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Early Cadillac valve covers - development input please

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by CadDaddy42, Dec 17, 2008.

  1. idaholc
    Joined: Apr 15, 2008
    Posts: 13

    idaholc
    Member
    from Boise, ID

    Sounds like a great product. However, for those of you who have old stock 331-390 valve covers and want to spruce them up, I am producing these 1950 Oldsmobile type wire routing plates that more neatly route your ignition wires and achieve a retro look. Email for more details.
     

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  2. Showrail
    Joined: Dec 22, 2008
    Posts: 36

    Showrail
    Member
    from Sweden

    coldwar, I collect speedparts for Cadillac, and have several sets of valve covers from Edelbrock, Offenhauser, Weiand, Moon, Edmunds, and Hildebrandt. But I have never seen Detroit Racing valve covers, have a 2x2 intake from them. Have You any pictures, or can You tell me if there is an ad that show pictures of them? Have somebody a picture of Edmunds finned exhaust manifolds?
     
  3. langy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2006
    Posts: 5,730

    langy
    Member Emeritus

    I've just been looking for some scripted nostalgia covers to fit a 500 so i would be up for 1 or 2 pairs.
     
  4. What about folks who make restoration parts, do they have to pay royalties? Never thought about that.

    I would rather hand paint an emblem, or pay more, than have an overseas part on my car; I hope you don't go that route. Unless you are talking Europe.
     
  5. Trademarks only expire if you quit using them.
    Patents do expire. There are lots of rules and variations, and i don't generally advocate directly copying other peoples stuff anyway, regardless of whether the law will trip you up for it. Intellectual property rights laws are tricky, but if if you have a good moral code, you can generally go by that and you're safe. If there is no one left to pay rights to, it probably isn't theft to copy it. If there is, it probably is, whether or not the law will get you :eek:

    The guys selling parts with the 'authorized reproduction' or 'authorized restoration parts' logos are paying a fee. The ones without the logo probably aren't. I think the logo'd parts are supposed to have to pass some quality standards, as well, but I wouldn't count on it.

    'Import' is a touchy subject (and much more complex than I care to get into here). As far as this thread is concerned, suffice it to say that we don't intend to be doing any imported valve covers in the foreseeable future, for a variety of objective reasons.
     
  6. I would love some pictures of all of the various stuff you have, and I'm sure some of the other guys would as well. :D
     
  7. HEATHEN
    Joined: Nov 22, 2005
    Posts: 8,552

    HEATHEN
    Member
    from SIDNEY, NY

    Hop Up magazine put out a "Manual of the New Engines" guide in 1953 that has a picture of a complete Edmunds equipped 331 Cadillac with the finned exhaust manifolds. I don't know where my copy is right now, but I remember the picture.
     
  8. Abomination
    Joined: Oct 5, 2006
    Posts: 6,719

    Abomination
    Member

    HOLY CRAP!

    I'd have remembered that picture, too! It would've SCORCHED ITSELF INTO MY F'N BRAIN!!! :eek::eek::eek:

    ~Jason

     
  9. Abomination
    Joined: Oct 5, 2006
    Posts: 6,719

    Abomination
    Member

    Hell yeah, man! Post some pics - ANY pice! Even crappy camera phone ones!

    None of us will be upset if they're not prefect examples, laid out on black velvet and lit with glam lighting. Just a pic on a bench under whatever lighting you have in your garage will do! :D

    And hey - if you have trouble posting pics, I'll even volunteer to help!

    ~Jason

     
  10. jpizza5711
    Joined: Jul 24, 2008
    Posts: 17

    jpizza5711
    Member
    from pa.

    very nice stuff .we are getting more people wanting early caddy engines in their cars .
    when they are ready please e mail us .john pizza auto [email protected]
    set for 500 in. would be good also
     
  11. Showrail
    Joined: Dec 22, 2008
    Posts: 36

    Showrail
    Member
    from Sweden

    Ok. Have no camera for the moment, but here is some old pics. Go and see my album in the future, will add more pictures all the time.
     

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  12. Showrail
    Joined: Dec 22, 2008
    Posts: 36

    Showrail
    Member
    from Sweden

    Found one more.
     

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  13. HomemadeHardtop57
    Joined: Nov 15, 2007
    Posts: 4,328

    HomemadeHardtop57
    Member

  14. Abomination
    Joined: Oct 5, 2006
    Posts: 6,719

    Abomination
    Member

    The pics at that link made me swoon a little... :eek:

    ~Jason

     
  15. _charles_
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 305

    _charles_
    Member
    from Tampa, Fl

    I really need to start updating my page with all of these cool pictures. Unfortunately, I don't own any cool parts, because I never run across them at swap meets.

