What kind of valve covers are these?

[Goodwrench3]

This is a picture of Dale wrenching on the engine with the #2 Wrangler Pontiac behind him.

On the early 1980's Chevy engines, I've seen chrome and cast aluminum valve covers -- but rarely black ones ?

Anyone know what kind those are ?

 

[70mach1]

They look to be Milodon Comp Series, if my foggy memory serves me right.

[Force]

Or maybe Moroso, they looks to be stamped steel anyway.

[Daddyfink]

Why the mystery, they are just painted black. Lots of engine builders painted the engines and associated parts black to help dissipate heat. 

 

[wrenchr]

8 hours ago, Force said:

Or maybe Moroso, they looks to be stamped steel anyway.

For sure looks that way. 

[wrenchr]

On 9/12/2020 at 11:44 AM, Goodwrench3 said:

This is a picture of Dale wrenching on the engine with the #2 Wrangler Pontiac behind him.

On the early 1980's Chevy engines, I've seen chrome and cast aluminum valve covers -- but rarely black ones ?

Anyone know what kind those are ?

 

Thanks for the picture, saved that one!! Life long Earnhardt fan.  

[Ironman63]

7 minutes ago, wrenchr said:

Thanks for the picture, saved that one!! Life long Earnhardt fan.  

Same here.  I hadn't seen this one before.

[Goodwrench3]

17 hours ago, Ironman63 said:

Same here.  I hadn't seen this one before.

Yeah -- I love these old pics of "the man" wrenching on stuff.   ?

It's too bad that all of the older Monogram NASCAR kits all had the valve covers with the heat shield molded in on them.  Clearly that was not the case all the time as shown in that picture.

 

[THarrison351]

11 hours ago, Goodwrench3 said:

Clearly that was not the case all the time as shown in that picture.

The tabs are there to install the heat shields. You can see them at the edge of the valve covers.

[randyc]

Man, back then they used whatever was on hand.  Unless they had a "deal" and lots of extras on hand.   

[Dave72]

Just noticed in the pic, they used mechanical fuel pumps! Great pic of the legend at work. I copied it myself.

[Khils]

On 9/13/2020 at 3:52 PM, wrenchr said:

Thanks for the picture, saved that one!! Life long Earnhardt fan.

** Life long Earnhardt fan **

Yup!    Me too!!  & much THX!   I saved it as well.

[ibj40]

17 hours ago, Dave72 said:

Just noticed in the pic, they used mechanical fuel pumps! Great pic of the legend at work. I copied it myself.

Ran them that way so that if the engine stopped, the fuel pump stopped.

[espo]

On 9/12/2020 at 10:44 AM, Goodwrench3 said:

This is a picture of Dale wrenching on the engine with the #2 Wrangler Pontiac behind him.

On the early 1980's Chevy engines, I've seen chrome and cast aluminum valve covers -- but rarely black ones ?

Anyone know what kind those are ?

 

Thanx for the picture. As I sit here with an old Sam Bass poster sign by Dale himself. This will always be hanging in my corner of the house. Most of the Valve Covers of the time were what we called "Tin" which was pretty much standard metal covers and some were raised as well. Notice the breathers are only on the drivers side valve cover. This was so that the oil wouldn't escape from centrifugal forces in a race. 

[MarkJ]

Look like moroso's painted black. Looks like they still used mechanical fuel pumps back then. How did they ever last at those rpm's for that long?

[Sledsel]

I bet they are blue anodized....