[Steve C.]

Regarding individuals from my previous post and a related quote from Isky...

"Big John ran my cams, as did Setto Postoian; at the beginning, it was a bit of an Armenian nepotism thing, but they both ran good and won using our stuff, so they both stayed with us a long time."

Nepotism and talking trash....

My best friend in High School was of Armenian descent and we both grew up during the gasser wars of the mid-60s watching "Big John" Mazmanian at Southern California drag strips. At the time my friend's father owned and operated a waste management business in Southern California. He was related to J.C. Agajanian who was heir to a fortune built on garbage collection. And "Big John" was the owner and operator of Mazmanian Disposal, a Los Angeles waste management business.

( Side note. Micky Thompson Pontiac powered streamliner had parts sponsered by Isky )

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[Geoff]

I have a 1981 Isky catalog & Magnum cams are listed not only for Pontiac but for Chrys & Ford engines as well.

[steve25]

Not in my 1981 1/2 catalog.

I will thumb thru it again tonight.

So in yours are all the Magnum cams the hard face type?

[Steve C.]

My Isky catalog is from 2004/05 and it lists the same cams shown in Stan's post #6

I have no clue, therefore a question about them for interest.

What is their Magnum cams ? I see some listed with "MEGA"

A internet search states this...

"The Isky 505 Magnum (often referred to as the 292-Mega cam, part #201292 for Small Block Chevrolet) is a hydraulic flat-tappet camshaft designed for high-performance street/bracket racing, featuring .505" lift, 244° duration @ .050" for both intake/exhaust, a 108° lobe separation angle, and a 3000-7000 RPM range."

It ties Magnum with the letters "MEGA"


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[Steve C.]

Ok, I just found this......

"Legacy: Developed by Ed Iskenderian as part of his early, highly successful racing, and later, "Mega" or "Magnum" series designed to boost power without sacrificing reliability."

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[Jay S]

I think the 505 cams originally were called Polydyne 505 Magnums back in the late 50s or early 60s. I have a Isky Pontiac solid roller dating back to the mid 60s with a rev kit. I am not sure if the 60s cams had the Magnum name but the 70s for sure did. My older Isky SR doesn’t have Magnum engraved on it. I think the Mega cams came much later in the 80s. The 505 Magnums came in roller cam and hard faced flat tappets, and usually were all single pattern cam with variation in LSA’s. Here is a photo on a 292 Magnum 505 solid roller cam I have, it is 252*@.050” on a 112 LSA. The engraving work is pretty stunning compared to anything you see today.

[Steve C.]

Related to Jay's comments....

"Ed saw that racers could benefit from the advancement of higher-technology in racing so he created the first Hard- Face Overlay camshafts in the industry and became the first to employ computers in camshaft design. With the computer, Ed created the most advanced cam-profiles of the late 1950s and early 60s like the famous 5-Cycle and Polydyne Profile 505 Magnum’s along with the very first Hydraulic racing camshafts in the industry"

Source: https://www.iskycams.com/about-us/the-legend/

Quotes from other sources...

"Isky hstorically utilized a 108-degree lobe separation angle (LSA) to maximize mid-range torque, enhance cylinder scavenging, and produce a distinct, aggressive idle in naturally aspirated engines"

"Isky says longer exhaust duration cams simply kill low-mid range torque and no more...and that single pattern cams alway make more power"

They still elude to it today...

"After all these years, there is still a lot of debate regarding single- and dual-pattern camshafts. According to Jamora, it all depends on the application. For naturally aspirated hydraulic flat-tappet motors, Jamora recommends a single-pattern cam for maximum power"

https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/09...design-secrets

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[Jack Gifford]

A while ago I was surprised to see in a 1959 Isky ad, aluminum connecting rods of 7075-T6 alloy.
I've always wished that Isky would make connecting rods with the big ends rotated 45 degrees for Pontiac engines. So much nicer for bottom end servicing.

[mgarblik]

Originally Posted by Jay S

I think the 505 cams originally were called Polydyne 505 Magnums back in the late 50s or early 60s. I have a Isky Pontiac solid roller dating back to the mid 60s with a rev kit. I am not sure if the 60s cams had the Magnum name but the 70s for sure did. My older Isky SR doesn’t have Magnum engraved on it. I think the Mega cams came much later in the 80s. The 505 Magnums came in roller cam and hard faced flat tappets, and usually were all single pattern cam with variation in LSA’s. Here is a photo on a 292 Magnum 505 solid roller cam I have, it is 252*@.050” on a 112 LSA. The engraving work is pretty stunning compared to anything you see today.

The engraving like that is a lost art. I have some items engraved by Joe Mondello and Harold Brookshire, (Ultradyne) that looks similar in quality. Looks computer etched long before computers! Like an Arnie Beswick signature. Still looks near perfect after all his hand injuries.