Erson Cams Quality Discussion

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ErsonCamShop
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Erson Cams Quality Discussion

Post by ErsonCamShop »

We're looking to get some feedback from anyone who has purchased an Erson Cam, positive or negative. We moved the company from Carson City, Nevada to Louisville, Kentucky in October 2011 and are striving to make the highest quality camshaft on the market. We campro and inspect every cam we grind. We would like to hear from anyone who has purchased or is running an Erson Cam. Your feedback is what will let us know what we're doing right and wrong and assist us in becoming the best cam manufacturer.
Thanks
Russ
Russ Yoder
Erson Cams
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ersoncamsshop@gmail.com
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tsanchez
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Re: Erson Cams Quality Discussion

Post by tsanchez »

Are you only doing chevy stuff, I used to use erson back in the 80s and really liked them.
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Re: Erson Cams Quality Discussion

Post by buddy rawls »

I used to run erson cams all the time. Working thru John Stealy and Steve Tanzi. I was trying to get hooked thru them to grind my custom stuff, but it was during the changeover and buyout with MrGasket. The huge mr gasket coorporation wanted nothing to do with the small guys and racer accounts. I have worked thru Comp the whole time since and have been treated awesomely.

I still have some erson cams (personals). I have never had any problems with them (flat tappets). I did lose a couple on break-in, but that was really more of a spring load problem, John replaced both no questions asked, and they were really my fault for over loading them on the break-in. Nowdays I break in flat tappets with 80-90 seat and no more than 200 open.

Supershops did more damage than anything to the Erson name, by mis-selecting camshafts and components quite often.

do you have any of the old catalogs. I am looking for of the early to mid 1980's (orange, sig erson) before it went to the brown erson cams catalog around 88 or so.
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Re: Erson Cams Quality Discussion

Post by lorax »

If I could make one suggestion, it would be better access to available stock grinds, or at least a lobe master list. Everytime I have considered a Erson, which I used to run extensively in the 60 and 70s, I loved, I become dismayed by the lack of info
selection, specially on rollers.
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Re: Erson Cams Quality Discussion

Post by DaveMcLain »

I've used quite a few Erson cams after EPW bought them and I've had good results. One problem with the "E" cam(cheap line purchased from Melling) is that there are MANY cams listed which are NEVER in stock which is a shame because some of those are good for mild builds.
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Re: Erson Cams Quality Discussion

Post by CREngines »

just an opinion but letting Steve Tanzi go was a mistake for you guys. He is a smart guy. I use the springs and lifters often because they are quality pieces but have not purchased a cam since the company was moved and Steve left.
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Re: Erson Cams Quality Discussion

Post by Walter R. Malik »

I used to use them a lot in the 70's before Supershops and then THEY didn't want my business because I was simply an engine builder and not an over the counter type customer.
They had 4 solid flat tappet cams used in a big block Chevy which used 2 different intake lobes; (A practice which some think is rather new, :lol: ).

They even got us a valve spring manufactured once at our request in the early 80's which I believe they might still sell. (Stock small block Chevy with the same outer diameter, wire diameter and same amount of coils but, a longer FREE LENGTH), for a bit more pressure and still get past a tech man in stock class Firehawk road racing.
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Re: Erson Cams Quality Discussion

Post by CamKing »

Just curious, but who is designing your new profiles ?
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Re: Erson Cams Quality Discussion

Post by Plaintoast »

I run quite a few of them, in fact I'm waiting for my salesperson to call me back right now so I can order another.
Overall I'd say pretty good though. I can think of a few issues with quality, one for a Lincoln 462 that wouldn't fit because the journal size was wrong, and roller cam for SBC, step nose style, I got two or three and finally someone checked and found they were all wrong, and I ordered from someone else in frustration.
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Re: Erson Cams Quality Discussion

Post by user-9274568 »

I've used many over the last few years. Mostly roller SBC's.

I have a master list and I pick my own lobes.

Always make great power and no one has bitched that they don't.

In fact I just stuck one in my personal 406. 280-288 on a 109..
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Re: Erson Cams Quality Discussion

Post by wyrmrider »

Agree on the Super Shops Early 80's and Mr Gasket fiascoes
Back in those days Erson was mostly reboxed generic big Detroit grinder product
same as Melling, Speed Pro, Summit etc and many other Big name brand camgrinders
Recall that Crane bought a big Detroit grinder so he could compete
These are good quality but not exactly state of the art grinds
designed mostly for production rebuilders and for minimum installation and support issues
A Value line
Problem is you can't tell if you were getting a rebox or a ground in house cam
Erson mostly had all .842 chevy masters
Did they machine their own billets and grind their Top fuel cams
Today Erson has an uphill slog
What's up today?
any 1.75 big block Chrysler rockers :)
Let's see
Sig left Isky in the early 60's, and I lost track of him
and if you read UDHarolds bio you can read between the lines and see how hard it is to do a profitable cam company
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Re: Erson Cams Quality Discussion

Post by nickmckinney »

SuperShops - blast from the past. Anyone who visited this wacky located one in Ft Lauderdale it covered the entire block and had just 5 parking spaces in back for both the employees and the customers :lol: I bought my first Holley and tube of Erson cam break in moly (I still have it!) there back in the hair spray rock and roll days.
Image


I have to agree that today its an uphill battle as most of us "old timers" connect you with the Super Shops era. When I think of getting a cam today I am calling Bullet, Comp, or Mike Jones and I bet many others here are the same way. IMHO I would look at what these 3 are doing and see what you can do to compete against them. For me I work on mostly new Fords with OHC. I don't know how the future is going to be but its been 10 years since I installed my last flat tappet and I have no idea how many OHC Ford cams have passed my hands since then but its well into the hundreds.

Image
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Re: Erson Cams Quality Discussion

Post by user-9274568 »

I far from an "old timer" being 47, but I did buy from Super Shops..

I don't associate Erson with them. I remember buying cams from hell from Tanzi back in the day.

For me it's about power, and a product at a fair price.

Although the lobes might be older and most designed by Hans Herman, RM sure seems to make power with them.

The more I learn about porting, I honestly think and feel that you must bring the cam to your style..
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Re: Erson Cams Quality Discussion

Post by nickmckinney »

"Young punks" today would call those of us "old timers" who even know what a flat tappet means much less ever installed one :D

My kids and my shop guys are all in their early 20's, forget flat tappet they look at all pushrod motors other than the LSx and new Hemi like dinosaurs from the "good ole days" Around here its import anything vs LSx vs a mod/coyote Mustang and the imports are getting more numerous each year. You should have heard the bellyaching when one had to move some 460 DOVE iron from one side of the shop to the other :lol:
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Re: Erson Cams Quality Discussion

Post by af2 »

nickmckinney wrote:"Young punks" today would call those of us "old timers" who even know what a flat tappet means much less ever installed one :D

My kids and my shop guys are all in their early 20's, forget flat tappet they look at all pushrod motors other than the LSx and new Hemi like dinosaurs from the "good ole days" Around here its import anything vs LSx vs a mod/coyote Mustang and the imports are getting more numerous each year. You should have heard the bellyaching when one had to move some 460 DOVE iron from one side of the shop to the other :lol:
Removing heads on an FE from a 70's Ford truck with A/C then re installing without using clothes pins to hold the rear push rods will ruin a day.
The 200 lb intake is another...
GURU is only a name.
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