Is there any kind of adaptor available to mount a 9 fin valve cover (with staggered holes) on a later cylinder head with straight holes? Anyone ever done this? Thanks Rich
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Re: 9 Fin V/C Question
None to my knowledge... Bottom line, you'd have to create new holes in the valve cover to match the cylinder head (thus ruining a hard to find, rare old part). I'd bite the bullet and go get a set of staggered hole cylinder heads (they made them up through '59 if you're not interested in getting correct date/part number matched originals)... -
Re: 9 Fin V/C Question
Jack,
Someone, possibly even Chevrolet, makes an aluminum adapter to do this.
It bolts to the center bolts and has threaded holes for the old valve covers.
VerleComment
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Cool, I learned something! *NM*
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Re: 9 Fin V/C Question
Verle, Your suggestion is not for adapting the straight/stagger hole valve cover problem! i.e. "Trick Flow valve cover adapters allow you to run early-style valve covers with your late-model Chevrolet's centerbolt heads."
But there are valve cover spacers for the use of rooler rocker with stock valve covers, maybe these could be adapted to the straight/stagger hole problem?
Look here...
Valve Cover AdaptersBobComment
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Re: 9 Fin V/C Question
Bob,
You are right, I didn't read the original question close enough.
I suspect you are also right that rocker spacers could be adapted to do the job.
VerleComment
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Re: 9 Fin V/C Question
Strange someone should ask this question (I haven't been here for quite some time). I sort of did this to a pair of '66 2.02 heads that are on the SB400 in my 56 (and Verle knows I did this). When I built the engine, I wanted it to closely resemble an FI 283. I had the double humps ground off of a pair 66 heads and then had a pyramid ^ symbol shaped into the ends of both heads to resemble the 57 FI symbol (539 heads). My machine shop can plasma spray weld cast iron, so I had extra bosses welded, drilled and tapped for staggered bolt pattern valve covers so that I can use 9-fin valve covers (the heads now have a dual bolt pattern). The FI unit sort of looks like an early unit, but it in fact has one of the early plenums that was cut in half and ported out by Bill Thomas. I've made several mods to it and it performs about like a 780 unit.
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Re: 9 Fin V/C Question
Last year at the Labor Day Kruse auction swap meet in Auburn IN I had a pair of these in my hand. This was the first time I have ever seen staggered hole to straight hole adapters. They were aluminum and had no name and weren't packaged. The guy had several sets laying on his table for $19.95 I think. After looking at them awhile I didn't buy them. The sides were just smooth with no lip at all and I didn't think that the gasket would stay in place very well. They were a very simple part that looked like the old valve cover gaskets that had both bolt patterns only made of alloy. The alternate set of holes were chamfered on the opposite side for a flat head chamfered screw. This way you could go either way with them. Straight to staggered or staggered to straight.
TomComment
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