[s-cars] Cam's for Cheap! NAC

[Trevor Frank]

I knew John, I guess near the end of his carrier, I remember some fellow
engine builders at the time saying that they would like me to work with
him.  I remember them having to call first, and giving me some pointers,
for if he didn't know you or didn't take a liking to you, you where not
going to get anything from him.  Around the same I took a class from
Elgin on cams, and realized that Elgin tried to understand cams, tried
to engineer them on the coat tails of Winfield and Delong.  John was
there in the beginning, built his own cam grinder, he knew cams, he knew
grinders, understood them past the numbers in a way an artist knows his
paint or a sculptor finds its form from the media.  I can tell you that
he still used that HP calculator; he still remembered every cam he ever
made.  He was the one, when everyone else is using 7075 alum, for
retainers and valve train components, he used 2024.  I remember John
opening up the alco book that was 2x my years and saying look, 7075 at
that temperature, is weaker than 6061 at that temp, 2024 is the only
readily available alloy that still has anything left. A lesson one of
many that I keep with me today, more than a cam grinder, a teacher. \

It is unfortunate, but there are few artisans in that industry anymore,
I know in my lifetime those pioneers who really got in from the cradle
will all be in the grave.

-----Original Message-----
From: Dick Renard [mailto:renard at tailgater.net]
Sent: Monday, May 09, 2005 11:59 AM
To: Phil Mische; Trevor Frank; s-car-list at audifans.com
Cc: squirrelhill at mlode.com
Subject: Re: [s-cars] Cam's for Cheap!

Thanks Guys,
My dad knew John and bought cams from him when he was first at Babbitt
Bearing in San Jose after the war.  When I first opened my race shop in
1972, Dad took me to John.  He was pretty irascible, but because of my
dad,
I learned to always ask; "John, here's what I am thinking, what would
you
like to do?"  From that, we had John do everything, VW/Porsche, Alfa
Romeo,
English Ford, Jaguar, Lotus, Chevrolet, etc.  Slover Cylinder Heads (LA)
and
I were the only guys to provide cylinder and inlet manifold air flow
numbers
to John, then we would step back and listen while he would work a pad of

paper, an old HP calculator and his common sense.  And Phil, you're
right.
If you asked in earnest, listened carefully, he would give you not only
the
cam, lifters and springs, he would give you ignition, carb, inlet
manifold,
plus exhaust lengths and configurations.  Amazing!  Thank you so much
for
responding, I've got a number of guys to reach.
Best Wishes,
Dick Renard
----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil Mische" <pmische at comcast.net>
To: "Trevor Frank" <tfrank at symyx.com>; "Dick Renard"
<renard at tailgater.net>;
<s-car-list at audifans.com>
Sent: Monday, May 09, 2005 12:31 PM
Subject: Re: [s-cars] Cam's for Cheap!


> John Delong was great grinder - in a world full of bull his stuff just

> flat worked.  Big shoes to fill.
>
> P
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Trevor Frank" <tfrank at symyx.com>
> To: "Dick Renard" <renard at tailgater.net>; <s-car-list at audifans.com>
> Sent: Monday, May 09, 2005 1:24 PM
> Subject: RE: [s-cars] Cam's for Cheap!
>
>
>
> Yes, his name is Spiro Jannings, Spiro's Cams.. www.spiroscams.com ,
San
> Jose CA, 1-408-292-0646 business.  He has a pretty new hydraulic burko
> that he uses as well as a storm volkan that he uses for roughing.  He
> used to work for Elgin and did a lot of grinding and was the guy for
> hardfacing.  He has all of Delong's old masters as well as some new
ones
> he has made himself. We will all miss John, but it's good to know that
> his masters will be around for a long time.
>
> He also has the master for a big hydraulic audi cam, based off of a
cat
> cam, as well as the 7a cam, so if you have a 7a you want to clean up
or
> regrind or he might be able to make a big cam from a 7a.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
> [mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of Dick Renard
> Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2005 1:19 PM
> To: s-car-list at audifans.com
> Subject: [s-cars] Cam's for Cheap!
>
> Hi,
> I just ran across some of your messages, one concerning the "Successor
> to DeLong Cams".  Can I get the name, address, phone, etc. of this
> gentleman?
> Thank You,
> Dick Renard
> Vice President
> Tailgater, Inc.
> 1610 Moffett St.
> Salinas, CA 93905
> 800.424.5437
> 831.424.1231 fax
> 831.214.5374 cell
> Email: renard at tailgater.net
>
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contact the sender immediately, permanently delete the original and
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