Technical Stovebolt Guys: Is this a factory valve cover?

So, I found this valve cover the other day.

It appears to be a '50 - '62 Stovebolt cover.

I've looked for another online, and can find chrome ones all over, but none with the script except on a few "barn find" Corvettes (and then they're all rusted, and you can barely tell that's what they are).

The metal isn't the thickest, but there's just something about this that makes me think it might not be just part of a dress-up kit.

Is this a factory chrome cover? Can anyone shed some light on this? I've pretty much scoured the internet, and am coming up short, except for those above-mentioned barn find '53/'54 Corvette pics.

Any help is appreciated, and if anybody can tell me right off, it would be the HAMB (or the guys at the Stovebolt forum, but I don't have an account there).

 

looks just like plated oe valve cover
I got and old chrome oil filter housing from an old show car

 

That's what I thought, too. But did GM ever offer one plated from the factory?

I've seen a thread talking about a factory plated cover, but kind of shrugged it off (and lost the link). Then I saw the Corvettes and thought my wall trophy might be something a little more special... especially after not finding another online.

 

Hmmm.
When I got this engine it was out if an old 59 lowrider. I had always assumed they had these parts plated. It had a lot of chrome parts on it, peeling but chrome.
Edit: never mind, just noticed mine has the filler in the middle. My stock 54 cover looks like that one, does it have 4 breather slots on top?

 

I don't think it has any breather slots up top. It's smooth.

 

That's factory, though they were not chrome. I'm not sure what year they were first produced. Strange that you never seen one before.

 

I'm just not a Stovebolt guy. LOL!

Could this be part of a dress-up kit? Or do you guys think it's a chromed factory cover done by someone other than the factory?

 

someone had it plated.

 

Whew... okay. Thanks, squirrel.

I just wanted to verify I wasn't committing a multitude of sins keeping it hanging on the wall instead of passing it on, like if it was the missing piece of someone's Corvette or something. And now I know it's not part of some cheapie dress-up kit, but the real deal.

 

Do they pop up often?

 

It should be on someone's engine.

Don't see them too often.

 

Yeah, the version with the 4 screws around the sides instead of using two hold-down nuts off the rocker train would have been like '58 ('56?) and newer. So, no rare inline Corvette version or anything. Neat dress-up part, though. K6

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

THAT is what I was anting to know. I'll put it up for tradin' sometime.

Thanks, squirrel.

 

Believe it or not, I found it hanging in a shed when I went to pick up an old kiln for the Mrs (a Craigslist freebie).

The folks were moving, and said it had been there since they moved in (which had been a long time - they were getting on in age, and with adult children). They couldn't figure out why anybody would want it, and gladly handed it off.

Hell, until squirrel mentioned it was uncommon to see chromed in the wild, I was gonna hit it with some Windex & Turtle Wax and put it on the wall as a trophy!

This is a 3rd Gen Stovebolt: '54 - '62 235/261. The 2-bolt valve cover stopped production in '53.

 

The oil fill moved around, you see that picture above with the similar cover but with the fill in the center? I think that one design was used 54-58, the other one from 59-62. But I don't have good enough memory to know for sure.

 

I would bet it's a stock cover that someone had plated because the "Chevrolet," oil filler, dual row of "body lines" looks exactly like the stock cover that was in my Dad's '55 first series pickup that had a 235. The original engine was replaced with a 235 out of a 57 Chevy passenger car, I don't remember which one had the script vlv cover, maybe both, we ran the script one b/c it looked cool, never thought about getting it chromed though.

Kipp

 

..think the oil fill breather cap moved to center about 59 to clear the lower hood.

 

Just walked out to the shop and raised the hood on my 1958 Delray it has a 235 6 cyl. engine and valve cover has oil breather in front by thermostat housing . The valve cover in post has breather in middle? I am unsure of that valve covers year of manufacture . Don

 

Could indeed be from a factory 1954 Corvette ...



Mechanically, the 1954 Corvette would be similar to the 1953. The engine was still a 235 cubic inch inline six cylinder topped a trio of Carter side draft carburetors. The appearance of the engine was altered slightly with a new valve cover. The new cover was similar to the cover used of other 1954 passenger cars. 1954 Corvettes may have been built with either a chrome or blue painted valve cover.

Source: http://www.c1vet.com/1954.HTML

 

maybe my memory is failing, but I thought the Corvette cover had a slight taper to the front to clear the hood. am I crazy? those that know me please refrain from answering.

 

^^^
Just the '53 has the sloped cover with 2 studs. A few Corvettes got chrome.
'54 - '55 has front oil fill, still has 4 vents.
'56 - '58 front oil fill, no vents.
'59 up center oil fill.
That's only pass. car - trucks vary ....
Stock chromed covers were available from Cal Custom, Eastern Auto, Midwest, & many other speed parts dealers.