1965 396 Valve Covers

[Dave C.]

Can someone help me with a description of 1965 396 valve covers, I am most interested in the stantions for the wire looms. Do both valve covers have them and if so where. I know about the angled corner for the PB Booster Anything else that makes them unique

thanks for any help

Dave

[Joe L.]

Re: 1965 396 Valve Covers

Dave-----

The right (passenger) side cover had a wire loom support spot welded to the rear surface of the valve cover, just rearward of the rearmost, upper bolt. It was a "straight" support and it was not angled or "bent", but did have a "notch" at the top rear. The right side cover also had an "L" bracket for a 2 wire loom located on the top surface, just about at the mid-point of the valve cover (i.e. between the 2 center valve cover bolts). The bracket was welded on just about perpendicular to the valve cover.

The left (driver) side cover had no rear wire support. It had only an "L" bracket for the 2 wire loom located at the same location and orientation as the right side cover.

Both covers had a hole (and associated internal baffles) for the PCV system. The right side cover had the hole rearward and the left side cover had it forward. This location was pretty much standard for all big block valve covers. The oil filler was located on the right side valve cover.

I can't think of any other distinguishing features of these valve covers. However, I won't guarantee that every, single 1965 L-78 originally had valve covers that were absolutely identical in all details I mentioned or did not mention above. The number of subtley different valve cover configurations for big blocks was just about "infinite".

[Joe L.]

Addendum

I forgot to mention, the "L" bracket on both valve covers was located about 1/3 of the width of the valve cover up from the lower edge of the cover; it was not centered on the width of the cover.

[Wayne M.]

Also, early cars didn't have the drippers...

.. (supposedly) that is; the TIM&JG doesn't mention this. If none inside, will be no evidence of spot-weld dimples visible from the outside.

Also, the driver side cover has two clips to hold the temp sender wire (don't know if all chev bb's had these). They're spot welded just fore and aft of the rear and front top bolts, respectively.

[Dave C.]

Re: Also, early cars didn't have the drippers...

Thanks for the input - my car is a July car.

Dave

[Joe L.]

Re: Also, early cars didn't have the drippers...

Wayne and Dave-----

Yes, I forgot about the temp sender wire clips on the left side valve cover. I think that it's a "mental block"; I always forget about them on ANY valve cover because I never liked them on valve covers. So, I think I mentally "block them out".