TRW camshaft for 1966 L72

[Joseph E.]

I recently bought a lot of used corvette parts and found a new camshaft for a 1966 427/425 mixed in with the items. It looks to be a TRW product with a part number of TP-165 on the box. The box is pretty dirty and greasy so any cam information printed on it is not legible. Do any of the members know if this camshaft is a duplicate of the Chevrolet original? I think TRW used to produce "restoration" camshafts-is this one of them? Thanks in advance for any replies.

Joe #45420

[Joe R.]

Re: TRW camshaft for 1966 L72

Joe,

Are you thinking of installing it in your engine or selling it or ????

Joe

[Vinnie P.]

Re: TRW camshaft for 1966 L72

Found this site through a search on google...might help

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=192608

[Duke W.]

Re: TRW camshaft for 1966 L72

That's the old TRW part number for the OE replacement L-78/72 cam. Beginning in '67 the rear journal groove was eliminated (with new finished cam and cam/pin assembly part numbers), and it was used in the L-71 and LS-6, but the lobes and lobe indexing were unchanged.

Much of TRW's automotive operations were purchased over 20 years ago by Federal Mogul, and the cam is still available under F-M's Speed Pro brand with the number CS-165R.

TRW was formed by the 1958 merger of the old Thompson Products automotive parts business in Cleveland and the California-based Ramo Wooldridge Corporation, which was originally formed to consult the Air Force on Space and Missile Projects. Then Ramo Wooldridge decided to get in on the profit potential of aerospace systems, so they merged with Thompson, and they were replaced as advisors to the Air Force by the Aerospace Corporation.

The original Thompson Ramo Wooldridge name for the merged corporation was shortened to TRW in 1965. They began shedding basic mechanical automotive parts operations like pistons, camshafts. and valve train parts in the eighties, but continued with "high tech" automotive parts like air bags and electronics.

When TRW was acquired by Northrup in 2002, they spun off the remaining automotive operations into TRW Automotive (NYSE - TRW), which continues today.

Does that cam have a groove in the rear journal, and what's the number molded into the casting?

Duke

[Joseph E.]

Re: TRW camshaft for 1966 L72

Thank you for the responses posted. I'll probably hang onto the cam for the time being and yes, it does have the grooved rear journal. I'll look to see if I can find a number on the cam and post it if I do find one. As always, the input received from members is most appreciated.

Joe #45420

[Duke W.]

Re: TRW camshaft for 1966 L72

My understanding is that the current CS-165R does not have the rear journal groove, so for fitment into a '65-'66 L-78/72 a groove must be machined and the proper "three-hole" rear cam bearing must be used or oil won't get to the valve train.

There may be several cast in characters - numbers and letter including "GM ", and I would like to know the all details.

Duke

[Joe L.]

Re: TRW camshaft for 1966 L72

That's the old TRW part number for the OE replacement L-78/72 cam. Beginning in '67 the rear journal groove was eliminated (with new finished cam and cam/pin assembly part numbers), and it was used in the L-71 and LS-6, but the lobes and lobe indexing were unchanged.

Much of TRW's automotive operations were purchased over 20 years ago by Federal Mogul, and the cam is still available under F-M's Speed Pro brand with the number CS-165R.

TRW was formed by the 1958 merger of the old Thompson Products automotive parts business in Cleveland and the California-based Ramo Wooldridge Corporation, which was originally formed to consult the Air Force on Space and Missile Projects. Then Ramo Wooldridge decided to get in on the profit potential of aerospace systems, so they merged with Thompson, and they were replaced as advisors to the Air Force by the Aerospace Corporation.

The original Thompson Ramo Wooldridge name for the merged corporation was shortened to TRW in 1965. They began shedding basic mechanical automotive parts operations like pistons, camshafts. and valve train parts in the eighties, but continued with "high tech" automotive parts like air bags and electronics.

When TRW was acquired by Northrup in 2002, they spun off the remaining automotive operations into TRW Automotive (NYSE - TRW), which continues today.

Does that cam have a groove in the rear journal, and what's the number molded into the casting?

Duke

Duke-----

...and what was Ramo and Wooldridge's first big assignment in the automotive field? Fresh out of, I believe, Cal Tech, they were hired by Howard Hughes to design and build a steam car that had an extended range between water fill-ups. They cleverly designed a system of condensers which underlayed most of the body, including the doors. After the car was completed but before it was put on the road for the first time, Hughes ordered the car destroyed when he reasoned that he might be scalded if the car was hit from either side.

[Duke W.]

Re: TRW camshaft for 1966 L72

...never heard that, but it sounds like classic HH.

In 1970 on a visit to the GM Tech Center while a graduate student at the U. of Wisconsin Engine Reserach Center I rode in a steam car built by GM based on a two-door Chevelle. If fact, I vaguely recall they had another steam car using somewhat different technology, but the only one I specifically remember is the Chevelle because it was a lot more practical.

In that era there was nagging concern about meeting proposed 1975 emission standards, so they were looking at alternate technologies. It was thought that catalytic converters would be required, but there was concern about enough supply of platinum and other required rare metals to keep the cost within reasonable bounds.

Dave McClellan, in his book, stated that in the mid to late seventies era it was touch and go at times whether they would even have a product to sell due to ever tightening tailpipe standards (in fact two sets of standards, one for CA and one for "federal"), which explains why power ratings went down to what were ridiculously low levels.

They only had engineering resources to meet emission standards and get barely acceptable driveability.

Installing a single catalyst on '75 Corvettes really killed the power (added half an atmosphere exhaust back pressure according to McClellan), but was a cost containment issue. That was the low point with the base 1975 engine being rated at 165 SAE net HP. However, driveability and fuel economy improved over 1974 because catalysts allowed more favorable fuel and spark calibrations, and from there they were able to slowly climb back up the power curve until modern emission control technology allowed both low emissions and high specific output.

Duke