Thomas Rocker arms?


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By bird55 - 12 Years Ago
A friend has a set of new old stock Thomas rocker arms he said he wanted me to have. I saw them long ago and can't remember-weren't these Magnesium? and also 1.54 lift? Anyway, I hope to lay eyes on them next week.
Anyone out there have a set or experience with them, tried a search and can't find a thing yet.
By NoShortcuts - 12 Years Ago
I'm rusty on these, Alan.

I vaguely recall that Thomas made two ratios of rockerarms for the y-blocks. Seems like one offering was 1.8:1 Yes, they were magnesium and amazingly light. I had a set of the lower ratio ones, but can't remember if they were advertised as 1.5:1 or 1.5 something:1 or 1.6:1

In looking at them, I felt that they looked rather fragile. There was little physical mass to what I believe were castings. I guess I didn't appreciate the strength of magnesium! I never used them, but sold them to a friend-of-a-friend in Texas nearly 40 years ago.
By MoonShadow - 12 Years Ago
I sent a set plus to Ted some time back. He couldn't make a full set of useable rockers from them. Chuck
By The Master Cylinder - 12 Years Ago
Alan, All info I have on Thomas Rocker arms. Saw a set of NOS Thomas Rockers at Long Beach Swap Meet a while back. Complete set... for a Six. I think they were 1.5 but they sure were light. Ad doesn't tell you much. Didn't get them because I figured I'd never see some more to make a set and at the time wasn't sure they where the same as V-8. Plus I didn't have the coinage on me! Wow

http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/Uploads/Images/32c1d3ef-344f-482d-97d0-444c.pngCan't remember where I got this ad but I like collecting old ads like this. You gotta love the hype they used in these old ads. w00t
By NoShortcuts - 12 Years Ago
NoShortcuts (9/14/2013)
I'm rusty on these, Alan.

I vaguely recall that Thomas made two ratios of rockerarms for the y-blocks. Seems like one offering was 1.8:1 Yes, they were magnesium and amazingly light. I had a set of the lower ratio ones, but can't remember if they were advertised as 1.5:1 or 1.5 something:1 or 1.6:1

In looking at them, I felt that they looked rather fragile. There was little physical mass to what I believe were castings. I guess I didn't appreciate the strength of magnesium! I never used them, but sold them to a friend-of-a-friend in Texas nearly 40 years ago.


Flashback...

Another aspect of the Thomas rockerarms that resulted in my never using them after purchase was the valve lash adjusting hardware. While the adjuster stud and locking nut were the same style used by FoMoCo on the '54, '55' and '56 rockerarms, they were no where near equivalent in diameter. Dainty in comparison! I don't know how they could have been smaller, but that's how I remember them (from 40 years ago)! Hehe
By Ted - 12 Years Ago

Chuck did leave with me a hodge podge collection of Thomas rockers. They are an assortment of 1.4, 1.5, and 1.6 ratios. The magnesium apparently has some very poor wear characteristics as many of those rockers were worn to the point that bushing them would not fix them. While these rockers are extremely light in weight, dyno testing on the Y dyno mule has not shown any advantages in the lighter weight rockers producing any more horsepower or rpm capability.
By PF Arcand - 12 Years Ago
Back in the early 60s a Buddy was using Thomas rockers on a 56 Ford Gasser. He abandoned them after one broke for an unknown reason..