1967 SB Valve cover washer?

[Kevin M.]

Not sure of the official name but the thing that goes under the bolt. When I had my car judged I got an originality deduct because my hold down washer had a point, excuse the poor picture. I was told by the judges they are to be straight. I've looked at many valve covers at shows and the junk yard and most if not all had the style you see in the picture. What is the correct washer, pointed or straight? Getting ready for the Western Regional.

Thanks Kevin

[Joe L.]

Re: 1967 SB Valve cover washer?

Kevin-----

They're called RINFORCEMENTS. The ones you show are correct for 1966 through 1981 small blocks with stamped steel style valve covers. The 63-65 style small block reinforcements were smaller and had "pointy" ends, so I'm pretty sure that's what the judge was referring to. I wouldn't rule out the possibility that the earlier style MAY have been used on some early 1966 small blocks. I doubt that a single one was originally used by later 1966 and, certainly, not for 1967 or later.

[Kevin M.]

Re: 1967 SB Valve cover washer?

Thanks Joe,

The ones in the picture are like the ones on my Dec 66 SB. Looks like I get that 2 points back.

Kevin

[Joe L.]

Re: 1967 SB Valve cover washer?

Kevin-----

An interesting sidebar: the 63-65 style reinforcements were once-upon-a-time available in SERVICE under GM #3836660. The 66-81 small block reinforcements, such as you have pictured, were NEVER available in SERVICE.

For 66-81 applications and for SERVICE of all 55-65 applications after November, 1966, the GM #3877670 was the only part available. The GM #3877670 was the reinforcement used in PRODUCTION for big blocks. For SERVICE after 11/66 it was the only part available for ALL Chevrolet V-8 applications.

I could never understand why GM didn't use the 3877670 in PRODUCTION for small blocks. It will fit the small block application just fine and it's larger, so it's more effective. They figured that out for SERVICE, but they never figured it out for PRODUCTION.

[Kevin M.]

Re: 1967 SB Valve cover washer?

Just to be clear the pointy part the judge referred too was on the long side that faces the cover. Like the one in the picture it comes to a slight point in the middle of the long part. The judge said that the long part that faces the cover was supposed to be straight. Either way the one in the picture is the one that was original to my car, I thought it was just like my fan there really was no reason for them to have been replaced. And Joe thanks for the explanation I will print it out and explain to the next judge if they question it again that it was a PRODUCTION part never offered as SERVICE so it would be highly unlikely that it could have ever made it onto the car after it left the factory. Tomorrow I will be posting a picture of the bolts on my front stabilizer bar that are supposed to be incorrect also. This is fun.

Kevin

Wait I have a 6am call might be late tomorrrow before I post

[Joe L.]

Re: 1967 SB Valve cover washer?

Kevin-----

I'm not sure what you mean by "the long part that faces the cover". I do understand what you mean by "the long part". That's the side OPPOSITE the side with the radius for the hole. However, this "long side" faces the EDGE of the valve cover and not what I would describe as facing the main part of the valve cover (i.e. the "humped" part that covers the rocker arms).

Anyway, the retainers with the "straight" edge are the GM #3877670. These were the original ones used for big blocks and later became SERVICE for small blocks. It's possible that they were used on much later C3 small blocks, like 1978 or later, but they were not used on earlier small blocks and they damn sure weren't used on 1967-72 small blocks.

Why they weren't, I don't know. But, they weren't.

[Kevin M.]

Re: 1967 SB Valve cover washer?

Your right I'm at work and got my in and out backwards, now that I picture it.

Kevin

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1967 SB Valve cover washer?

"...and they damn sure weren't used on 1967-72 small blocks."

Now Joe, tell us how you REALLY feel.

Patrick