Technical Corvette valve covers: The current state of the molds.

My favorite FORD valve cover!

 

Yep FG as i recall, or more like when I found out it was ,66or67, and back then i couldn't have cared less,
i'm a chevy NUT through and through. Worked at a SD dealership 1966-71, had lots of fun , it gave me lots of stories to tell, like when a transport of ( 7 ) 1969 Z-28 camaros, while being unloaded, 5 blew up, something to do with a disgruntled employe back at the factory, They sounded bad(crappie) coming off the transport. Man oh man did we scrape up lots of Z-28 parts , we replaced (swapped out) new Z parts to put them back together,,, wink wink some were questionable ,but we replaced then anyway.

 

which was first 7 fin ,or 9? I have a 55 chevy eng that I would like to dress that way.Seems like back in the 50s the v/c were about 11 buck at the chevy dealer. Thanks for the time

 

9 fin........ but they ain't cheap and only fit staggered stud heads.

 

Thanks ,55 chevy did have staggered holes.

 

I thought the nine fin were for only the cars with fuel injection.

 

He asked which was first and would be correct for a '55 V8. No clue if it was a fuel injected only application....... or even available in 1955 (the nine fin) but considering fuel injection came out in'57 obviously isn't correct for a '55 if it was fuel injection only. He'll have to take some artistic license under the hood.
Normally wouldn't have replied to this, but it's been long day at work. lol

Edit. Thinking about it a little more, I don't think the 9 fin were available until '57 so you may be right....... but I'd bet they would have been included with the 270 dual quad package as well.

 

eng is a 55 2 bbl, no fuel injection then..No artistic license here just don't want to look too silly. May go with the painted covers.

 

around 8.50 at discount price...(way back then)

 

Well that what i thought too... Hay FG do you know....oops hes banned sorry FG..

 

Ah 56 2x4's --->

1. 1956 2x4 engines used P/N 3726086: (9) fins, low (.030”) script, staggered bolt holes, and no notches in the upper seal flange.

2. Later 1956 2x4 engines with a revised intake manifold having larger runners required two cutouts to be added to the upper seal flange to clear the larger intake runners, starting about S/N 1650 (650th car built). There was no part number change, and these covers carried into ’57 production.

3. When fuel injection was introduced in 1957, an interference was found between the air meter and the upper fin on the valve cover, and the middle area of the top fin was milled off on fuel injection engines, starting about S/N 1900. 2x4 engines continued to use the “un-milled” 9-fin valve cover. Again, no part number change.

4. A new 7-fin cover (essentially the 9-fin cover with the top and bottom fins removed from the mold) was introduced on ’57 fuel injection engines about S/N 2900. The 2x4 engines continued to use the original 9-fin cover until about S/N 3900, when the transition began to the new 7-fin cover already in use on fuel injection engines. From S/N 3900 to about S/N 4500, 2x4 engines used both 9-fin and 7-fin covers, and 2x4 engines after about S/N 4500 all used the new 7-fin cover.

5. The new 7-fin low-script staggered-hole valve cover continued into 1958 production until about S/N 3600, when the molds were changed to increase the height of the “Corvette” script from .030” to .125” to improve their appearance. This cover (no part number change) continued into 1959 production until late March, 1959, when the cylinder heads changed.

6. The two lower valve cover attaching holes (and the bolt holes in the cylinder heads) were re-spaced inward to match the location of the upper two holes in late March, 1959; this new “parallel-hole” 7-fin high-script valve cover, P/N 3767493, continued in production through the end of the 1967 model year.

 

Answer--->
There were actually six different variations of them used from 1956-1967.

1. 1956 2x4 engines used P/N 3726086: (9) fins, low (.030”) script, staggered bolt holes, and no notches in the upper seal flange.

2. Later 1956 2x4 engines with a revised intake manifold having larger runners required two cutouts to be added to the upper seal flange to clear the larger intake runners, starting about S/N 1650 (650th car built). There was no part number change, and these covers carried into ’57 production.

3. When fuel injection was introduced in 1957, an interference was found between the air meter and the upper fin on the valve cover, and the middle area of the top fin was milled off on fuel injection engines, starting about S/N 1900. 2x4 engines continued to use the “un-milled” 9-fin valve cover. Again, no part number change.

4. A new 7-fin cover (essentially the 9-fin cover with the top and bottom fins removed from the mold) was introduced on ’57 fuel injection engines about S/N 2900. The 2x4 engines continued to use the original 9-fin cover until about S/N 3900, when the transition began to the new 7-fin cover already in use on fuel injection engines. From S/N 3900 to about S/N 4500, 2x4 engines used both 9-fin and 7-fin covers, and 2x4 engines after about S/N 4500 all used the new 7-fin cover.

5. The new 7-fin low-script staggered-hole valve cover continued into 1958 production until about S/N 3600, when the molds were changed to increase the height of the “Corvette” script from .030” to .125” to improve their appearance. This cover (no part number change) continued into 1959 production until late March, 1959, when the cylinder heads changed.

6. The two lower valve cover attaching holes (and the bolt holes in the cylinder heads) were re-spaced inward to match the location of the upper two holes in late March, 1959; this new “parallel-hole” 7-fin high-script valve cover, P/N 3767493, continued in production through the end of the 1967 model year.

 

Wow .a ton of info. Since my eng is a 55 non power pack, painted covers will have to do. Now if I could find a power pack 4 bbl intake. I haven't seen the eng yet, but do know it has the oil filter similar to the flat head ford.

 

Great to see all this history and identification all in one place ...... thanks

 

The reason I use aluminum valve covers is they don't leak like the warped stamped steel ones sometimes do. I aint gonna worry about the looks of them. Maybe wash the engine with the power washer about once a year. Ive got a couple of sets of those corvette valve covers in the hoard.

 

The 55 four BBl intake is a one off item. It has the provision for the water temp at the rear drivers side of the intake. 55's used a short burbon tube mechanical temp guage. In 56 they where electric units.

 

That PARAGON price of $145 is NOT for a pair. It's for one (1) valve cover and one (1) gasket.
Back ordered now, will be available in May. (re: 'Brandon', sales rep @ PARAGON)

 

Water temp is not a issue. would probably be using a elect gauge. Thanks for noting that Bill. I have no experience with the older chevy engs. I picked this up out of a original 55 bel air.has about 6?k miles good oil press, 120s compression. I think it's an original eng.Has the oil filter mounted on the intake.

 

Now I'm confused, the covers I have are NOS that I bought from the Chevy dealer in 1962. They are seven
fin with the notches, P/N 3726086 on the inside. Did they make both seven and nine fin with this number?
Thanks Rich....

 

just bought a nice 7 fin set ,has notches, no numbers inside, no mold part line across the name. 105 shipped. I thought it was a good deal.