? ID make of finned sb Chevy valve covers ?

[al8apex]

Just found these today.

These are HEAVY cast aluminum and it is cast rough on the underside with absolutely no markings, numbers, etc

any clue to who made them?

They are the early staggered style

Thanks for any input

[Deuces]

Looks like they were made for a 283 "Fuelie" motor.. I could be wrong...

[KoolKat-57]

Early Cal Custom?

[fleetside66]

They really have the look of Cal Customs. But, Cal Customs normally have the name & model stampings inside. Regardless, very nice set.

[porknbeaner]

Originally Posted by KoolKat-57

Early Cal Custom?

I was thinking the same thing. I don't recall seeing Cal Custom covers that weren't maorked inside but I haven't seen everyone ever made and they sure look Cal Custom.

[CR1193]

Yeah, looks like Cal-Custom, I've got a set of non staggered hole somewhere. Those would be for 265 or early 283 chevys.

[willowbilly3]

I have a set of staggered hole cal customs and those you have are different.

[296 V8]

Moon

[propwash]

I second the MOON id....curved on end...fins very close to edge and Cal Customs were not this substantial in their construction (material thickness).

dj

[al8apex]

these are substantial in weight, they weigh 4 2/3 pounds each!

the inside of them is rough casting, no marks ... zip, nada

Edelbrock, Fenton, Moon, Edmunds, Offenhauser, Stelling & Hellings, Cal Custom and others all made cast aluminum stuff back then, just trying to narrow down the field. A lot of the big names wanted their name on their products, so maybe Cal Custom is a good guess, most of the stuff they did was without a name on the outside of the part ...

the OEM Corvette Fuelie valve covers that GM made had notched clearance on the driver's side to clear the throttle body and the air cleaner.

just looked at an old Cal Custom die cast foot pedal and they have their name on the back :



... but it is a die cast part and not a sand cast part as these covers appear to be

I am guessing these are true 50's era parts, just not sure about their birth company

Again, thanks for all your ideas

[Richard Head]

They are early Cal Customs. The first ones were sand cast with the outer fins being interrupted by the bolt holes. The later ones were all diecast which had the part numbers inside them and un-interrupted fins (maybe one less fin?). There are other threads on here addressing this.

Dave

[burnnflamz]

pretty nice shape-good find-

[tommy]

They are not Cal Customs. These are Cal customs. Notice these have 6 fins. All the fins run uninterrupted from end to end.



My set of the 7 fin variety with the fins broken up for the hold down bolts on my roadster . A vendor told me years ago their name but I didn't write it down. He had a set and thought that they were hard to find $$. That was before Vintage speed started to reproduce them. I wish I could remember their name. This vendor specialized in old hotrod parts and seemed to know his shit. Most vendors I don't trust. He said if they had 7 fins they were XXXX if they had 6 fins they were Cal custom.



Just to confuse the issue even more...these are later model Cal Customs I took these off to use my unnamed 7 finners.

[al8apex]

Weiand-Eelco-Speed Gems-Almquist- JC whitney--Western Dual ???

The vintage site calls their repros LIKE the Cal Customs ... :

"Small block Chevy-Reproduction valve covers from VINTAGE SPEED A heavy cast alum. cover like the Cal Custom made in the early 60's. No cheap pot metal or thin die cast alum. here. This is the most popular hot rod valve cover ever made. Fins go all the way down the sides and are highlight polished. True Nostalia for your 50's-60's style rod."



except their repops are for the straight bolt holes ...

the angle of these on the ends seem less "square" than others I have seen ...



so maybe EARLY Cal Customs or Moon or Iskendarian or ????

[a50merc]

Mr. Gasket mabey....!

[CR1193]

Originally Posted by Richard Head

They are early Cal Customs. The first ones were sand cast with the outer fins being interrupted by the bolt holes. The later ones were all diecast which had the part numbers inside them and un-interrupted fins (maybe one less fin?). There are other threads on here addressing this.

Dave

I second this, as I stated in a earlier post, just didn't get this technical.

If you will notice on the gas pedal it also has JAPAN on it, most all later productions were like this. Some good ole cheap casting overseas!!!!