Technical Cadillac Rocker Help/Studebaker Issue

I have just finished up building my '62 390. I took the time to find Studebaker Rockers, had a solid cam ground, lifters etc. I bought a pair of really cool Valve Covers with the right bumps on them. Hapilly tonight I go t install them and Son of a******! No fit. I know the stock covers are no where near close to fitting without bumps, two gaskets and spacer.

My question is are there two rockers for Stude? Is there a long and a short? Do I have the wrong ones?

I know PML also makes a cover and you can buy them from the Great guys at the Cad Company. But honestly they lack the look I really want. They are pretty and well made I know. But they are a little too modern for me. I'll run them if I have to, but I would change rockers if needed.

Any help is welcome.


All the best,

Tim

 

Bump to the top, Interested in this myself.

 

second bump

 

I've never run into or heard of any variations in the rocker arms. The last Caddy I saw running Stude rockers was running a set of what we would call today "fabricated" steel valve covers. It was built in 1967.

 

Up-date guys.

You have to cut a pair of steel ones and fabricate. The Stude rockers must also be ground on the backside to a round shape to fit even then. I tried the aluminum Cadillac covers with bumps. If you are adding material I added about 1" of flat steel.

For what it's worth If you use Aluminum rockers or Mag ones you can use the Cadillac bumps with them. Not Stude rockers because they are longer ratio.
All the best,

Tim

 

Pictures?

 

I knew somebody would ask this.

Here you go-

The Cadillac ones are the coolest pieces, but I just can't grind enough on 'em to use them with stock Stude stuff. Aluminum or Mag rockers will clear. Squeek's a real Great Guy and can give you the run down on that. He knows his stuff on these old Cadillacs for sure.

But here's a few photos.





The second photo shows just how much they hang over the seal surface.

This picture shows the rockers ground for clearance.



This is a stock cover modified to work.



And this is what I really wanted to run.



Hopefully after I pick and file and sand the modified stock ones I can get them chromed and they will be ok. While they are not exactly what I wanted there will be no doubt I'm running the real deal.

All the best,

Tim

 

Yes, there are two rockers for Stude V8s. The '51-61 has a smaller hex, shorter adjusting screw. The '62-64 has a larger hex, longer adjusting screw. Both are only 1.5 ratio.

No, you can't have the wrong ones as all the differences are on the bottom, pushrod side.

Maybe, you need to grind a radius to clear the retainers.

Also, I've made rocker cover spacers of various heat resistant plastics and phenolic resin sheets. Much easier to cut and shape by hand if one doesn't have a mill. They can be done with a rocker cover and gasket as a pattern, cut to length/width on a table saw and the interior cut out with a router or a scroll saw. Finish with a file, sandwich between two gaskets and they work fine.

jack vines