I am doing a rebuild of my 331 Hemi and wanted to powder coat the valve covers. I like the look of the open wire with the rubber boots instead of the wire cover across the valve covers. Is there an easy way to remove the tabs that hold the valve covers on without messing up the valve covers?
Go down to a truckers chrome shop and get some chrome plated bolt covers. JB Weld the correct size screw in there and screw them on. Now it looks like they do something. Don't take them off. You never know when your build will change direction.
Theres a guy who had a really nice pair that were smoothed out on e-bay....I'll see if i still have his contact info.
I also like the rubber boots rather than those old ****py wire covers. The mounts are spot welded on and you can easily remove them with a grinder. Just don't be too aggressive and take your time. I did mine and then had them chromed. They look very nice especially considering I also had to weld up a couple bullet holes.
I've removed the screw posts from Hemi valve covers several times, you have to be careful. These posts are spot welded, you can carefully drill the center of the dimple of the welds just don't drill all the way through the base of the post flange, then use a pair of vice grips to grip the post and work it slowly side to side and usually it will pop off leaving only a very small weld that can be sanded/ground off. The valve covers are fairly thick if you make a minor spot or high spot it can be easily repaired. If you need plug wire boots, the 426 Hemi wire boots don't fit or fit loosely, and are very expensive, look closely at my plug boots, I use sealant under the tube seals and make up my own wires, my car sets outside and is driven in the rain a lot, no problems. The hard to find boots I'm using? 1968 or 69 Plymouth or Dodge rear wheel cylinder dust cups! They snap right onto the aluminum plug tubes.
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