Hemi valve cover colours ?

[72 Charger]

Hi all can anyone tell when the Hemi valve covers went from Chrome to Black ? I have a 1970 Super Bird Sox & Martin . I don't know if to do the Black covers or Chrome

Thanks 

[gtx6970]

All street Hemi cars were black valve covers.

Not 100% certain but I think the only factory installed chrome valve covers were 64-65 Race hemi cars

 

Now, that said . it wouldnt  be all that uncommon for Race cars to have there valve covers chromed,,,as it was a popular thing to do back then .

And in every underhood picture of a S+M car I have ,,its chrome valve covers.. So chances even though the S+M bird started life as a Street Hemi car with black valve covers. My money is on it had chrome

[72 Charger]

Thank you very much Bill . That's a great help. The only pics I had seen have the chrome covers but that is on a Cuda. I haven't seen any pics under the Superbird hood. 

I better get the Alclad out then

[b-body fan]

I probably have a set of chrome ones if you need them. AMT 1/25 scale.

Edited October 14, 2015 by b-body fan

[72 Charger]

Thanks Michael I have two pairs. One set has the crinkle effect and the other where chrome but I stripped them as the chrome was worn off . The engine im using is the Revell 426 Hemi

[BubbaBrown]

The chrome only fit the 1964-65 heads. With the street hemi 1966-up they were black wrinkle finish. Why do you see chrome on later cars? They used the race heads in super stock, stock classes still used black. Hope that helped

[72 Charger]

Joseph are you saying then that my 1970 Super Bird would of had Black wrinkle effect then ? 

[10thumbs]

Hi Dave, yes the car would have black crinkle valve covers.

Edited October 16, 2015 by 10thumbs

[72 Charger]

Thanks Michael . That's good cuz I didn't want the chrome look

[Force]

Well as far as I know both the Sox & Martin SS/E and C/MP Superbirds had chrome valve covers as most of their Hemi race cars had back in the day.
Yes the early Race Hemis chrome valve covers only fit on the early Race Hemi heads wich are a bit different designed than the Street Hemi heads wich have a kink in the end to make room for the power steering filler neck, but I believe the aftermarket very soon made chromed valve covers for the Street Hemi engines as people would like their engines to look like the race engines, many of the 68 Hemi Dart's and Barracuda's also had chromed valve covers but they were delivered with black valve covers from the factory

Edited October 17, 2015 by Force

[72 Charger]

Ok Haken is there any pics of the S&M Super Bird that you know of ?

[Force]

Pictures of the Sox & Martin Superbirds are a bit hard to find as they were used for a short time...and yes I said Superbirds as Sox & Martin appearently had two, one for the Super Stock / E class wich ran just a few races as it wasn't really legal, and one for the C / Modified Production class wich were campained for a longer time.
The SS/E 4-speed car had a 426 Hemi with a Rat Roaster intake manifold and two Carters, no hood scoop, no scoops on top of the fenders, a painted metallic blue roof and white interior...one of only two built and Jack Werst" Mr 5 And 50" got the other one with an automatic and ran in SS/EA.
The C/MP car had a 426 Hemi with a high individual runner intake manifold like the 70 'Cuda had, two Holley Dominators, a 440 six pack scoop on the hood, no scoops on the top of the fenders, a black vinyl top, white interrior and a slightly different paint job and decaling than the SS/E car.

This is an engine pic of the newly built SS/E Superbird I just scanned from the Super Stock & Drag Illustrated July 1970 issue, the picture is in black and white but you can clearly see the valve covers and they definately don't look black to me.

Edited October 18, 2015 by Force

[72 Charger]

Hakan that's perfect thank you . I guess that Alclad WILL be coming out

[Force]

You're welcome.