RE: 5 Litre 'Cammer' Launched

RE: 5 Litre 'Cammer' Launched

Thursday 7th November 2002

5 Litre 'Cammer' Launched

Ford have launched a 5 litre 'crated' V8 suitable for specialist manufacturers to drop into their cars. 400+bhp good enough?


Author
Discussion

jeremyc

Original Poster:

23,447 posts

284 months

Thursday 7th November 2002
quotequote all
Ultima builders form an orderly queue here please.

Seems like a great idea to me - well done Ford.

kevinday

11,629 posts

280 months

Thursday 7th November 2002
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Don't forget TVR as well! sounds just right for a Tuscan/Tamora V8

danger mouse

3,828 posts

261 months

Thursday 7th November 2002
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Ah ha, so now that GM have turned the Northstar through 90 degrees, fo.mo.co. have decided to spoil their fun.

Typical isn't it....

You wait for 50 years for a new V8 to use in "specials" arrive, then two come along at once...

BBBBaaaahhhh!


Mouse

350matt

3,737 posts

279 months

Thursday 7th November 2002
quotequote all
Unfortunatly this Ford engine is ruddy enormous! I doubt you could fit it into anything designed around european packadging, especially TVRS!
A better bet would be the LT5 GM V8, smaller , lighter and a lot more grunt than the elderly Rover.

Matt

timshap

155 posts

284 months

Thursday 7th November 2002
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Has anyone any idea of likely cost for the cammer or LT??

Tim

grahambell

2,718 posts

275 months

Thursday 7th November 2002
quotequote all
Quote: "Unfortunatly this Ford engine is ruddy enormous! I doubt you could fit it into anything designed around european packadging"

Except the Marcos Mantis, the Jensen S-V8, the Ronart Lightning, the Invicta S1, the Parradine, the MG X80...

gnomesmith

2,458 posts

276 months

Thursday 7th November 2002
quotequote all
Sounds good but why the silly name 'Cammer'?

MDG

118 posts

258 months

Thursday 7th November 2002
quotequote all
As far as I know the 'Cammer' is thanks to the overhead camshafts.

Ford once built a big block race engine with one overhead camshaft per cylinder bank, that was also called 'cammer'.

End of history lesson.

MDG.

cammers

396 posts

268 months

Thursday 7th November 2002
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Yeah, the mega rare original 427 cammer, started production in 1964. With 2 carbs it made 658 bhp @ 7500 rpm, as stock! I remember one in a modified station wagon, featured in custom car magazine years ago. This made something near 1500 bhp, which was pro modified figures WITHOUT the nitrous!

Oh and I happen to quite like the name!!

Sounds good but why the silly name 'Cammer'?

Miguel

1,030 posts

265 months

Thursday 7th November 2002
quotequote all

350matt said: Unfortunatly this Ford engine is ruddy enormous! I doubt you could fit it into anything designed around european packadging, especially TVRS!
A better bet would be the LT5 GM V8, smaller , lighter and a lot more grunt than the elderly Rover.

Matt


And you think that a small block Chevy based LT5 is a tiny engine? The LT5 was designed around basic SB Chevy external dimensions and center bore spacings--much to the chagrin of the Lotus engineers who developed it. In external dimensions, the SB Chevy is about the same size as the Rover, though it's capable of far more displacement and is far heavier, but the DOHC design of the LT5 certainly means more width and height than both. Oh, and the all aluminum LT5 was said to be heavier than the iron block, aluminum head, pushrod 350 offered in the base Corvette at the time. How is the LT5 smaller or, of all things, lighter than the featherweight Rover? The bore center spacings of the SB Chevy allow up to 4.185 in. (~106.3 mm) bore in simesed cylinder blocks, and at least 4.06 in. (~103.1 mm) bore in non-siamesed blocks. Compared to the Ford's 94 mm bores in the new version (I doubt it can be stretched much further), I'd think that the Ford Cammer would be smaller than the LT5.

ErnestM

11,615 posts

267 months

Thursday 7th November 2002
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Sounds good except for the fact that Ford have recently shut down the production line for SVT Cobras because of...

...you guessed it, engine problems.

Should be sorted in a month or so...

ErnestM

350matt

3,737 posts

279 months

Friday 8th November 2002
quotequote all
Sorry I meant the LS1 lump, which according the this website :. www.chevroletls1.com does what I said earlier.
Obviously the Ronart, Parradine , Jensen et al all use this engine, my point was fitting it into something that wasn't designed for it. Like a griff for example.

Matt

Miguel

1,030 posts

265 months

Friday 8th November 2002
quotequote all

Sorry I meant the LS1 lump, which according the this website :. www.chevroletls1.com does what I said earlier.
Obviously the Ronart, Parradine , Jensen et al all use this engine, my point was fitting it into something that wasn't designed for it. Like a griff for example.

