Valve cover questions
You made me smile again this morning @toolmanmike!
:thankyou:
Commando valve covers are always a lot of work to restore. The tins are pretty tough old steel but nearly 60 years of prior owners usually weren't kind to them.
Overtightening can blow out the bolt holes, wire harness tabs get mangled and/or broken off, stovepipes get crushed and gasket rails get bent or flattened. The big interior baffles ensure it's a PITA to repair dents too, even when you have more tools than Jeff Spicoli's dad.
But it's typically the aluminum fins that carry the brunt of damage ... especially when it's time to "restore" them. Prying on them for removal for a repaint breaks my heart because 'swayback' is the hardest thing to fix.
These hold the record for the worst to ever cross my bench about five years ago.
They're back on Jed Scott's Yard Dart (Scott's Speed Shop on YouTube). Here's how that set turned out.
This set was restored for our member @65dartcharger's beautiful ride that attended the MCACN show -- all the way from Sweden!! -- a few years back. His ride scored 996 points out of a possible 1000, and my valve covers weren't any of the deductions.
@fireguyfire, the plug wire guides are still available. Keep in mind though there were two different styles which your fins will determine. Some were one-piece white plastic that snap into the uprights (they're easy to install but break easily if you don't know how to take them off) and the others were individual rounds that slide into the holes. If your fins have an oval hole in the center of the upright it used the one-piece style.
Feel free to get in touch if I can help with yours too!!!
You made me smile again this morning @toolmanmike!
:thankyou:
Commando valve covers are always a lot of work to restore. The tins are pretty tough old steel but nearly 60 years of prior owners usually weren't kind to them.
Overtightening can blow out the bolt holes, wire harness tabs get mangled and/or broken off, stovepipes get crushed and gasket rails get bent or flattened. The big interior baffles ensure it's a PITA to repair dents too, even when you have more tools than Jeff Spicoli's dad.
But it's typically the aluminum fins that carry the brunt of damage ... especially when it's time to "restore" them. Prying on them for removal for a repaint breaks my heart because 'swayback' is the hardest thing to fix.
These hold the record for the worst to ever cross my bench about five years ago.
They're back on Jed Scott's Yard Dart (Scott's Speed Shop on YouTube). Here's how that set turned out.
This set was restored for our member @65dartcharger's beautiful ride that attended the MCACN show -- all the way from Sweden!! -- a few years back. His ride scored 996 points out of a possible 1000, and my valve covers weren't any of the deductions.
@fireguyfire, the plug wire guides are still available. Keep in mind though there were two different styles which your fins will determine. Some were one-piece white plastic that snap into the uprights (they're easy to install but break easily if you don't know how to take them off) and the others were individual rounds that slide into the holes. If your fins have an oval hole in the center of the upright it used the one-piece style.
Feel free to get in touch if I can help with yours too!!!