HS30-H

So, as I said, "hour-lifed". Quite normal for all-out race engines, but perhaps a little inconvenient for privateers who talk about needing to use the same engine to drive to work and back too..... Putting aside any Lost In Translation type possibilities and taking this story at face value, as reported, I have to wonder just what they were expecting to receive? As far as I am aware, Nissan Motor Co. of Japan and their various Japan-based competition departments didn't have any contract or deal with Iskenderian ( unless you know better? ). NMC USA had deals with the likes of BRE and BSR, and it would have been up to BRE and BSR to come up with the parts they needed - with the assistance of NMC USA - to do the job. I'm wondering why Isky were reportedly approaching Nissan Japan and asking for cam data? That's commercial intellectual property! Having had their subsidiary NMC USA contract with the likes of BRE and BSR, why would Nissan Japan effectively buy a dog and bark themselves...? Nissan had their own 'Sports Option' cams to sell, too. Come now Tony, asymmetric cam profiles are almost as old as the Otto Cycle engine itself. Half of the 'secrets' we often talk about were known to the likes of Ernest Henry, Louis Coatalen and Harry Miller in the first half of the twentieth century. As far as Nissan race engines are concerned, the GR8 'twink' and GRX-II V12 ( 1966 and 1968 respectively ) used asymmetric cam profiles. I have plenty of respect for the likes of Racer Brown and Isky, but let's perhaps look a little further... Thanks for your PM, by the way. I agree with almost everything you wrote. Almost......

Frank, I don't really know what a "pommy" is..... I think I've tried to add some points of perspective to this topic, and it still seems to me that you are writing off the Kameari cams without truly understanding what they use and why they use it. I also don't understand the significance of this talk about "reverse engineered" cams ( who's copying who, and why, and when...??? ), and your example of "1000RWHP!!!" seems to be a little left-field to say the least. Did anybody doubt that the likes of Electramotive could build hour-lifed, high-output turbocharged race engines? It seems to me that such examples are far outside the largely home-built, amateur street/drag builds ( not the factory-supported pure circuit racing efforts of professionals ) that this thread appears to be attempting to investigate. If there's any pot-stirring going on then I'm certainly not the only one that can have the finger pointed at him.

Aargh! Not that old chestnut....! Tony, you and I are usually reading from the same hymn sheet so I'm loathe to disagree with you, but you repeating this old story doesn't make it any more true. The reasons for Nissan initially using the S20 in their circuit race Zs ( before switching to the L-gata ) had nothing to do with any 'inability' to tune the L-gata. To understand the situation properly you'd have to take into account all the inter-factional rivalry between the Maruyama factory ( ex-Prince, pro-S20 ) faction and the Oppama & Omori ( Nissan Sports, pro-L ) faction. This was all about power struggles and company politics. To suggest that Nissan didn't know how to race tune an L24 is a somewhat absurd idea in the light of Nissan and Prince's racing and rallying activities since 1966, and the storytellers were usually bigging-up their own activities whilst relying on a certain amount of ignorance about the Japanese situation. As soon as you start to look into it all in any depth the whole story starts to ring a little hollow. People do tend to prefer the fairy tales though. They swallow them whole.

Xnke, I agree with much of what you wrote ( there's no single 'Silver Bullet' ) but I must disagree with the following: Anybody who knows Mori san and his small team at Kameari Engine Works will know that it is not - by any stretch of the imagination - a "HUGE budget" operation. It is a modest, small and very personal company, and has been for most of its existence. Let's not exaggerate their size or the budget they have available to them..... I often find myself sticking up for Kameari because I hear or read things about them that do not ring true. If they get 'overhyped' in any way it jars, as in my experience they are conscientious, hard working, dedicated and modest whilst standing confidently behind their work and product. I don''t know how to get it across any better than that.

I've tried to add a reply on this thread three times so far this morning, and three times the site flunked out. No idea if this fourth try will work, but it doesn't seem worth attempting a full reply until the forum software is back to normal running.....

Funny how? Really? You understand a lot better than me then ( per JMortensen S.O.P. ). I didn't read it like that. Who's talking about "a guy in the US"? I thought this thread was about what the Japanese builders do, with the subtext of why they use certain parts. Guess I'm wrong. But then I'm always looking for the "Amero-centric" argument, aren't I? Even from Dutchmen. Perhaps you could explain Frank's "1100RWHP!!!"...."reverse engineered cams" comment for me? I don't get it.

