I received some main bearings today, Vandervell brand.  Does anyone have experience with the brand?  They were received in unusable condition, very beat up apparently due to banging into each other during shipping.  I lightly ran a fingernail accross the scars to get a better sense of the damage, and my nail left a mark.  The material seems very soft. 

Mike, located in the Siskiyou mountains, Southern, OR 292 powered 1946 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Mercury Meteor, '55 Country Squire (parting out), '64 Falcon, '54 Ford 600 tractor.

Vandervell is a very good quality bearing, I have used them for years in British cars. We used to stock them at the shop but you don't see them much any more.

   God Bless.   Tim                           http://yblockguy.com/

350ci Y-Block FED "Elwood", 301ci Y-Block Unibody LSR "Jake", 312ci Y-Block '58 F-100, 338ci Y-Block powered Model A Tudor

tim@yblockguy.com  Visalia, California    Just west of the Sequoias

If I recall correctly these were tri metal bearings Lead, tin, and copper. They were excellent bearings.

Glad to hear the positives.  They are supposed to ship another set (or partial set) soon.  The 4 I received excluded the thrust bearing, but I have a Federal Mogul center on hand.

Mike, located in the Siskiyou mountains, Southern, OR 292 powered 1946 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Mercury Meteor, '55 Country Squire (parting out), '64 Falcon, '54 Ford 600 tractor.

I had problems with Vandervell in a 292 rebuild of some years ago, took it down recently for other work, in rechecking ,found that the brg. shells were not of consistant thickness. as much as .002 diff. on some. Thinner towards the split edge. I too had no "apparant" problems years ago, '70's, with Vandervell's in Spridget motors. Moral here,,,,,,CHECK EVERYTHING!    These were rod brearings.

     Used to be very popular for English cars. They even produced and raced an entire Formula one car back in the fifties.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Park:

Check an American made bearing, or read a bearing catalog.  The bearings are designed to be thinner toward the part lines.  They are designed with some crush, so that when you tighten the caps they are forced into the bore for full and tight contact.  The taper prevents the bearing from pinching inward toward the crank and making for tight spots.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"