Hello. Newbie here. I've been involved in collector car hobby all my life, and I love searching for vintage car parts at flea markets, auctions, yard sales, etc. Recently on the 127 Yard Sale event I found a NOS camshaft in cardboard tube, with graphics and logo which looked like the 1950's to me. It was marked with the word, "INTERCEPTOR," and used a logo style for the letters on that word which I have seen before. I bought it and brought it home. See photos below:







Apparently this is an aftermarket high performance camshaft from the Interceptor company. Since the Ford Motor Company used the name "Interceptor" also, and since MOST of the stuff I got from that vendor was for Fords, I am ASSUMING that this is a NOS aftermarket camshaft for a Y-Block Ford engine, made in the late 1950's or early 1960's. How close is my assumption? Can anyone help me with this, please?

Following is a pic of the label with specs:

Lump

Cool find.

The only way to ascertain what the camshaft profile really is requires analaysis by a CamDoctor machine.

The analysis would tell all about the camshaft specs (except the metallurgy composition).

As it sits while a good find it would be hard to place a value upon it with no specs such as lift,duration,center lines,etc.

If your close to me in Baltimore,I could give it a spin in my CamDoctor machine if you like.Or try posting it up on the H.A.M.B. website to see what it is.

Oldmics

With the interceptor logo it is probably for a marine engine whereas ford used the interceptor logo for their marine engines.

55 Vicky & customline

58 Rack Dump, 55 F350 yard truck, 57 F100

59 & 61 P 400's, 58 F100 custom cab, 69 F100, 79 F150, 82 F600 ramp truck, 90 mustang conv 7 up, 94 Mustang, Should I continue?

I took some close-up photos of the shaft itself last night, to see if I could verify that it is a Y-block cam. But those photos are at home, so I will have to post tonight.

It looks to me like a Y-block cam, since the distributor-drive gear is in the rear and Y-blocks are only old Ford V8's with rear distributors. But does anyone know if all INTERCEPTOR engines were Fords, back in the day?

As for value, I ASSUME that modern grinds would be more efficient and effective than 1950's-60's technology...so I ASSUME that the cam's greatest value would be as a collector's item; destined for a life sitting on a prominent shelf in the shop of a true Y-Block fanatic. Is that right?

It's reasonable to think that a modern grind will be better, but sometimes they just got it right with the old stuff. You really can't have an idea until you know the specs of the cam.


Lawrenceville, GA

as a marine cam it would ground for low to mid range torque. most marine engines run 3500-4500 max. it might be a good cam for a heavy street car or heavy pick-up/ work truck. nice find.

 lincoln/merc. y-blocks &mel's                                                               bucyrus, ohio.

Nice find! As far as i know the y block Marine interceptor engines in 292 and 312 were made in conjunction with ford or assembled by the EATON Co, same company that did power steering etc, i have the original Eaton workshop manualon them here somewhere.

  AussieBill            YYYY    Forever Y Block     YYYY

 Down Under, Australia

That is definitely the logo for the marine engine. As best I can tell, all Interceptor engines where of Ford origin. You could check at the Ford Interceptor Marine Engine Forum to see if someone could ID this.

http://www.marineengine.com/boat-forum/forumdisplay.php?13-Ford-Interceptor-Marine-Engine-Forum

Jim - Erie Colorado, 1957 Country Sedan

Hmmmm... Don't I recall that some of the marine Interceptor engines rotated in the opposite direction of the FoMoCo passenger car, truck, and industrial application engines? Doesn't this require a special camshaft?

When two inboard engines are used on a boat, don't they rotate in opposite directions from each other or is that just the props?

The use of the word INTERCEPTOR with Ford y-block engines, I principally associate with the engines used in boats. It was cast into some of the engine components as I recall.

Perhaps these thoughts will trigger someone elses 'rememberer' that is better than mine. I don't mean to confuse the situation.

Regards,

NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

The counter rotation was accomplished with a gear drive on the cam and, I think, a different grind. I'm not real sure if the cam profile was reversed. Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire