nailhead and weiand valve covers

I purchased the ultra rare weiand valve covers for my nailhead(orginals because nobody repops them) from ebay about a year ago. I just got around to installing them last night. Problem is " the writing is facing the wrong way!wtf. You have to stand on top of the carb to read "weiand". No way to turn them around and mount to the other side because its just the same thing. I did a google search and looked at picks from Tommy Ivo's nailhead powered dragsters and his "weiand" covers are facing the correct way. Can anybody shed some light on this snafu?

 

try rotating 180 degrees....... not you, the valve covers

 

yeah, it's pretty easy... or swap them side to side...

 

Of course I tried that. Same thing when swapped side to side. The 2 holes for mounting aren't centered and can only be mounted one way.

 

Maby its the Australian type where evrything is oppside down innside out.....

 

Maybe that's why they are ultra rare....nobody would buy them like that

 

You got me thinking that I've read something about upside-down name on a valve cover some years back. I wish I could remember more about it.

 

I was siding my house and got a bucket of nails like that. About half the heads were on the wrong end of the nail. Wuz really confused until we figured out they were for the other side of the house. Brian

 

I did a search and found a thread about the bowties being backwards on a set of M/T sbc covers. Supposedly purchased from Sears in the late 1960's and was built in Japan. Seems like some snafu when built, or a conterfeit casting. I think I remember the guys ebay member name (the guy I bought my covers from) and sent him an email, but have not gotten a reply as of yet. Anybody ever hear of unlicensed conterfeit products actually making it out to the public?

 

I just found out the guy I bought these VC ers from is no longer a registered e-bay member. I think I got the shaft! He used buickboneyard as an e-bay name. Anyone know him or know how I can contact him?

 

...i had to draw it on paper, but it just seems logical that the valve cover is either 180 degrees off on the head, or 180 off on the the opposite head. follow me?

-marty

 

I just took a look at the valve covers on my 401. They LOOK to be symetrical, but I didn't take them off to try rotating them 180°. Just a thought, but did you try turning the original covers you had on the engine previously and see if they physicaly fit either way?

 

The 2 bolt holes that hold the cover to the head are not on center top to bottom so you cannot flip them end for end on the same side of the engine. Brian

 

If there aluminum why not fill and drill. Try and make them work, it'll look weird upon closer look, but if your engine is not exposed why not?
Just a suggestion.

 

Some one in Mexico made the finned covers with the Buick on the side, they were on ebay a year ago. They looked good. Old trannys melted down i would think.

 

Maybe you got two for the same side?

 

i have a stock valve cover sitting right by me, yes the holes are not centered!

i'll withhold comment on all the other ideas about what happened, they were just plain made wrong!

i (may) have a solution for ya though! instead of using bolts to fasten them, install studs in the head...offset studs, get some threaded rod and put a bend into them, then hold the valve covers down with some acorn nuts.

 

Post up a pic, I'd like to get a look at them.

 

I DO remember something about this, but the details aren't clear at all. But it rings familiar that the Weiand valve covers could only be read from "across" the engine.

The all-thread solution is a great one, and should fix you up. It'll take some trial and error to get just the right offset.

-Brad

 

I've seen two pairs of Fenton valve covers for early Olds V8s (and Olds covers definitely only go on the head one way) that read upside down when installed. It made me glad that my set of Olds Fentons are of the no name variety.

 

Great idea!!! I will give it a try. Hambers rock! I was panicking and pissed off and didn't think of that.

 

I still can't figure out the damn picture thing. I hate computers. Thanks for all your help.

 

Either visit photo posting revisited in the questions section... or email them and I can post them for you. [email protected] I'd love to see them...

 

I will e-mail them to you. I have tried the pic posting several times and can't make it work.

 

run them fuckers upside down . problem solved .

jp

www.myspace.com/luckysspeednkustom

 

Anyone seen a nailhead like this?

 

I would think it has marine exhaust manifolds but I'm not positive.

 

There is no water crossover from the heads like a 322 nailhead. The upper hose comes from the intake manifold on this one, not the crossover. Very weird.

 

I do not believe that's a Nailhead, even though it has the valve covers. Look at the intake and the exhaust. the exhaust looks like there are two cylinders dumping in the center. the intake ports are angled and not horizontal. Maybe a Buick 300? Where's the distributor? I don't see it sticking up in the back...

 

If not a nailhead what other engine has horizontal valve cover mounting flanges on the heads? But the intake manifold does not sit flat on the heads like a real nailhead does. This one mounts on an angle like most other engines.