i'm rebuilding a 283 Chevy for my next project and will be using an Edelbrock C4B front fill intake , so i need valve covers with no holes for oil fill/ PCV. with zillions of these motors built you would think there would be many options.....and there is if you want the holes. if you don't want them the options are fewer. or am i missing something? does someone make some nice chrome or aluminum ones for cheap? i want the motor to look like what someone would do in the 60's Googling i came up withe these: stock painted......i like the look , but did it on my last motor early corvette.....i'm leaning towards them. they are available new from GM for about $150 a pair eBay aluminum finned.....i'm sure they are from China. about $75 a pair. i like them too , but i already have a motor with them on Ansen......polished aluminum. found these at Speedway for $150 a pair. i seam to remember some chrome steel ones that looked like these? old Cal Custom finned......big $$$ on eBay , and they usually need work what are you using for valve covers? what else is available?
I found some cast iron engine paint I liked and just painted mine. I couldn't see paying all that bread for a new pair of Corvette valve covers. I gave up looking for used ones, they cost more than the new ones now days.
How about some chrome 327 valve covers like these? https://www.impalaparts.com/product.php?productid=6266SBVCC
A lot of crate 350s came with similar, no name covers to the first pic you put up, but of course with the hole. So, take a set of those, get some sheet stock (steel or aluminum if you want contrast and shine, copper too), make a top plate fitted to the center raised area, ease the corners for visual appeal (look at a mid 50s Pontiac for instance). Seal the hole from the backside. Then let your imagination and sense of humor run wild. If you don't have the eye/hand have a pinstriper, sign painter, artist, paint on a logo/name; say Belchfire 8, PowerPak V8, Parisienne (pretend it's Canadian), Tequila 301, or any of a million or so other possibilities
Seems like you've found lots of options, but talked yourself out of all of them for various reasons. If you want something different, and stay under budget, then take the stamped steel covers and strip them of the orange paint. Then shoot them with clearcoat, and put them on. Plain steel covers with a good polishing, and cleared look pretty nice when I've seen them done.
I just sold a really nice set of aluminum Moroso's...they were heavy built and brand new...I had them for about 15 years still in the box....sold on ebay but you might try those...I think I got about 80 for them.
dreracecar, did Moroso make those for Donovan? They look like the old heavy gauge Moroso covers that had the nice round corners... Sam
I like the looks of the early vetts.I have used them a lot ,but its been at least 25 years since i've bought them new.I used to work for a local chevy dealer and got a good deal on them. $150 seem like a pretty good price considering what new aftermarket covers go for.The best i can remember back in the day , the covers came as cast,but would clean up without much trouble.
Really dont know where Donovan had them made, only that they never sold very many of them, Racers preferd the cast alu ones because they could be welded.
thanks to all for your advise , i decided to go with the fourth choice of valve covers i had posted. they are made by Ansen and are fully polished 9 fin. the quality looks good. got them from Speedway. the really great part is cast inside is MADE IN CALIFORNIA USA what do you think?
Yours looks similar to my 327. I used 57 stagger bolt fuelie heads just so I could use the cal custom valve covers.
Those Ansens look good. I was thinking early vette, but those look tidy. uh, yeah- where are you gonna put your polyvinyl chloride?
I was going to suggest a pair of Canadian Pontiac valve covers; really a SBC but the valve covers say "Pontiac". The other option, those chromed 327 "BOX TOP" valve covers look nice. For my little 283, I have staggered valve cover heads (5603's), and a pair of M/T covers for them. Butch/56sedandelivery.
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