Thinking about casting some valve covers...

[jayb]

At the PRI show I spoke with at least 5 people who mentioned that they had been trying to get some of the Blue Thunder cast aluminum pentroof valve covers for quite some time, but they were simply unavailable.  I have been thinking about another casting project, and thought that some valve covers similar to the Blue Thunder parts might be a good candidate.  I'm looking for some feedback from the forum to see if there is sufficient interest for me to start a project like this.  Please respond to the poll above if you might be interested in a set of these valve covers.  The valve covers would not have any lettering or markings on them, they would either be plain sand cast valve covers, or the same but with machined fins on the top, kind of like a factory 428CJ valve cover but in the pentroof style.

Also, since I would be CNC machining these myself, I could make options available for different types of oil filler openings if desired, and also machine them with a notch to fit the master cylinder where it may interfere on some vehicles.

This would a pretty quick project, I think, so if I decide to proceed I would probably have the valve covers available in April.

Any comments or suggestions on what to build, or features of the valve covers, are welcome.  Thanks, Jay

[blykins]

If you do them, I'd make provisions for a screw in fitting like the BT covers.  They are stupid easy to adapt fittings for vacuum pumps, gauges, etc. 

I could have sold a bunch of those covers this year, but they are impossible to get at times. 

Go for it, Jay!

[jayb]

Thanks Brent, I was thinking about the screw-in option.  I don't know the thread size; is it a standard AN fitting, like a #12 or a #16?  Or is it something different?

[ScotiaFE]

Excellent.
Even more Kool parts.
I like cutting the fins off the old finned alum covers after they age for about
20 years on a car.  Bet ya I could sell 100 set's tomorrow.
I bet you could sell a palate full off them cast and machined no problem Jay.
The problem is you have to do about 20 palates to start making some money.
Then you have to start thinking about hiring someone to feed the machine.
Then you got work mans comp and OHSA and so on.
If you want to leave a mark.
Cast the block. Even if you just do a 100 and break even it will make a difference.
China makes lots of valve covers.
Just thinking out loud Jay.
All the best.

[blykins]

Their screw-in plug is a straight thread with an o-ring.  Their breathers use the same thread, oil caps, etc., so it's very easy to interchange from one to the other. 

When I use a vac pump, I'll take one of their blank plugs, put it in a lathe, and drill/tap it for a 1/2" NPT, then screw an AN fitting into it.  On the opposite side, I'll drill/tap a blank plug for a 1/4" NPT and screw my gauge in there.   The o-rings on the plugs seal the plugs off really well. 

Don't have one in front of me, but the thread of the screw-in caps/breathers are probably somewhere around 1-1/4"-1-1/2". 

[blykins]

[mbrunson427]

I've been trolling around looking for the finned ones for a couple years now. I also want a plain set so I can sand down and do a very quality chrome job on them. I hate how wavy the sheetmetal ones are. I'd buy a set of each if you produce them.

[Joe-JDC]

Those H/M valve covers in Brent's picture are very FE looking and without the H/M logo, they would be great looking on any vehicle with a FE.

On edit, Jay a valve cover like the CJ but with a .300-.400 taller top to fit over the roller rocker arms from T&D, Jessel, HS, etc. would be very cool.   Joe-JDC

[FERoadster]

Jay: I think that most know I collect FE valve Covers. My favorites are the Merc Lightning Bolt and the Weiand Pentroof. The Weiand's are the tallest of all I have and clear any rocker assembly I've seen. I don't have a pair of the  BT's to compare. I'd buy a set of the VC's without any breathers/knockouts since my intakes have a fill tube and rear PVC provision.
Would your CNC program be somewhat capable of carving the Mercury script and Lightning bolt?

[jayb]

The CNC machine can carve anything you want, it just takes more machine time ($).  But I don't think it would be to expensive to do the Mercury script and lighting bolt, maybe an additional $25 or so.

[JamesonRacing]

Would be really slick to have the plain cast with a milled 427 Eagle/Flag like the factory decal, or a relief that the factory style decal would fit in.

[Heo]

In the 80s i milled away the weiand logo and
mounted the 390 Eagle/fenderbadges on a pair
of Valvecovers.I think i have them somewhere

[GJCAT427]

FE roadster beat me to the Merc lightning bolt covers, I would go for a set or a plain no holes cast cover I could polish. My kids bugging me to polish the BTs on my 56 f100, so,,,,,

[JERICOGTX]

Surprised you don't have a set with a lexan opening/window for your dyno mule Jay. Charlie Wescott had valve covers with windows on his Super Stock HEMI's to watch the valvetrain. You would know if you had a broken spring, or rocker before pulling a cover.

[newfalconowner]

I would take a plain pentroof