Who's poo-poohing Isky? I grew up reading Hot Rod over my Dad's shoulder. I know their rep and their history, and I respect them. I'm just trying to see this from a Japanese engine builders' perspective. Frank seems to think that the Japanese should forget the 'hype' and try Isky cams ( like they haven't already..... ) when they have local companies who can sell them cams which are proven to work well, and also give them the technical advice to go with them ( in Japanese.... ). Why would they necessarily want to talk to Isky ( in English.... ) to get a custom grind made and then import it, when they have decent local sources? The price comparison is being hugely overstated too. A camshaft should be seen as a part specifically chosen to work in conjunction with the rest of the engine, not just a "Stage 1/2/3 - Add To Trolley - Go To Checkout" purchase. Anyone in Japan who buys a cam from Kameari can get plenty of free advice from Kameari to go with it. I can't see why some people are being so dismissive of that. I don't know what instance you're talking about here, but I'm always looking around for a salt cellar when I hear these stories of "so-and-so worked with Nissan" when it's often a local phenomenon ( NMC USA I'll bet.... ) and half the details are apocryphal. Like Nissan didn't understand camshafts or something. Meh. We had a local tall story teller here in the UK too ( ever heard of 'Samuri Conversions'? ). Swallow the stories whole and you'd believe that he 'taught' Nissan how to build race engines just by putting together combinations of parts that they'd obviously never realised they already made. Quite so. Which makes one wonder why Japanese engineers seem to be so looked down upon so often. You might pique my interest with stories like that. I can't imagine what you're referring to. Is it one of those "Pete Brock taught the Japanese how to build a proper race L24" ( translation: BRE is selling, er, BRE ) type stories that I love so much? Do tell. And where does Frank's "1100 RWHP!!!" fit into this N/A discussion?

Who's making this "whole Fuzz" about Kameari cams, then? Do you honestly think that the Japanese engine builders should use ISKY cams? I don't know what your "1100 RWHP !!!" has to do with a conversation about N/A engine builds either. Maybe you should go over to Japan and tell 'them' where they are going wrong...... It's just a hunch, but I think some of them know exactly what they are doing......

No. it's not the factory urethane spoiler as seen on non-North American market 'Export' market cars. That was a single piece that bolted on to the steel front valance and corner pieces. Nothing like the one being asked about here. I think it's a custom or aftermarket part, and it's not anything 'period' or factory 'Sports Option'. It replaces the stock steel front valance and corner pieces, and I should imagine it is made from FRP. You probably wouldn't want to ship one from Japan even if you did find the manufacturer / supplier, as it is so long it needs special shipping..... The car itself is a "tribute" to one of Nissan's very first works 432R race cars ( although they never wore anything like this spoiler ), and it was built by 'T.A. Auto' of Kisarazu, Chiba ken. It was featured in the December 2009 issue of NOSTALGIC HERO magazine ( vol.136 ). If you are desperate, and nothing else will do, you could always contact T.A. Auto's owner - Mr Ando - and ask him..... T.A. Auto were featured in one of Dino Dalle Carbonare's SPEEDHUNTERS blogs just a little while ago. You can see a better picture of the front of this car there: http://speedhunters.com/archive/2010/03/18/car-builder-gt-gt-ta-auto.aspx

That'll be 'HLS30-03924', Shirley?

Well, the planes are flying again - but it looks like you're not interested. Back into storage it goes......

Not just a Fairlady Z part, as it was fitted to RHD 'Export' market cars too ( Australia, NZ, UK etc ). It has the three-position wiper switch ( INtermittent, LO and HI ) so it's not a particularly early part. Needs the INtermittent relays and wiring to make it work properly. 1973-on ( ? ), just off the top of my head.

Well, I dug it out of deep storage..... It's an ISKENDERIAN L-490 grind. Their 'Stage III'. This one was bought new, assembled into a head that was attached to a block but never installed in a car ( short block assembly was sold ) and then the head was disassembled again. Cam was put into storage until today. I think I've even got the original box somewhere.... If you want to buy it, let me know what you will offer for it - but bear in mind that the only shipping option at the moment is 'Surface' transport, as air freight / post is a non-starter with this volcanic ash cloud situation. Cheers, Alan T.

