Camshafts for Cortinas

The following information describes a number of camshafts which were available for Ford Cortina / Kent engines. Some of the suppliers may now be out of business, but the information may be useful.

There must have been literally hundreds of other cams made for these engines over the years. I still need lots of info from Y O U about cams you know about. But don't ask me questions, as all I know is already here!!

NOTES: BTDC = Before top dead centre. ABDC = After bottom dead centre. BBDC = Before bottom dead centre. ATDC -= After top dead centre.

CAM / Manufacturer	Inlet Valve timing	Exhaust Valve Timing	Inlet Valve lift	Exhaust Valve lift	Inlet Valve clearance	Exhaust Valve clearance	Notes / Comments
Ford	Opens 10 BTDC Closes 50 ABDC	Opens 44 BBDC Closes 10 ATDC	0.279 inch	0.273 inch	0.010 thou	0.017 thou	(Early Anglia)
Ford "standard" cam	Opens 17 BTDC Closes 51 ABDC	Opens 51 BBDC Closes 17 ATDC	0.315 inch	0.319 inch	0.010 thou	0.017 thou	Late Anglia, 1340, 1200, 1500, crossflow 1100, 1300 and 1600 until October 1970
Ford GT	Opens 27 BTDC Closes 65 ABDC	Opens 65 BBDC Closes 27 ATDC	0.344 inch	0.335 inch	0.012 thou	0.022 thou	Standard 1500 G.T. cam, 1300 G.T. until October 1970, 1600 G.T.
Cosworth A2	Opens 40 BTDC Closes 76 ABDC	Opens 76 BBDC Closes 40 ATDC	0.350 inch	0.350 inch	0.020 thou	0.022 thou	Rally cam for 1500 G.T. motor. Good for 28/36 Weber or twin 40 DCOEs.
Cosworth A3	Opens 50 BTDC Closes 86 ABDC	Opens 86 BBDC Closes 50 ATDC	0.390 inch	0.390 inch	0.020 thou	0.024 thou	Best for twin 40 DCOE. "Hottest" for road use.
Cosworth A6	Opens 62 BTDC Closes 94 ABDC	Opens 94 BBDC Closes 62 ATDC	0.400 inch	0.400 thou	0.014 thou	0.019 thou	Full race cam for pre-crossflow 997 - 1500. NOT FOR ROAD USE.
Cosworth A8	Opens 76 BTDC Closes 96 ABDC	Opens 96 BBDC Closes 76 ATDC					Full Race 5.500 to 9.500 rpm
Jeff Howe H1	Opens 20 BTDC Closes 60 ABDC	Opens 60 BBDC Closes 20 ATDC	0.350 inch	0.350 inch	0.017 thou	0.020 thou	General stage 1, sports cam for 997, 1200 and 1340
Jeff Howe H36	Opens 35 BTDC Closes 75 ABDC	Opens 75 BBDC Closes 35 ATDC	0.390 inch	0.390 inch	0.017 -0.018 thou	0.020 - 0.022 thou	Stage 1, sports cam for 1500, 1558, 1600, 1700 pre-crossflow.
Jeff Howe H3	Opens 40 BTDC Closes 80 ABDC	Opens 80 BBDC Closes 40 ATDC	0.390 inch	0.390 inch	0.018 thou	0.022 thou	Stage 2, fast road, 1/2 race /rally 1500, 1558, 1600, 1700 pre-crossflow
Jeff Howe H4	Opens 50 BTDC Closes 90 ABDC	Opens 90 BBDC Closes 50 ATDC	0.410 inch	0.410 inch	0.020 thou	0.022 - 0.023 thou	Competition / race cam for 1500, 1558, 1600, 1700 pre-crossflow
Ford Rallye Sport 9051 336	Opens 22 BTDC Closes 58 ABDC	Opens 58 BBDC Closes 22 ATDC	0.371 inch	0.369 inch	0.015 thou	0.017 thou	Fast road use on pre-crossflow engines
Piper 1FG	Opens 25 BTDC Closes 65 ABDC	Opens 65 BBDC Closes 25 ATDC	0.354 inch	0.354 inch	0.012 thou	0.014 thou	997 - 1500 pre-crossflow. Good power increase without other modifications
Piper 1 FY	Opens 35 BTDC Closes 73 ABDC	Opens 73 BBDC Closes 35 ATDC	0.375 inch	0.354 inch	0.012 thou	0.014 thou	997 - 1500. Use with modified head, carburettor, exhaust etc.
Piper 2 FG	Opens 35 BTDC Closes 73 ABDC	Opens 73 BBDC Closes 35 ATDC	0.375 inch	0.375 inch	0.012 thou	0.014 thou	Good for 1500/ 1500 G.T. stage 1 with no other modifications.
Piper 2 FY	Opens 40 BTDC Closes 76 ABDC	Opens 73 BBDC Closes 35 ATDC	0.388 inch	0.375 inch	0.012 thou	0.014 thou	Rally cam for 1500. Needs twin DCOEs, head modifications etc.
Piper XFBP 255 Mild Road	Opens 29 BTDC Closes 59 ATDC	Opens 59 BBDC Closes 21 ATDC	0.384	0.384	0.018 thou	0.018 thou	Power band 1000 - 6000 additional 8 bhp. Ideal for autotest and trials where low-down torque is required. No engine mods required.
Piper XFBP270 Fast Road	Opens 26 BTDC Closes 62 ATDC	Opens 62 BBDC Closes 26 ATDC	0.407	0.407	0.014 thou	0.014 thou	Power band 1500-6500 additional 12 bhp. Excellent power and torque improvement with smooth idle. Ideal with twin carbs and 4:2:1 manifold.
Piper XFBP285 Ultimate Road	Opens 38 BTDC Closes 74 ATDC	Opens 74 BBDC Closes 38 ATDC	0.430	0.430	0.014 thou	0.014 thou	Power band 2500-7500. additional 18 bhp. Massive improvements in mid range and top end power. No machining required
Piper XFBP300 Rally	Opens 54 BTDC Closes 82 ATDC	Opens 82 BBDC Closes 54 ATDC	0.459	0.459	0.015 thou	0.015 thou	Power band 3000-8000. For use in well modified engines where serious power and "thumping" mid range torque is required.
Piper XFBP320	Opens 57 BTDC Closes 83 ATDC	Opens 83 BBDC Closes 57 ATDC	0.493	0.493	0.014 thou	0.014 thou	The ultimate race profile Designed to give phenomenal top end power and a wide power band
XF391 1300 Stockrod	Opens 38 BTDC Closes 78 ATDC	Opens 78 BBDC Closes 38 ATDC	0.440	0.440	0.018 thou	0.018 thou	No machining required. This is the hottest profile that can be installed without machining.
Ivan Tighe Engineering 154	Opens 31 BTDC Closes 70 ABDC	Opens 71 BBDC Closes 25 ATDC	0.398 inch	0.398 inch	0.014 thou	0.014 thou	Used on Australian GT500
Holbay R90	Opens 31 BTDC Closes 61 ABDC	Opens 61 BBDC Closes 31 ATDC					Fast Road cam
Edmunds Walker RFR05 - replacement for standard 1500cc cam
A.E Components cam 58 (sometimes marked BM3) replacement for standard 1500 cam
A.E. Components cam 59 (sometimes marked BM4) replacement for GT cam
Wade (Australia) 348	69-27 27-66			.324 .331 lift	.012 .022 clearance		Duration 205 201 GT Cortina and Formula Ford spec, good idle
Wade (Australia) 104	66-24 28-66			.324 .331	.012 .022		Duration 212 212 Smooth idle, good torque mild porting longer springs
Wade (Australia) 113	66-30 30-65			.397 .397	013 .013		Duration 212 212 Good idle, needs exhaust low to midrange
Wade (Australia) 240	71-29 32-70			.407 .407	017 .017		Duration 220 220 Needs springs, twin carbs good midrange
Wade (Australia) 446	71-40 33-78			.425 .425	.018 .018		Duration 228 228 Increased midrange needs springs, 3000 - 6500
Wade (Australia) 1009a	70-38 39-70			.464 .464	016 .016		230 230 Needs springs, carbs suit speedway
Wade (Australia) 140	75-41 41-71			.432 .431	.013 .013		238 238 Twin Weber carbs, springs 4000 - 7000
Wade (Australia) 176c	79-41 49-71			.470 .470	.019 .019		243 243 Top end power full mods 4000 - 7500
Wade (Australia) 185a	86-58 54-90			.400 .400	.016 .016		250 250 Top end power full mods A6 Cosworth

Also, don't forget Leonard Reece and Co Ltd at 16 Clifton Road, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE29 7EJ, telephone 01480 451976 who do a range of cams for "our" cars.

CAM	Inlet Valve timing	Exhaust Valve Timing	Inlet Valve lift	Exhaust Valve lift	Inlet Valve clearance	Exhaust Valve clearance	Notes / Comments

Standard B-type	Opens 22 BTDC Closes 62 ABDC	Opens 62 BBDC Closes 22 ATDC	0.375 inch	0.375 inch	0.005 - 0.007	0.009 - 0.011
Special Equipment and Sprint C & D type camshaft	Opens 26 BTDC Closes 66 ABDC	Opens 66 BBDC Closes 26 ATDC			0.005 - 0.007	0.009 - 0.011
L2 camshaft	Opens 46 BTDC Closes 70 ABDC	Opens 70 BBDC Closes 46 ATDC			0.010 thou	0.010 thou
Piper LOTBP270	25/65 65/25		8.94/8.89				Lotus, Fast Road. Duration 270 1500-6000rpm
Piper LOTBP285	30/70 70/30		9.75/9.70				Lotus, Road/Rally Duration 280 2000-7000rpm
Piper LOTBP300	46/78 81/43		10.21				Lotus, Rally. Duration 304 2500-7500rpm
Piper LOTBP320	58/82 89/51		10.29				Lotus, Race Duration 320 3000-8000rpm