    Any tips on how to find old caddy speed parts? I'm in florida, and it seems impossible!

    Charles
     
  16. Abomination
    Joined: Oct 5, 2006
    Posts: 6,719

    Abomination
    Member

    You sir, have a website that's got probably the BEST Cadillac speed parts pornography I've ever seen! Oh my! :eek:

    ~Jason

     
  17. It's all gone very quiet........ What's happening?
     
  18. speedmetal
    Joined: Feb 2, 2006
    Posts: 98

    speedmetal
    Member
    from houston

  19. We pretty much settled on a design, and sent materials to the tool maker (head, OE valve cover, and Isky, Ford, and Studebaker adjustable rockers) in the fall. The original ETA was this month, but they haven't gotten a test pour to me as yet, so I am guessing it will be another month or 2 before these things see the light of day. I'll pester them for an update and relay it here. :D
     
  20. 50Fraud
    Joined: May 6, 2001
    Posts: 10,101

    50Fraud
    Member

    I just re-read the whole thread, looking for any discussion of the third picture in post #8. It appears to replicate the design of the early-'30s Cad V12 and V16 covers, which I have always thought were exceptionally good-looking and "Cadillac elegant".

    I'm also reminded of the '55-57 T-Bird factory covers, which I particularly like. Seems that the fins were more closely spaced and had sharper edges than the average aftermarket valve covers. I think it would be cool if you considered that kind of minor refinement when you make your final parts (maybe this is the difference between sand cast and die cast covers -- zat true?).
     

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  21. The black covers with the finer fins fit a 500 Caddy, and they exist (sort of) - they have done a test pour of 3 sets, but no more so far. They are sand cast, and I'm pretty sure those T-bird covers are sand cast as well.

    My understanding is that die casting can produce sharper edges, as well as much thinner (lighter) castings without worrying about porosity, and it is less expensive per part if you are doing a large volume. Unfortunately, it isn't practical to do on low-volume stuff (unless maybe you had it done in china or something, which I try to avoid when I can).

    I got an update on the script covers yesterday - looks like at least 2 more months, maybe more. They are pretty high on the list at the pattern shop, and they assured me they intend to definitely have them in full production in time for the SEMA show (late October). Not really what I wanted to hear, but it's way better than some production places I have dealt with.
     
  22. saabz2000
    Joined: Jan 12, 2009
    Posts: 27

    saabz2000
    Member
    from uk

    has this hit production yet?
     
  23. Didn't make it for the SEMA show .... The approval from GM Licensing came through, though, so they are supposed to be working on it full speed now. I'll post an update as soon as I hear something positive :)
     
  24. saabz2000
    Joined: Jan 12, 2009
    Posts: 27

    saabz2000
    Member
    from uk

    cheers for the update chris.....
     
  25. CayoRV
    Joined: Dec 19, 2008
    Posts: 356

    CayoRV
    Member

    Have these ever made it to production? I'm looking for a nice set for my 331 now and just came across this thread. I was leaning toward dimpling a set of stockers myself and having them chromed till I read this.
     
  26. Finally, some action...
    Got the art and approved it today. They expect to have the tooling done by late January, and we should have valve covers on the shelf by late February / early March. We will be taking pre-orders once the tooling is done, and a fairly concrete ETA is available. However, I am accepting names for a 'call me when you have them' list, as of now.

    They are designed to clear the Isky, Studebaker, and Ford adjustable rockers.

    There will be no provision for any kind of breather setup on the valve covers (no baffling, bosses, etc).

    On a related note, the adapters to fit early valve covers on the 472/500 engines will be back in production around late January / early February. However, the rocker clearance bosses on these new covers will not line up (so no adjustable rockers with that setup), and breather setup will be a bit of a challenge.
     

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  27. a coupe
    Joined: Aug 14, 2009
    Posts: 100

    a coupe
    Member

    the ones that you have for chevrolets that say chevrolet i think are really cool but i cant see disguising a sbc as anything else. the cad ones r cool to!
     
  28. Abomination
    Joined: Oct 5, 2006
    Posts: 6,719

    Abomination
    Member

    As always, you rock Chris!

    ~Jason

     
  29. original patina
    Joined: Dec 9, 2008
    Posts: 848

    original patina
    BANNED
    from Texas

    Update..? Insert drumroll>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
     

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