WL9 Camshaft – Custom Re-Manufacture – Parts are getting harder and harder to find so to help with that we are having some parts remanufactured. Below is the part currently available and how to buy them. This is primarily a UK based operation but we will send to other countries. All parts are sent insured at full value so this does raise the price quite a bit. You can request no insurance but it you do so it is entirely at your own risk. All parts are to the very best of our knowledge fit for purpose. They are fitted and tested out on our own TR8’s before being offered for sale but as we are doing this as a non-profit arrangement, no formal guarantee can be given. However if a manufacturing deflect is found we will do our best to secure you a replacement.

WL9 Camshaft (Walters Leyland) cam profile was designed by Chris Walters Engineering

WL9 Camshaft – Former ARG Motorsport Director John Davenport disclosed that the WL9 cam was developed by the Motorsport division and fitted to around twenty of the company’s own cars (TR8 NWK988W was among these) and a few clients’ vehicles. ARG’s Engineering Division also fitted some WL9 cams to engines for testing (The cam in the pictures came from one of those engines) and assessment, but it was never accepted for full scale production. As it was not a required part of the homologation regulations for the ETCC race cars, it did not need to be fitted to the road-going cars.

The bare figures are 19/57/57/19 = 256 degree period, .435/.430 valve lift with 1.6 rockers.  That doesn’t tell the whole story, of course, as the secret is in the steep opening

and closing ramps. It was the cam homologated for the later racing Vitesse’s, but only fitted to about 10 actual production cars. The earlier Group A racing Sd1s were limited to

the .390 standard lift, so it is highly likely that BL actually developed the WL series for the TR8 initially before moving to SD1’s after the 7/8 programme ended.

The Kent 218 is the nearest, with the same lift, however the WL9 has shorter duration and much steeper opening and closing, giving better overall breathing and very flexible behaviour.

A small number have now been re-manufactured POA. It will work with single springs. Driving a car with it fitted is a huge and very noticeable difference giving around 30bhp plus on a standard 9:35 engine, but the real difference I noticed, is how it accelerates in 5^th at higher speeds.