Guys, my 261 motor is built and ready to go in the 49 coupe. I purchased the 264 performance cam, gear, thrust plate, lifters and pushrods http://www.patricksantiquecars.com/chevyparts.htm from Patricks. I am not bashing them because they are the middle man waiting on parts from a supplier. They are sending me everything but pushrods and lifters and do not have a real warm and fuzzy feeling on when they will be getting the rods and lifters from the supplier. I guess they replace the original "Milkjug" style mechanical lifter with a smal block chevy style .874" lifter which changes pushrod length needing different pushrods. I told the guy at patricks that I may start looking for these parts elsewhere and he said to make sure it was an A-874 lifter. I can not find a thing out there that designates the "A" on the 874 and do not know what length pushrods this requires. Can someone send me the info on what I need to complete this cam set up and where to find it so i can get this girl on the road? Thanks! Ray
The taller "milkjug" (as you call them) lifters were supposed to be used with steel camshafts; the later, shorter (but not sbc diameter) lifters were designed to be compatible with the cast iron camshafts that Chevrolet began using in these engines in '54-'55. The short lifters take an 11 1/4 inch long pushrod, whereas the older, taller lifters used a 10 5/8 inch long pushrod.
Yes,as said by Heathen.A chilled iron milkbottle lifter is just hardened on the bottom.The later lifters looking like a larger diameter SBC lifter is Hardenable Iron,hard on all surfaces.Any 55 and up 235 cam should be cast because the bearing journal size was increased in late 1954? .You can strike a small file on the above lifters to test for type.Look on line for Delta Cams,give them a call ,they might have resurfaced lifters in stock.Another place that might help is http://www.mizpahprecision.com/ Changing the diameter of the lifter can have a noticable effect on cam timing,good or bad.
As I understand it, the large journal camshaft debuted in '54; the sold lifter cams were still steel, making them a rare piece, and good for regrinding, while the hydraulic lifter cams were the first of the cast iron units.
I had to measure the bearing journal for patricks and it was the larger 2.153" i think. The cam is steel too. So I guess I should hold onto it from what you say heathen. It is a 54. I just called Kent at Delta cam and he said he saw no reason that I could not run my old "resurfaced" lifters on the regrind I am getting from patricks. Unless I got confused in your guys answeres I thought I could only run them on my orginal steel style cam and the later cast iron cams had the SBC style short lifters.
Oh and sorry it was AT874 Lifters, not A874. Was reading some other post on this site. http://vcca.org/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/37196/Re_Solid_lifters_in_a_59_235
Hello Call Delta Camshaft , located in Tacoma, Washington, they have been grinding camshafts for anything you can imagine for just about forever and are very helpful and cater to the Hot rodder. They may be able to give you a Contact close to you. The phone number is 253-572-2474
Ray did you ever run across some lifters that will work with your patricks 264 cam? I have been waiting for my lifters since Sept 2010 and I'm ready to ride also.
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