I've got a 1956 265 Chevy that I want put a later model cam in. I've been told that the rear cam bearing is different than the later models by one person and that I just need to use the 57 and later cam bearings. Another person said I would have to find specially made bearings to do this. Another person says take the cam and get groove cut in the rear journal. My neighbor says **** can the whole engine and go buy a new GM crate motor(he's a dip****!). Help me Ann Landers!!!
There are differences.......... Way back in the early sixties when 265's were more common........we milled a flat in the gear to make them oil. Look at the camshaft from the 265 and duplicate.......if my memory serves me correct. Maybe some of the other GREYBEARDS will have a better memory.
Yup! Compare the 265 cam with a later cam. The rear journal has a flat area that matches a flat area on the distributor lower housing. I had a machine shop duplicate the flat area on the journal on a 350 hp 327 cam and it worked great. But when I put in a later distributor without the flat spot on the housing one side of the engine (right side I think) stopped getting oil to the lifters. I had to ask an old machinist what was wrong because I couldn't figure it out. He also told me 265 engines had a lot of iron and could be safely bored .0125 (1/8 in.) and take standard 283 pistons. I did that and it was a super running engine. I even used some good used leftover pistons from a 283 which saved some cash. overspray
i'm dragging up this old thread cause i'm getting ready to put a 265 in my 57 and i've got questions. can i use the distributor out of my 350? its a aftermarket distributor i got off ebay made by procomp. i'm putting a set of 283 fuelie heads on the motor and was wanting to put a small cam in it. putting the flat spot on the cam, is this something i can do in the garage or do i need to take it to a machine shop? please school me on 265's. thanks, matt
if you have an old cam to go by, you should be able to duplicate the slot in the garage, using a hacksaw, files, grinder, etc, and a lot of care and patience. although the actual dimentions of the slot should not be critical...just make it long enough to go across both oil holes, and center it on the journal.
If I remember correctly, '55-'57 engines had a different length oil pump intermediate shaft. One of my friends found out the hard way when he built a '57 engine out of a pile of parts and ended up with no oil pressure.
I think the cam difference and alterations are illustrated in Dave Vizard's "How to rebuild your SB Chevy" book. It is pretty widely available. The '55-7 pans were deeper and used a longer pump shaft and pump casting, I think. There are at least three lengths of SBC pump drive shaft to dedevil rodders...
A standard distributor will fit fine. The 55 pan is a one year only pan though. Bolt holes are different pattern.
I imagine that has something to do with the fact that there's no oil filter in the way of the pan on a 55....
I did it about 1963 to a 265 in a 1955 hardtop with a hacksaw and file. With more modern equiptment it can be done today in a vice in your garage. Just don't leave any burs on the cam and you will be fine. We are traditional guys here on the HAMB. Do it the old way.
Grinder is easiest way, hand held grinder works great. Quicker, easier than a hacksaw or a file. Been done that way lotsa times by lotsa people, no problems. PM me if you want a picture of the cam out of my '56 265 , engine is dis***embled so photo will be easy, mine is an old Engle, factory notch, and I can also give you measurements off it for the notch if you want.
This comes up a lot--seems like if someone can come up with pics of a '55 cam journal and a modern cam notched to suit, this info would belong in the tech column.
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