 288 H camshaft that I pulled out of a 327 SBC and looking for some information on this cam. Can anyone help me on this?

I'm going to sell it and would like to be able to define it's specs.

Thank you,

Tracy Crisler

 

IIRC, N288H was 288 advertised, 230 @ .050", and .480"? lift.

Call Chuck Baronian at Norris.

(818) 780-1102 (8am-2pm M-F)

 

Thank you BigSteve!

tc

 

Big Steve, thanks for the history on Norris. I had really good luck with them, back in the day. I ran the Norris rockers and cam in my Altered back in the 1976-78 period. Had the cam ground for the A/EA class and managed to set the NHRA record with it. Was running out of Larry Ofria's place (Valley heads) place back then.

 

I talked to Chuck today and I'll have the grind info for you tomorrow.