Technical adapting early Olds valve covers to late 371 and 394 heads

I've been ideating with @Flatrod17 about adapting the '49-'58 two bolt covers to fit the '59-'64 five bolt heads.
the biggest hurdle is that there is no provision in the later heads to place the early valve cover bolts.
no bolt hole and no pad to drill and tap a hole.

these two solutions work well with the first version '57 valve covers.
I need to verify with 303 and 324 valve covers,
the early (all?) 303 valve covers are about 1/4" shorter in length and may be an issue..

edit:
issue being: if the rocker assemblies include the towers at the ends of rocker shafts there will likely be interference with the 303 and 324 covers.
if they do not have the end towers, I would expect all two bolt covers would work

first attempt:
trying to keep this simple as possible I cut a tab from some heavy gauge sheet metal, drilled two holes in it and welded a trimmed down nut to it.
this would go under the head of the adjacent stock head bolt.
It worked but still a little labor intensive.



then Dennis suggested using the accessory head bolts, the ones that generators and power steering pumps use.
so I made another tab, this time of 1/4" plate with a drilled and tapped hole for the valve cover bolt.
still a bit of work involved and the special stud type head bolts would need to be sourced but no welding needed.
I think this is a winner

 

I like it. Good thinking.

 

Holy cow that’s a game changer for the 394!
Way more options with that.

 

So the gasket sealing area on the heads is the same from the 1949 303's to the 394's?

 

I’d put a set of YBlock Fords, or Mel’s …..nothing like screwing up the masses.

 

303 valve covers are 1/4" shorter length wise than the 394 but should still seal.

 

ouch! that hurts!

 

Clever solution. Adds valve cover options
When you chrome them, those smooth 394 covers with perimeter bolts just say Big Powerful Olds to me. SWC, Hugh Tucker, McEwen & Adams. many other top Olds powered champions had ‘em. They look especially mean alongside of a natural finish 6-71. I’m still hoping to put a 394 in something someday.

 

I think the best looking of the stock stamped steel five bolt covers are the smooth ones.
I have a couple pair painted and one pair old chrome

 

I was exposed to this when I was a kid, never got over it….

 

I didn't care for the stock 394 covers so I asked Paul about early to late. I like the early and now I know they will work so I just have to find some early ones.
I do have plenty of different Y block covers, but I just don't think that would be right!

 

I did the opposite, put a pair of Hildebrandt Caddy valve covers on a 371 Olds. Just had to put a little zig zag on the studs to line them up. They worked fine.

 

i put finned t bird valve covers on a nailhead. talk about confusing people

 

These are what I have. Bought them back in the 80's. They never fit quite right. Had to offset the studs to line up with the bolt holes. Was told they were Cadillac. Top corners are more "square" than Olds

 

I never liked my Offy covers.