C1 Trivia

[Roy B.]

When candy bars were larger and cost only a nickle you also got in your valve cover gasket sets 8 little rubber seals that went under the cover support plates. It was to seal oil from going up the screw threads . These were on all steel covers- Car and Corvette up to 1961. Fell-pro gaskets I have ordered had them. Also fell-pro still sells the thicker 1/4 gaskets that were originally used on Corvettes. Not the cheap thin ones others sell.
Over spray is judged but I don't think the seals are???
Any one out there have them or seen them before ???

[Tom D.]

Re: C1 Trivia

Sure thing! I had some used ones until recently...




Mich Chapter Site

[Mike M.]

Re: C1 Trivia

roy: do you have any documentation to support your contention that the little rubbers were inserted between the valve cover and the metal retaining plates when the c-1's left St. louis? thanks, mike

[Roy B.]

Re: C1 Trivia

No! And I believe there is none for the heater hose,tin back bulbs,welded wheels (dog bone),rubber tip wipers,carpet (not color), paint over spray, the paint color of 54 to 57 corvette by serial number and many many more. Many things that have been found to have happened were never documented on paper or survived. I may be wrong about some I listed, but I'm sure not all things that did happen have documentation. Like the start or ending of a part or year.Many things that are judged is done by consensus of owners.

[Mike M.]

Re: C1 Trivia

Roy: reason I asked is I have several OLD OLD sets of GM samll block valve cover gaskets, in the old black and yellow paper packages, most never opened and the ones opened were opened by me. none of the open sets have the rubbers and i can feel none in the unopened GM gasket sets.Will have to admit I personally have never been the dude to remove a virgin valve cover from a c-1. mike

[Roy B.]

Re: C1 Trivia

Mike I don't have an answer for that , but I and many other owners new this and saw them on many survivor cars at NCRS meets. Also many owners of 53 to 55 don't realize that the soft top frame ,where you tighten down the finger nut above the window area had a rubber cover that was the same color as the top assy. Also no documentation. And the area of the soft top material where the snap is located had a mohair flap sewn on to keep that air off your neck when the windows are installed. These things are not judged on "todays" vetts because most have repro. tops with out it. How many times have suppliers boosted a more better correct carpet, seats, soft top and parts because consensus demanded it.Your one of the older great guys that also know things that I don't know but talk about them when we meet.

[Larry P.]

Re: C1 Trivia

Guys in their early 20’s working in St. Louis in the late fifties and early sixties would be in there late sixties or early seventies now. Has anybody ever made an effort to find and ask these guys simple questions like this? I would think that there are still many who would be able to clear up many mysteries, if asked. Most of them probably wouldn’t imagine that anybody cares. In a few more years this opportunity won’t be available.
Larry

[Dave Suesz]

Re: C1 Trivia

Mike- for what it's worth, I have the rubber seals on my 55. The covers are the originals, and went straight from the original engine to the replacement. If they are not factory installed, they have certainly been there for over 40 years.

I also still have the thumbscrew cover on on side of the top frame, which was probably intended to protect the top material from the knurled head. No mention of this in the NCRS JG.

Don't know about the "flap" on the top. My top is original but rough, due to about 8 years of daily use. It might be there, but I don't use the top and I'm not going to remove the cover and hardtop and unfold the top just to check. I'd be grateful if Roy could post a photo of this "flap".

Having long history with a car helps. The JG and every major supplier specify only oval mufflers for the '55, even though my car was originally equipped with the 55-57 round style. GM also specified round mufflers, although no doubt they used some oval ones when they ran short, or were using up 54 stuff. Or just felt like it, even though they had 2 suppliers for the round ones.

[Ted L.]

Re: C1 Trivia

Roy,

If it's any consolation, My '60 had the seals before I started the restoration and they were painted orange. I even made up new ones from an old inner tube because one of them was torn. I didn't use them because I couldn't find any documented proof they should be there and you guessed it, they leak.

Ted #32350

[Roy B.]

Re: C1 Trivia "help me and you"

There are so many things not documentation that many of us know about and yet every one is so in to the little things now days. ( like paint over spraying) I'm just asking , would be nice to have NCRS donate a survey in the Restorer to take a consensus of people on various things . How else is NCRS with out documentation going to improve it's judging and answer questions about these things????????????

[Dave Suesz]

Exactly! *NM*

[Jim T.]

Re: C1 Trivia

I remember using these when I installed 409 chrome valve covers on my 58 Impala 348 with 3 dueces and Muncie 4-speed. I can't remember if they came with the new gaskets or not. Do remember that I got two chrome valve covers in one box, so I had a extra chrome 409 valve cover.