Thinking about casting some valve covers...

[CaptCobrajet]

Somebody needs to make some covers......I've been searching high and low for A WHILE for good covers.  On several occasions, we've gone billet when we otherwise would have/could have used a nice cast cover.

[jayb]

(Jay, just buy Blue Thunder and get it over with.....)

Well, they do a lot of other parts besides FE stuff, and I have my own plan for heads and intakes, that wouldn't really mesh with what Blue Thunder makes.  So that's not really a good option for me.  Besides, I don't think they're for sale 

[jayb]

Do it Jay , more fe parts is a good thing , maybe blocks next ? ?

By my estimate tooling and an initial run of blocks would be about a $150K proposition.  I'm not ready for that.  The block manufacturer I was talking to, mentioned in that other thread from a few months ago, has not been moving forward very fast either.  So, I'm not confident that his new blocks are coming anytime soon.  I am working hard on the heads and intakes though...

[jayb]

Jay, I haven't voted because I'm not sure any of them would fit under my power brake booster (I have a real clearance issue there), but the real question is why dick around with valve covers. You wrote the book on intakes, you have more or less made one, why not make a really good intake?

I am working on some new FE heads and matching intakes, but the design and testing process takes quite a while on that sort of thing.  By comparison, valve covers are easy.  By the way, I would hope to put enough meat in the rear area of the valve cover to be able to machine them to fit under any brake booster.  Do you have a picture of your clearance at the back of the valve cover?  I have a Mustang and a Torino here for clearance measurements, but not a pickup...

[cjshaker]

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

Just an FYI, I'm not sure about the others, but I have used HS rockers multiple times with factory CJ covers and they clear fine if you remove the baffle. Of course that was with cams with no more than probably .600 lift.

I agree that valve covers are needed. But one suggestion I'd make that I haven't seen mentioned is the need for the lip around the gasket sealing flange. I've tried using a set of the common cheap billets with the flat sealing surface and they SUCK. Even if you try and glue the gasket in place, they want to squirm around and push out. Just something to consider.

I also can't say I'm a huge fan of the pentroof design because of the difficulty it makes with shock tower cars in changing plugs (although that's what I voted for since it was the only option). But I suppose pulling them off wouldn't be that big an issue. Still, that extra tall space just isn't needed on the valve side. If it were angled down a bit, it would be much more user friendly...at the cost of being a little less "FE" in appearance.

[jayb]

That's a good suggestion on the valve cover lip, I will keep that in mind...

[thatdarncat]

Jay and I talked about valve covers on the way to PRI, I'm glad he's enthused about it. I will say I like the couple suggestions mentioned here for a "Baldie" style rounded top cast valve cover ( in addition to a pent roof style ), that's one I hadn't thought of, but it would be a unique product no one else offers. As someone who has to deal with the towering Shelby pent roof valve covers on a shock tower car ( where you just have to have faith your spark plugs exist, since you can't actually see them ), I agree with Doug, something else in design might be practical.

[BigBlockFE]

Do it Jay , more fe parts is a good thing , maybe blocks next ? ?

By my estimate tooling and an initial run of blocks would be about a $150K proposition.  I'm not ready for that.  The block manufacturer I was talking to, mentioned in that other thread from a few months ago, has not been moving forward very fast either.  So, I'm not confident that his new blocks are coming anytime soon.  I am working hard on the heads and intakes though...

I'll invest with you Jay. Just tell me how much and where do I sign.

[jayb]

Jay and I talked about valve covers on the way to PRI, I'm glad he's enthused about it. I will say I like the couple suggestions mentioned here for a "Baldie" style rounded top cast valve cover ( in addition to a pent roof style ), that's one I hadn't thought of, but it would be a unique product no one else offers. As someone who has to deal with the towering Shelby pent roof valve covers on a shock tower car ( where you just have to have faith your spark plugs exist, since you can't actually see them ), I agree with Doug, something else in design might be practical.

My take on the shock tower issue is that you can buy new reproductions of the Cobra Jet style valve covers, and as far as I know they are readily available.  I like those covers myself, especially polished, and of course they give you a lot more room in a shock tower car than the pentroofs.  So I don't see a reason to cast those; if you are concerned about the clearance issues with the pent roofs, you can just get the CJ covers instead.

The idea of casting a baldy style cover is an interesting one, but I'm not sure the market is there for it.  My first cut at this is that I would have to sell at least 50 sets of any valve cover to recoup the tooling costs, and its not clear to me that the baldies would sell that well...

[e philpott]

I would be in for Baldy's

[Drew Pojedinec]

Sweet....  no one makes baldies, and although I love pentroof design for a post 65 fe, there is just something about the early baldie covers.  I'd buy one set for sure.  I know BenH and I talked about BT needing to do an early cover some time back.  I'm sure 50 sets of those wouldn't be much of a problem at all to sell.  Even easier if you could do "Ford"  "thunderbird" or "Mercury" block letters like the originals.  I especially love the early baldies when dealing with a 2x4 intake as they put the visual emphasis on the induction system.


"But one suggestion I'd make that I haven't seen mentioned is the need for the lip around the gasket sealing flange. I've tried using a set of the common cheap billets with the flat sealing surface and they SUCK"

Doug, can't you just use valve cover studs, install the gasket, than install the covers?
If Jay does a lip around the valve cover, different gaskets may be an issue as they are all a tiny bit different on the outer edge.  He'd have to pick one gasket and machine for the lip.  (I'd suggest the Edelbrock 1/4 thick gaskets).
Or Jay could make his own gasket for his own covers..... I'd LOVE a nice thick gasket that has that hard blue rubber on two sides and the steel inner sheet (like moroso does for transmission pans).  They literally last forever.

Jay, why not start a for sale thread in the vendor area where we can vote if we are 100% sure we'd buy a particular type of valve cover.  It might reduce the intimidation factor knowing you already have 30-40 people willing to buy stuff the minute it is ready.

-tall pentroof smooth, no holes
-tall pentroof finned
-baldie


Good luck,
Drew

[cjshaker]

Personally, I think baldies are the best looking FE covers, and truest to the 427 image. They would require a taller design though, to clear high lift cams and adjustable rockers. At least I think so. They do seem to sell quickly whenever a nice pair comes up. It would require a little bit of R&D though to determine how well they would work and look with increased height. They also may not be to friendly for threaded holes. Maybe you should consider multiple designs

[cjshaker]

Drew, studs don't work well with shock tower cars with brake boosters and especially with tower braces.

[Drew Pojedinec]

Drew, studs don't work well with shock tower cars with brake boosters and especially with tower braces.

Ahhhh thanks for clearing that up, I didn't think about that.  I forget the plight of the shock tower people that want assist with the brakes.  I get spoiled by my 63 galaxie and 76 f100..... 

What do you consider high lift tho?  My cam is .600 lift with POP rocker stands/endstands and there is plenty of room.  I've seen a few racers that run tbird baldies with much bigger cams and no issue.  (white trash fairlane comes to mind)

[Yellow Truck]

In general the quality of the Ansen product is unimpressive - lots of crackle on the underside and some large flakes that make me a little nervous.

The crackles, as you called them, went away many years ago. I have at least 10 sets of Ansens that have been made within the last dozen years, and all are smooth underneath. I also have vintage sets that have zero integrity issues. I do not understand why you are "nervous". It's not like a valve cover is going to fracture, shear off your brake booster, catapult you into the back of a semi and decap you. If the molecular structure of an engine accessory causes you distress, please stay parked.

No fake news, please. Thank you.

Afraid a flake will separate and fall into the valve train. You have quite an imagination. In any case, glad yours are fine, mine are less than ideal.