71 BB vavle covers

[Monte M.]

Re: 71 BB vavle covers

Thomas,
The set in your pictures look like an over the counter set. The flash chrome that was done on original production I have seen was not even close to as nice as yours. Just my opinion.

Monte

[Joe L.]

Re: 71 BB vavle covers

FWIW, Pics of the original pass side valve cover from my early 71 (s/n 1632) LS5. Flash chrome and not very shiney.

Tom


[ATTACH=CONFIG]43388[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]43389[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]43390[/ATTACH]

Tom-----


Very typical and exactly what I would expect for a very early 1971 big block with chrome valve covers. These are the 1970 valve covers that, apparently, carried over into very early 1971.

[Ed L.]

Re: 71 BB vavle covers

71 LS-5: my serial # is 112816. So I assume I should have painted covers? Is that correct?

[Joe L.]

Re: 71 BB vavle covers

71 LS-5: my serial # is 112816. So I assume I should have painted covers? Is that correct?

Ed-----


I would say yes.

[Ed L.]

Re: 71 BB vavle covers

where is a good place to find correct valve covers for my 71?

[Joe L.]

Re: 71 BB vavle covers

where is a good place to find correct valve covers for my 71?

Ed------

Reproductions are manufactured by Crane Corvette. Whether they are absolutely perfect in every nuance of detail, I do not know. Otherwise, eBay or the Driveline are good places to start.

[Patrick B.]

Re: 71 BB vavle covers

IMG_0795.jpgIMG_0790.jpgIMG_0794.jpgIMG_0778.jpg

These are flash chrome with a push in oil filler plug. Note the foil GM sticker on the passenger side covers. This picture is very old. Those covers might still be around here somewhere. I will take a look tomorrow. I see these covers all over the place though. Pretty much a dime a dozen. So, they had to be over the counter or came on another application other than Corvette.

Monte:
I bought what appears to be the same valve covers over the counter about 1980 and I was happily surprised that they came with the Tonowanda decal. At the time, I had replaced the engine in my 70 LT-1 with a 69 ZL-1 and I wanted it to look like a 71 LS-6 so I could keep autocrossing in stock class without moving to modified class where race tires were necessary. I painted the block orange, used a low manifold and LS-6 aircleaner (subsequently abandoned after I discovered drag racing) and bought these valve covers thinking they were Corvette LS-6 valve covers.


This thread has demonstated my error about LS-6 valve covers. But I wonder why GM used painted valve covers on 71 LS-6 cars when every other aluminum head Corvette big block (except 67 L-88) and most Camaro and Chevelle big blocks with iron heads used chrome covers. Its even odd that 65-67 iron head big block Corvettes used painted covers when the optional small blocks were dressed up with attractive aluminum covers, but at least it simplified engine painting. It seems GM went to extra effort to put painted valve covers on the LS-6 since the covers could not be painted on an assembled engine. I don't think it was some concern about heat transfer because the early big block road race engines (a picture of a 67 Chapparel Daytona 24 hours pre-ZL-1 attached) used chrome valve covers.

Sorry. It looks like my pictures appeared at the beginning of my post instead of at the bottom where they make more sense.

[Terry M.]

Re: 71 BB vavle covers

Monte:
I bought what appears to be the same valve covers over the counter about 1980 and I was happily surprised that they came with the Tonowanda decal. At the time, I had replaced the engine in my 70 LT-1 with a 69 ZL-1 and I wanted it to look like a 71 LS-6 so I could keep autocrossing in stock class without moving to modified class where race tires were necessary. I painted the block orange, used a low manifold and LS-6 aircleaner (subsequently abandoned after I discovered drag racing) and bought these valve covers thinking they were Corvette LS-6 valve covers.


This thread has demonstated my error about LS-6 valve covers. But I wonder why GM used painted valve covers on 71 LS-6 cars when every other aluminum head Corvette big block (except 67 L-88) and most Camaro and Chevelle big blocks with iron heads used chrome covers. Its even odd that 65-67 iron head big block Corvettes used painted covers when the optional small blocks were dressed up with attractive aluminum covers, but at least it simplified engine painting. It seems GM went to extra effort to put painted valve covers on the LS-6 since the covers could not be painted on an assembled engine. I don't think it was some concern about heat transfer because the early big block road race engines (a picture of a 67 Chapparel Daytona 24 hours pre-ZL-1 attached) used chrome valve covers.

Sorry. It looks like my pictures appeared at the beginning of my post instead of at the bottom where they make more sense.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]43424[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]43425[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]43426[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]43423[/ATTACH]

While we don't definitively know that the LS6 rocker covers were painted on the engine, one 500 mile LS6 displayed an orange stripe on the head that made it look like the head(s) were masked with tape (incompletely on this example) before orange paint. The Bowtie LS6 examples (and off the top of my head I can think of only one.) don't offer any hint of how Tonawanda managed to paint the cylinder case, water pump and rocker covers without painting the aluminum heads. Although a set of "travel covers" that included a mask for the head (that would mean no exhaust manifolds, which is different than standard Tonawanda production) would have been necessary. This apparent anomaly has been a topic of much discussion and usually results in a group shoulder shrug.

BTW: when posting images to this board, if you preview your post after linking the images you will see the image code where it will appear in the post and you can cut and paste the image code to wherever in the post the images make the most sense. I have also found, if I want the images at the end of the post if I hit enter once or twice from the end of the text just before I go after the images in my computer, the image code will be at the end of the post. Cutting and pasting the image code can rearrange (change the order of) the images as you wish as well.

