Nick's Garage type site for valve covers?

Polara_500

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Trying to identify some stuff, Nick's garage is great for air cleaners and jack hooks - is there a similar site for valve covers?


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65 and 66 had a tab on top for the heater hoses clip and a side bracket for 2 rear spark plug wires on the passenger side one and on the other there would be a tab on the top of the other for rear spark plug wire.

IIRC, 64 max wedge covers didn't have any of that. However, my info might be off.
 
Haven't really worried about valve covers, but . . . there were some differences I have noticed over the decades.

First is the number of retention bolt holes. 4 for the earlier ones and 6 (adding the ones on the lower ends) sometime before 1965, allegedly for better oil retention.

Second is whether or not they were "factory chromed", which was usually for special 4bbl 04 2x4bbl engines of the time AND included some sort of chrome air cleaner in the "dress-up kit", some of which could be optional on some 4bbl engines. Not "show chrome", but more satiny in nature, as "factory bumper chrome" would be. No "grain", either, as some chrome shops might provide, even after final polishing, in the nooks and crannies. "Chrome" done by a chrome shop would not happen unless all of the hidden oil inside the cover baffles was completely removed, I suspect. I believe the factory chromed valve covers would have been in the earlier 1960s to about 1968 model years? With the DC/MP chrome valve cover kits happening after that? Yearly sales literature can help in this area too.

Third is might be whether any additional brackets are on the outside of the covers, as the painted covers of the same year might have?

Fourth would be whether the breather and pcv were slid over tubes extending upward from the upper surface (as pictured) or were popped into rubber grommets which went into the holes where the tubes used to be.

Fifth would be the specific clearance contours at the rear of the covers (for brake boosters and/or specific exhaust manifolds).

Sixth would be the existence of "factory paint", including any sags/runs which might have been done at the engine plant. "Factory paint" was usually done quickly with the main orientation to NOT be really high-quality finishes, but basic rust prevention and still looking "presentable". Fade from time, age, heat, and oil presence will usually be there too. The color being model-year-specific-correct.

Seventh would be the height and shape of the "dome" area, which would probably relate to the middle 1970s and later, as I recall?

I suspect the Direct Connection and related Mopar Performance chrome valve cover kits would be oriented more toward the later 1960s to earlier 1970s items, possibly with a slightly higher dome area. Having been based upon the production items of the earlier 1970s, I suspect (which is where the bulk of the restoration/upgrade activities would have been applicable to, at the time I would have been purchasing a set, in the 1980s). Not sure how close the more current items might be to the earlier DC/MP items, all things considered, as ProForm now seems to be doing all of the licensed chrome items for all OEMs in more recent times.

Just some thoughts and memories of how things evolved. Hope this might help.
CBODY67
 
65 and 66 had a tab on top for the heater hoses clip and a side bracket for 2 rear spark plug wires on the passenger side one and on the other there would be a tab on the top of the other for rear spark plug wire.

IIRC, 64 max wedge covers didn't have any of that. However, my info might be off.
I had noticed the absent retainer on the rear of the d/s cover, wasn't sure about heater hose clips, but those had me thinking later years.

CBODY67 - I'm pretty sure these are a factory, not MP or other setup, and I do also have the chrome air cleaner which almost has to be either 64 or 64 by the center sizing, and Nick's helped with that.
 
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My thought's, looks like factory '64 or '65 B body 426 street wedge to me. Max Wedge did not have the wiring tabs running along the valve cover, wire was run on the passenger inner skirt. It's not C body because it doesn't have heater hose bracket on passenger cover.

jim
 
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I bought a 426 street wedge engine complete back around 1969. It had those valve covers on it. However they could have been changed.
 
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