Does anyone make adapter plates to mount the old "staggered hole" small block chevy valve covers to newer heads with "straight across" mounting holes? Thanks Dave
I know someone makes valve cover spacers. I think they about 1/4" in thickness. Their might be someway of fabricating your own adapter.
All you'd have to do is buy a pair of spacers for the '59-'86 heads and drill and tap two holes, since two of the four will still line up. Countersink the two bolt holes in the spacers that the early style covers don't line up with and you're set.
if you're just trying to run the script valve covers they did make sets that werent staggered bolt..i decided to spend the $10 on a set since the price of the adapters just didnt suit me creepy
On a similar one where can they be bought cheap i'm trying to fit aluminum late 60's hi-po covers, like the z/28 style over roller rockers and a high lift cam and am probably gunna need some space
If your carefull, AND I MEAN V E R Y careful!!! you can weld on a small spot of weld onto the edge of the heads and drill and tap it, I suggest getting a piece of carbon, what I call a "carbon pen" in a small diameter to maintain the basic hole as the weld is hard to drill from solid, but I did it, I marked the spot where the hole needed to be, heated up the head, had a helper hold the carbon, and welded a "tang" around the carbon onto the head. VERY< VERY slowly!!!!! Let it cool down, then tapped on the "chunk" to make sure it held, then heated it back up again ever so carefully to soften it up, then drilled the correct size, let it cool back down, and then tapped it to the 5/15" threads. has worked for years now, --maybe-- I got lucky, but I tried it and it worked?!?!?!?...Ken
I have an old set of staggered plain finned aluminum covers (the fins are really deep) that I picked up at a garage sale a few years ago. I'd like to use them if I could. Hell, I might model up some adapters/spacers in CAD and run it though our shop where I work! Dave
Yeah I gotta agree that it is a "delicate" procedure! I wouldn't do it to a valuable set!! I worked at a machine shop, so "heads" were --EVERY-WHERE--!!!! But it is a thought for someone to do if they wanna "screw around"...Ken
i have a set with old style vette covers ,they have moon style breathers on , sell for 100.00 , great shape
Go ol skool drill the new style holes in the valve cover flange i got a pair of the ol staggered vette style aluminums layin around shop somewhere, that someone did that too