Valve Covers

[Chevy454]

What do the rest of you BBC guys do for valve covers? I pulled the set off our Nova this morning, and half of the drippers were bent...some just slightly, but others darn near pulled the spot welds loose. I knew they didn't fit worth a piss when I put 'em on, but I've been down this road before with repro covers and before when I got 'em on they did fine. Well, not this set! I'm runnin' the factory valvetrain, with the exception of a set of posi-locks. On our Camaro I tried running a set of repro covers that didn't have drippers and preceded to bust a couple of rockers, and the bolt holes in the 2nd repro set I tried didn't match those in the head and had to be forced on/off, so I put the originals back on...they look like dung, but they fit, and the drippers are correct. No idea where we got this latest set of covers, but I'm half tempted to send 'em back...

So, what does everyone else do here?

[bkhpah]

We use originals only. But most of the time they will need chromed. Once in a while we will find a set of early take offs with the factory flash chrome in good condition. The latter are getting hard to find..BKH

[scuncio]

I have originals on my BB cars, too. The chrome is thin around the flanges but anything's better than bent up drippers!

[Chevy454]

Thanks for the help fellas...I kinda figured that'd be the answer. Just sucks, cause we got a local show next weekend, and they usually expect a little "go" with our "show" cars. They don't exactly give those repro covers away, yet they STILL fit like @ss. Oh well, maybe we can rig up a temp fix with the repros, and have a set done right in the meantime.

[Casey Marks]

I got the repops with the drippers for the 'Scayne and they SUCK ! Witha capital S U C K !!

Like you say, they fit like Hell. Once you jee-haw them on there, they look OK, but whatta pain. If I find a set of originals, they are getting minted out and put on. I'll use these repops as bird baths............

[Jeff Murphy]

Has anyone tried the ones sold by Crane Corvette in CA?

[rpoz11]

Try David Crane, call him and explain your experience. He's been doing his for a very long time now, his are seperate from the rest as repop's go. ... http://cranescorvette.com/...
His page is HUGE so give it time to load!

[Xplantdad]

The link above doesn't work...try this:
Cranes Corvette

[Schonyenko2]

Have you tried the double thick valve cover gaskets? I think someone out there makes a spacer if you want to run roller rockers, and original covers. I know you don't but that would solve part of your problem. Try Jegs maybe. S.

[Chevy454]

Schonye: I've ran the double thick, double thick with embedded metal, rubber, and the regular old cork, and my favorite is the tried and true standard cork. My thinking is that with all original drivetrain parts the stock covers & gaskets should work as well, but I guess the people that repro these pieces of crap don't care. Knock on wood, I've NEVER had a valvetrain problem that didn't stem from repro covers. BTW: the Crane gold rollers will fit with the thick gaskets and baffles removed...local truck puller tuned me into that.

Anyway, these dippers weren't just "rubbing", a couple were literally almost pried away from the spot weld. Unbelievable we didn't hurt the engine, and someone's probably gonna get a phone call tomorrow...