more 66 valve cover questions

[Marzio Cano]

I am trying to decide whether to clean (bead blast?) my aluminum valve covers on my 66 L79 or buy new repro ones. Price is a factor, so is there anyone who has any success/insight in the blasting route or buying repro ones? What's cheaper? Thanks,

Marzio

[Wayne K.]

Re: more 66 valve cover questions

Marzio,

If your originals are in good condition other than they don't look as nice as you would like I would tell you to consider having them re-skinned. This is a process that has been highly recommended by others on this board. I am sorry I can't recall who does this but hopefully someone else will respond or check the archives.

Wayne

[John H.]

Re: more 66 valve cover questions

Marzio -

Send them to Jerry MacNeish ( www.z28camaro.com ) and have them re-skinned; they'll come back looking like this (this is an early staggered-hole low-script cover):

[Ralph E.]

Re: more 66 valve cover questions

Marzio,

DO NOT BEAD BLAST them. Wash and clean them. A little aluminum cleaner maybe!
How bad are they. Do not polish. If you could, email me a pix.
I'm not 100% sure, but I think by the time your car was produced the casting flaw was there.

Ralph #37280

[Rick S.]

Re: more 66 valve cover questions

I also had my 67 aluminum covers done by Jerry MacNeish and highly recommend him.

Rick Smith

[Lee Boyer]

Re: more 66 valve cover questions

John

I have been thinking of reskinning my valve covers but after seeing the pictures i'm not shure. The orig. finish has a marble look and the pics. don't look to have this, am i not seeing it or what.

[Larry S.]

Re: more 66 valve cover questions

I have used mr mac neish on some parts also and they look like brand new peice's when he was finished with them.Mine are not on the car yet but I understand they will remain as new forever?(Is this correct)

I have had no luck with my bead blaster (regardless of the media I have used to clean aluminum parts)Also the media gets inot every nook and cranny and not so easey to remove.Its especially a problem if using glass beads I would not want that in my motor.No matter how much I vacum and blow it with compressed air it will look perfectly clean of the glass beads.Ill pick the the part I cleaned 2 days latter and find more glass beads.

I tried naval jelly (took me forever to find it) and I could never get a uniform finish.

Has anybody been judged with the reskinned parts?
were there any deductions made?

[Calvin M.]

Re: More 66 valve cover questions

Hi All -
Here's a shot (I hope) of an NOS staggered hole valve cover - no casting flaw - which shows the marble finish referred to above.
Cal

[Calvin M.]

Re: More 66 valve cover questions

Hi again -
Please try this link - its another attempt at the picture of the NOS staggered hole valve cover with no casting flaw.....

http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse.asp?selected=797934

Thanks,
Cal