I'm going to have to dig it out of storage. Bear with me. As I mentioned, nothing's flying airfreight-wise over most of northern Europe at the moment ( and there will be long backlogs even after they start flying again ) so it might take a while for you to get one imported from anywhere.....

Glad to be of assistance. Kakimoto-headed 3.0 sounds like a nice recipe. I see some of the 'right' ingredients ( KEW twin idler & adj. cam pulley ) in there already..... Good luck! Alan T.

I have an unused ISKENDERIAN camshaft packed away somewhere in my garages. Could be for sale if you want to pursue it.....? No air freight flying at the moment because of this Icelandic volcano, though.

Never fear, Smith is here....... That pair of Kanji characters read as "Kyoku To" ( with a long stress on the o in To - like in 'toe' ) and it translates literally as "Far East". Far East Trading were one of the first Japanese companies to import performance car parts and accessories into the Japanese market in the early 1960s. Some of us may be more familiar with their later range of self-made products, marketed under the 'F.E.T' brand name. Your manifold will be mid-Seventies to mid-Eighties vintage, designed and made in Japan by Far East Trading. Hope that helps. Cheers, Alan T.

Sorry to disagree, but I disagree...... Do you really think those four bolts in the KEW tensioner will ever "come loose" if they are tightened to spec? I can't see it myself. Taking the 'TI Baby' principle to its logical conclusion, you'd end up - Third Policeman style - with piggy-backed failsafes on into infinity...... The 'TI Baby' piece is just an opportunistic doo-dad riding on a well thought-out, well designed and well manufactured part. The only excuse it gives for it's existence is the seed of doubt in the integrity of the KEW tensioner that it plants with its own existence. If it was an organism, it would be a parasite that lived - with glorious irony - on a prosthetic limb. I wonder if it is aimed at that niche market of KEW tensioner owners who are not in possession of a proper matched pair of thumbs? Oh yeah, I think it's got a stupid name too Apart from all that, I think it's great!

Tension should be 'finger-tight' only. Push hard to tension the chain, then tighten. That's enough. Just check tension occasionally. The 'TI Baby' tension adjuster add-on is completely unnecessary, and expressly ignores one of the caveats in using the KEW twin-idler tensioner - namely do not overtighten. Kameari Engine Works themselves didn't design or manufacture the 'TI Baby' add-on, and do not sell them. That should tell you all you need to know. T*ts on a bull.

So you're talking to a so-called "distributor", and you're using a Google USA search of 'Wako 75S' in English to find him? I think - with all due respect to the parties involved - you need to speak to The Organ Grinder, rather than his monkey.......

Sorry, but I come across this idea of Japanese "secrecy" from time to time, and it is mostly exaggeration based on the experiences of people who have approached a situation with the expectation of being met more than half way. If you are not fluent in Japanese you'll struggle to communicate properly in Japan, but you will also need to have a relationship with the person you expect or hope to get the data and advice from. Either you become friends, or you become a customer. If you want to know the full specs on - for example - a Kameari camshaft, then put your money down ( or at least start making the right noises and asking the right questions ) and BUY one. You will then get the data and advice you need on the parts that match with it ( a custom build high performance engine is a package, not simply a conglomeration of parts ), as well as the ear of the supplier for the future. Don't necessarily expect a Japanese supplier to treat you as you would expect to be treated by a supplier in the USA. By the way, I've been a customer of Mori san at Kameari Engine Works for something over 15 years now. Never received anything other than superb service, good advice and well made parts. Can't speak for 'Kameari USA', as I don't know anything much about them. Ask Mori san of KEW nicely, and he'll give you a nice Excel file of specs and application data for his camshafts. He might not be too thrilled to see them posted all over the internet though, as such data needs context, and that context comes from corresponding with him. Most other suppliers of parts in the somewhat small S30-series Z / L-gata engine tuning world of Japan will be the same. Alan T.

I'd like to take them, if I may? Will contact you direct at betamotorsports.com Cheers

Yes, but George '24OZ' and I ( and the tape ) are in London, England, UK. PAL is standard over here. I have a multi-region video player, so it plays just fine on my machine. George is looking into what he's got.

George, I've got Volume 2 here on the original VHS tape. You are welcome to borrow it if you have a machine that plays NTSC format, rather than just PAL. Don't get too excited though. It's decidedly 'home made'.....