C2

[Jim38243]

How is it that you can have two sets of aluminum valve covers for a 327ci
, both 7 fin, both with the same part number 3767493 and both sets have the name LESTER on the underside of the cover BUT one has the casting flaw through the letter O and the other set does not?

[Peter J.]

Re: C2

The flaw appeared in late 1966 when the mold cracked.

[John Daly]

Re: C2

I have a 67 built in Oct. 66 that has a valve cover with the defect on one side,
and one without on the other. The engine build date is sept 15, 1966.
The judges said both sides should have the defect. Is this correct ?
John

[Gary B.]

C2: valve covers

John,

The 1966 TIJG says that the casting flaw began to show up around March of 1966 or 1966 VIN 17,000. My car has a build date of July 20, 1966 and I also had one cover with the casting flaw and one without. So, I believe there were still some non-flawed covers being used after March of 1966. Unfortunately, this is a clear case of where you will never be able to convince most judges that your non-flawed valve cover is original. Thus, if you don't want a points deduct, I think you will have to replace your non-casting flaw cover with one that does have the flaw; at least for judging.

Gary

[Patrick H.]

Re: C2: valve covers

John and Gary,

Our April 26 built 1966 also has one cover with a flaw, one without. Serial number is about 20200. I think too many people/judges accept it as a hard-and-fast rule. I don't plan on changing it on our car.

Patrick

[Gary B.]

Patrick; what's the deduct? 1 pt?

Patrick,

I applaud you for not knuckling under and not swapping out the unflawed cover. I may do the same. What's the deduct for having 1 cover with the flaw and one without? 1 point?

Thanks,

Gary

[Brian McHale]

Re: C2: valve covers

FWIW, My jan built base motor car had the 350 hp covers on it when I purchased it in 1994. Both covers have the seam.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Patrick; what's the deduct? 1 pt?

Gary,

I haven't looked at what it should/should not be as far as points are concerned. We bought the car in baskets. essentially previously untouched until the previous owner tried to restore it and only got as far as dissassembly. The covers are the one thing that I know where they belong (ever try to identify the original location of 7 coffee cans of bolts and nuts? I am.).

Patrick

[Craig S.]

Re: Patrick; what's the deduct? 1 pt?

Patrick - I made this mistake myself when I took my 74 apart...I bought it in 77 and am the 3rd owner. I hadn't leared about bagging and labeling, that was way too high tech for me at the time...live and learn!! Amazing how 10 years later your brain doesn't remember what head bolt marking came from where.....Craig

[Don E.]

Re: Patrick; what's the deduct? 1 pt?

Patrick, sounds like we both bought cars from the same guy. I feel your pain. The AIM is a big help but for additional clues the exploded views in many of the parts catalogs were most helpful for washer/bracket/nut configuration.

[Craig S.]

Re: Patrick; what's the deduct? 1 pt?

Don - Paragon has a nice bolt chart they were giving away at Carlisle, has all the headmarks and uses. Probably not perfect, but a big help. Maybe they would send you one if you call...Craig

[John H.]

Re: Patrick; what's the deduct? 1 pt?

Valve covers get 16/16 points; the flaw (or lack thereof) would be considered part of the "configuration" dimension of originality, with the other four dimensions getting credit, so the I would think the originality deduction could be one to three points.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Patrick; what's the deduct? 1 pt?

Craig,

I've got 3 or 4 of these. The chart helps, but some things aren't on there. A big missing component is washer finishes. The vast majority of nuts on the cars are zinc plated. Only about half the washers are, and figuring that out using 35 year old slightly corroded pieces is very difficult.

Patrick

[Craig S.]

Re: Patrick; what's the deduct? 1 pt?

I know...the chart was at least something to help, and I agree this is much harder when doing it from scratch vs careful planning....Craig