Aluminum valve cover issue

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Syleng1

Karma is real and Life is short...
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Any one who knows me knows I like what I like and want what I want.

On my 66 Barracuda I’m building I really wanted a “period correct “ pcv valve but wanted the aluminum style valve covers that were aftermarket but pretty darn close to 66’.

I had a set of M/T covers we all know and some love. First issue I had was the grommets are hard to come by and when all 4 holes in the valve covers were opened by “others” it’s really a pain.

I wanted the pcv to be original 66’ like the ones on my Formula S Barracuda I have at home.
996221C3-D03D-48F3-91F1-BACCED674696.jpeg

I did not want the factory newer style sheet metal valve cover pcv valve style.
DDD6A3BA-EF02-4880-ABAB-F479E030CA13.jpeg


Simply put I would had used it but I could not find a proper grommet to fill the aluminum cover hole. It’s 1-1/2”id not the 1” id the grommet fits in. So after a few tries I found the breather can grommet will fit the hole and reduce it down to 1”id. But the weight of the hose made the smaller grommet pop out of the larger one.
I decided to make an adapter from steel. Only trouble is no one reduced down the size I need. Even welding a reducing bushing looked bad. I went to the local hardware store and found a copper “sweat style” reducing coupler. 1-1/4” x 3/4” and it fit perfectly. I’m only putting this out there because I know others also have had this issue and there was nothing on the board that I could find here or anywhere about this. Also note that the rubber grommet used is the standard breather valve cover grommet for any 72 and newer small block.
Hope this helps.
Joe
8D16D736-D5C9-4778-8765-3C5274E79B0F.jpeg

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0B7AC6D6-7B91-402C-AAA2-4B59E0AE12BC.jpeg
 
Any one who knows me knows I like what I like and want what I want.

On my 66 Barracuda I’m building I really wanted a “period correct “ pcv valve but wanted the aluminum style valve covers that were aftermarket but pretty darn close to 66’.

I had a set of M/T covers we all know and some love. First issue I had was the grommets are hard to come by and when all 4 holes in the valve covers were opened by “others” it’s really a pain.

I wanted the pcv to be original 66’ like the ones on my Formula S Barracuda I have at home. View attachment 1715286764
I did not want the factory newer style sheet metal valve cover pcv valve style. View attachment 1715286765

Simply put I would had used it but I could not find a proper grommet to fill the aluminum cover hole. It’s 1-1/2”id not the 1” id the grommet fits in. So after a few tries I found the breather can grommet will fit the hole and reduce it down to 1”id. But the weight of the hose made the smaller grommet pop out of the larger one.
I decided to make an adapter from steel. Only trouble is no one reduced down the size I need. Even welding a reducing bushing looked bad. I went to the local hardware store and found a copper “sweat style” reducing coupler. 1-1/4” x 3/4” and it fit perfectly. I’m only putting this out there because I know others also have had this issue and there was nothing on the board that I could find here or anywhere about this. Also note that the rubber grommet used is the standard breather valve cover grommet for any 72 and newer small block.
Hope this helps.
Joe
View attachment 1715286766
View attachment 1715286768
View attachment 1715286769
View attachment 1715286770
That'll work. Thanks McGuiver!
 
Nice work. Where do you get those PCV breathers? I don't like my plastic one. Can you also show a picture of the underside?
 
Nice work. Where do you get those PCV breathers? I don't like my plastic one. Can you also show a picture of the underside?

You can find that whole assembly on eBay for like $75 ish for chrome bell, internal clip and the Pcv valve and lock nut. Mine came from a donor car.

As for the underside- I cannot. My covers are on the head already. Under the cover is a plate with 2 screws. It basically keeps oil from splashing up into the bottom of the valve so it won’t get sucked in and burned. If you want a picture of the underside of the pcv chrome bell- let me know. Plenty of pictures of that on line already.
 
Cool idea but I have the feeling you're going to have some issues with dissimilar metals over time.

It’s Copper. Other than maybe turning green one side is rubber grommet and the other end is spring steel. I however thought about sending the copper fitting out to be chromed. Easy job when you start out copper.
 
I dont recall the 65 'S' C.A.P. PCV valve being an airtight seal, more or less slid over the stack on the valve cover with no grommet? Its been a while but if the seal was inside the 'slide on cap, it may have been there but shrunk so as not to seal tight.
 
GREAT idea. Thanks for sharing. I consider myself to be a master jury rigger, but I would never have thought of that.
 
Those blue Mickey Thompson valve covers look sweet. I would think though along with that original looking PCV valve a set of period correct Factory custom valve covers would be a set of direct connection valve covers I believe. I like the way you said you like what you like and I'm the same way also...
 
Those blue Mickey Thompson valve covers look sweet. I would think though along with that original looking PCV valve a set of period correct Factory custom valve covers would be a set of direct connection valve covers I believe. I like the way you said you like what you like and I'm the same way also...


I’m not sure J par when the “direct connection” logo came out. My memory says that was a late 70’s early 80’s program.
The car is a 66’ so I’m sticking with a later 60’s theme like if the car was built up say circa 1970. The blue is just because the car is silver and red. A red engine was too much red and the engine I built was a 74’- 318. - keeping period correct to that time frame. A lot changed in the automotive word mid 70’s. Again not an exact science but when I open the hood she got that early 70’s vibe.
 
I’m not sure J par when the “direct connection” logo came out. My memory says that was a late 70’s early 80’s program.
The car is a 66’ so I’m sticking with a later 60’s theme like if the car was built up say circa 1970. The blue is just because the car is silver and red. A red engine was too much red and the engine I built was a 74’- 318. - keeping period correct to that time frame. A lot changed in the automotive word mid 70’s. Again not an exact science but when I open the hood she got that early 70’s vibe.
I was almost positive it was round 63 64 when direct connection was introduced and I went ahead and Googled it before I made my comment so I wouldn't be giving incorrect information. So with that said from about 64 to 86 if your car was to have aluminum aftermarket Factory valve covers It should have been direct connection? I noticed a lot of people using Mopar performance on their 70s muscle cars and to me this just seems incorrect. And even more deceiving Mopar made them in the fashion of those Mickey Thompson valve covers that you have. Like you said I like what I like and I'm the same way too and I would have those Mickey Thompson valve covers (again because I personally like them) long before the Mopar performance of past 1986 version...
Mine is a 73 and I would like to think it's being customized if it was 1978 or so. Kind of disco era restoration is what I'm going for.. lots'a old school stuff... And some funky...
IMG_20180903_195419.jpg
so far I've been able to get the direct connection valve covers the direct connection dual quad air filters with thoese beautiful pentastar hold downs they come with which I personally have never seen before. I'm scared to leave my car anywhere or someone could grab one and I just don't know how I can replace it. (Which is the beginnings of my next thread who has these? And how would I replace them?) Also I was able to get a direct connection distributor hold down which just looks like a cheap Chrome hold down but it came in its original package like the valve covers and the air filters.
These are the things that make a car show interesting though because you have the things that you liked that appeal to you and I have the things that I like that appeal to me and we both appreciate each other's take on how we like things..
 
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