Matt


Oh, sorry about the soapbox, then. I usually tell people to listen to what I mean, not to what I say. Still, even though you meant the LS1, not all the things you said are true. It may be smaller dimensionally than the Rover and clearly has more grunt, as you put it, but no way, no how is it lighter. As far as the Cammer goes, DOHC engines tend to be tall and wide. It may actually be shorter in length than the LS1 and Rover due to the smaller bore and almost certainly bore center spacings, but I don't know.

Still, could it fit in, say, a Grifith, which was designed for another V8? Length wouldn't be an issue, and if worse came to worse, you could always dry sump it or modify the bonnet, then you'd only have the width to contend with. I'd say it's possible. After all, if people are putting V8s in MX5s and the like, which were designed with only 4 bangers in mind, putting a slightly larger V8 in something already designed for another V8 isn't much of a challenge. BTW thanks for the LS1 link. I already bookmarked it.

Miguel

1,030 posts

265 months

Friday 8th November 2002
quotequote all

Sorry I meant the LS1 lump, which according the this website :. www.chevroletls1.com does what I said earlier.
Obviously the Ronart, Parradine , Jensen et al all use this engine, my point was fitting it into something that wasn't designed for it. Like a griff for example.

Matt


Oh, sorry about the soapbox, then. I usually tell people to listen to what I mean, not to what I say. Still, even though you meant the LS1, not all the things you said are true. It may be smaller dimensionally than the Rover and clearly has more grunt, as you put it, but no way, no how is it lighter. As far as the Cammer goes, DOHC engines tend to be tall and wide. It may actually be shorter in length than the LS1 and Rover due to the smaller bore and almost certainly bore center spacings, but I don't know.

Still, could it fit in, say, a Grifith, which was designed for another V8? Length wouldn't be an issue, and if worse came to worse, you could always dry sump it or modify the bonnet, then you'd only have the width to contend with. I'd say it's possible. After all, if people are putting V8s in MX5s and the like, which were designed with only 4 bangers in mind, putting a slightly larger V8 in something already designed for another V8 isn't much of a challenge. BTW thanks for the LS1 link. I already bookmarked it.

gnomesmith

2,458 posts

276 months

Saturday 9th November 2002
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Gnome engines are shortly to announcer their three new engine packages.

The Blocker, the Cranker and the Ringer, watch this space (but not too closely).


I suppose we used to call ohc byke engines 'cammy' and desmodromic engines 'desmo' so perhaps 'cammer' isn't so silly certainly no more than calling an engine Zetec or Pinto.

TR MIKE

21,185 posts

260 months

Saturday 9th November 2002
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The LS1 looks like it will fit without any real problems. I doubt that a cammer engine will fit between the TVR upper rails. The LS1 is a 5.7 so probably has more potential.

Roadrunner

2,690 posts

267 months

Sunday 10th November 2002
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There must be a big market out there for swapping the crap engine out of the Tuscan's. Imagine having a Tuscan you could drive daily without fear. The stuff of science fiction!

catem

2 posts

257 months

Sunday 10th November 2002
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All very well and good but is this not better for hotrodders?Yeah new crate motors are good for specialist manufacturers,But one of the hardest tasks of building your own car wether a hotrod/custom or drag racer is a good reliable powerplant.A wider range of crate engines is whats needed not scrapin the barrel for scrappers riping them out of the donor car and having to rebiuld it just to hope its gona be reliable.Ford/GM and other marks should look at other engines to sell direct,like four and six pot motors.

Just my opinion

lawrence1

133 posts

275 months

Friday 22nd November 2002
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Ok so the new Ford engine looks good, sounds good, but it does have a few drawbacks. Size is really the only one I can think of which will ruin a good idea.

I think if you want to upgrade your engine, get rid of the boat anchor in your TVR, Lotus, even your mini and put a GM LS1 in it. Whats all this crap you talk about being heavy - sure it may be but what is an extra 30 pounds or so gonna do to your performance. You would be better to leave your missus at home, specially if she weighs a tad more than 30 pounds?? Who cares if it has pushrods, it has more torque and power to pull off every rice pudding skin in the world in one go, and the performance modification is enormous. And the proof is in the eating so to speak, when you litterly smoke on past that Aston, Porsche or Ferrari - tires blazing, smiling even more so!

TR MIKE

21,185 posts

260 months

Saturday 23rd November 2002
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If your going to get an LS1 you need to know what parts to choose. I have researched all this stuff. You basically have 2 main options. Either buy a complete engine with it's ecu, maf and all the bits and drop it in to the TVR. I am sure it will fit as I have taken the measurements of the car. I also have engines that I have measured. The other option is to buy the long block and fit your own ecu. The latter route allows more choice for tuning at a later date. The factory ecu is very sophisticated but tricky to tune above modest levels. Finally, be aware that you will need to source/choose the pulley/belt and front end ancilliaries. There are several front ends to choose from, the most expensive being the vette set up. You have a plentiful choice of sumps, cams, intakes etc. I have installed an LS1 into my 7v8 along with the t56 and its very compact. I am building up a turbo version with 7:1 c/r and it's using forged pistons and some LS6 parts. There are aftermarket parts coming on line all the time so this engine has a very bright future ahead of it. May the LS1 be with you!