[Monte M.]

Re: 71 BB vavle covers

Take care,
Monte

P.S. Thanks for the input on the picture posting.

EDIT: I misread the poster. What I wrote was a different point for a different person. I am sure he understood it long ago.

Sorry, Terry.

Monte

[Joe L.]

Re: 71 BB vavle covers

Terry,
Somehow we got off track about painted valve covers. When in actuality our discussion was on if there were ever flash chromed BB valve covers with drippers that had a push in oil filler plug.
The picture in the previous posts with the "NOTE" on it was an LS-5 of mine that I had years ago.
So, I was saying there was said valve covers with a push in oil filler plug, and you were saying if Ii looked really close I would see the cut outs for the twist cap.

I hope the pictures are enough for you to take another look at this issue. All the help you have given me over the years, I hope pointing out that said valve covers do exist.

Take care,
Monte

P.S. Thanks for the input on the picture posting.

Monte----


The question is not whether there were ever manufactured any chromed big block valve covers with push-in oil filler plug. We know, for sure, they existed because we have photos of them. The question is whether any such valve covers were ever ORIGINALLY INSTALLED on a Corvette. As it currently stands, we have nothing which would confirm that such ever occurred.

Valve covers were an often-changed engine component. As Patrick reported, he once purchased over-the-counter valve covers from GM which had the Tonawanda foil labels pre-installed.

Also, as I look more closely at the photo you posted of the engine with chrome valve covers and a push-in plug, it appears to me that there is a raised. circular area towards the rear of the left (driver) side cover. If so, this is the result of the same stamping being used for both left and right side valve covers but without the oil fill opening being stamped out for the left side cover. This feature is characteristic of GM SERVICE valve covers. I have never seen this feature on a PRODUCTION valve cover.

[Monte M.]

Re: 71 BB vavle covers

When you find them Monte, post a picture of the oil fill opening without the plug in it. I would bet you can see the notches for the twist in cap. It was, and in some circles still is, common to "dress" the engine as the owner wishes. Even on this board we tell folks: "It is your car. Do what you want with it."

Joe,

There was a initial question if they existed. I then sent you the part number. You said you found a number one off that was actually a flashed chromed valve cover.

As you can read above, the question was if the push in oil filler part existed on those covers.

Prior to, and after that the thread did address what went on what. Then I brought up these valve covers. I was told they do not exist. So, the thread headed off in that direction for a bit. It then came back to what valve covers were on what from the factory.
Monte

I am the one who posted all the pictures to prove they exist. With the exception of the last one.

[Monte M.]

Re: 71 BB vavle covers

Joe,
What do you make of not being able to find the part number. When we were initially discussing if the covers even existed, we got nowhere until I posted the pictures.
Then I was lucky enough to find an NOS set that still had the original part numbers on the boxes. I will go back and see if I can get both part numbers to see if the other number was is in your book either.

It would be something if neither part number were in your books.

I will edit this post in a while with both part numbers. I know I gave you one number the other day, but I failed to write down the opposite sides part number. I hope I can find them.

Monte

[Monte M.]

Re: 71 BB vavle covers

Originally Posted by Terry McManmon (3966)
When you find them Monte, post a picture of the oil fill opening without the plug in it. I would bet you can see the notches for the twist in cap. It was, and in some circles still is, common to "dress" the engine as the owner wishes. Even on this board we tell folks: "It is your car. Do what you want with it."



Joe,

I brought the thread back down here. As I mentioned before, There was a question if the valve covers with flash chrome, drippers, and a push in oil filler cap even existed.

I then gave you the part number of one of them. I actually may have given you the wrong number.

Anyway, here are two part numbers: 325174, and 325169. Maybe the second number will help on application. Chances are, they are over the counter as well.

Sorry about any mix ups.

Monte

[Terry M.]

Re: 71 BB vavle covers

Originally Posted by Terry McManmon (3966)
When you find them Monte, post a picture of the oil fill opening without the plug in it. I would bet you can see the notches for the twist in cap. It was, and in some circles still is, common to "dress" the engine as the owner wishes. Even on this board we tell folks: "It is your car. Do what you want with it."



Joe,

I brought the thread back down here. As I mentioned before, There was a question if the valve covers with flash chrome, drippers, and a push in oil filler cap even existed.

I then gave you the part number of one of them. I actually may have given you the wrong number.

Anyway, here are two part numbers: 325174, and 325169. Maybe the second number will help on application. Chances are, they are over the counter as well.

Sorry about any mix ups.

Monte

And I am remiss in failing to make it clear that I was referring to factory installed rocker arm covers. My bad. Sorry for confusing this thread even more.

[Monte M.]

Re: 71 BB vavle covers

Joe Lucia (12484)
Beyond Control Poster

Join DateJanuary 31st, 1988Posts29,375

Re: 71 BB vavle covers

Originally Posted by Ed Levine (55604)
Mine have the black plastic plug saying "oil" what does that mean? Thanks..Ed..



Ed-----


As far as I know, GM never used in PRODUCTION a chrome big block valve cover which had a push-in oil filler. If I'm correct on this, your valve covers would have to be an original non-chromed cover that someone later had chromed or aftermarket. As far as I know, the very early 1971 big blocks with chrome valve covers used the 1970 style covers, perhaps "left over" from 1970 engine plant parts stock.




New part of post:
Joe was questioning use in production. He was right. I will say no more on the subject.



Happy Holidays Guys,

Monte