72 valve covers

[Eric Fairclough]

Did they offer chrome valve covers in 72? Mabye a dealer option. I know they did in 71 but i heared 72 did not have it. The only reason i ask is that i have the stock valve covers but i would like to put some oem chrome valve covers on it for looks but i don't want it to look stupid since everything else is orginal. Thanks Eric

[Joe L.]

Re: 72 valve covers

Eric-----

No chrome valve covers were offered on ANY 1972 Corvette, big block or small block. Of course, a dealer could have installed chrome valve covers on a 72 Corvette just like a dealer could have installed just about anything else on a 72 Corvette. But, it was not a "dealer installed option", per se, published in any GM literature.

Chrome valve covers were never widely used on Corvettes. There are relatively few Corvettes that ever originally used them. These include:

SMALL BLOCKS:

1955------all 265 V-8

1968------L-79 only

BIG BLOCKS:

1967------L-89 only

1968-70---ALL

1971------very early LS-5

That's it for the whole 50 years of Corvette production.

[Patrick H.]

Re: 72 valve covers

The only stock valve covers that may have "appeared" chrome are the LT-1 finned covers if they have been polished. Those produced today are polished, and might be mistaken for chrome. The originals in that era were a raw, dull aluminum finish.

A very common swap is to use these LT-1 style covers, so that's what I would do if I were Eric and wanted to maintain a semblance of original appearance.

And you know, that's just what I've done on my own car...

Patrick

[Eric Fairclough]

Re: 72 valve covers

I think maybe i will stick with the originals and get them professionaly cleaned to get all the years of paint chips and repaint jobs off of it. Thanks Eric