C Body Bob
Old Man with a Hat
What years did the small block valve covers have the name Chevrolet written across the top ?
I have a small block Chevrolet question
- Thread starter C Body Bob
- Start date
70bigblockdodge
Old Man with a Hat
By mid to late 60s it was gone. Probably when they moved the oil fill cap to the cover and not from the tube going into manifold.
Seens like the oil filler cap moved to the valve covers in 1968? Those script metal valve covers also had a more rounded top than the non-script items. I found a set on a 283 in the salvage yard back in the earlier '80s. Apparently somebody had put a higher-lift cam in the engine they had been on, as there were little bumps at each rocker arm's location under the valve covers. Which means the earlier covers were a "tighter fit" over the valve gtrain than in later years, as the valve lift on the 283s was much less than what it became in later years. With the performance engines having the cast aluminum covers on them anyway (with more room inside of them).
Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
Bob, I assume you're talking about these? I believe these were on '55-57. Maybe on Corvette for a little time in the '60s.
My '64 chevys with 327s have these. These are on all years of sbc Impalas ('58-66, maybe later) as far as I know.
Also, there have been plenty of over-the-counter and aftermarket covers with various "Chevrolet" scripts and styles over the years.
My '64 chevys with 327s have these. These are on all years of sbc Impalas ('58-66, maybe later) as far as I know.
Also, there have been plenty of over-the-counter and aftermarket covers with various "Chevrolet" scripts and styles over the years.
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C Body Bob
Old Man with a Hat
Yes that first pic is the one I’m talking about.
'55-'57 sounds right to me. The oil filler cap was moved to the valve cover on later engines because early Chevy's were famous for blowing oil out of the breather cap at high rpms. The more blow by the engine had, the worse it got. The redneck solution was to stuff a rag in the breather pipe of the '55-'57 cars and let the blow by gasses go out the draft tube at the rear of the engine, they would still lay a smoke screen but at least the oil stayed in the engine instead of all over it.
Dave
Dave
C Body Bob
Old Man with a Hat
C Body Bob
Old Man with a Hat
I’ve seen pics of them in green.
C Body Bob
Old Man with a Hat
I think I’m going to do them in Chevy orange
Chevy orange should be the "right" color.
Also, I assume you are planning on selling these. If you can some how identify and market them as OEM Corvette parts, you can charge 2x price.
Maybe just writing "corvette" with a sharpie on the inside will work. Corvette guys will pay stupid prices for dumb things.
Maybe just writing "corvette" with a sharpie on the inside will work. Corvette guys will pay stupid prices for dumb things.
pomonamissel
Senior Member
bob early sbc have offset hold down holes . there not straight across from each other , i'm pretty sure those covers were used up until the 307 came out , about 67 68 . both 283's and early 327's ran those covers . and the 265 and early 283 has staggered mounting holes .
C-Sick
Member
the staggered mount holes match up with the old "Power Pack" heads. More rare is the Pontiac version of the same valve covers from Canadian Pontiacs which used the Chevy small block from '55 to '69.
C Body Bob
Old Man with a Hat
Ok so basically 60’s era engines ?
pomonamissel
Senior Member
yes
imperialman
Active Member
Since you have the staggered pattern, no. The ones you have are for early heads. According to these guys I was off by a year or two as they claim the "new" head design came out in '59. Staggered Valve covers - Chevy Message Forum - Restoration and Repair Help
So '59 and later would look like the ones I posted above with 327 stickers on them, which are also on my original 327s.
Just a little related info, the early sbc block ('55-57) is also different than the standard sbc.
C Body Bob
Old Man with a Hat
I need to check if mine are staggered holes.
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