what is the best way to restore these valve cover to their original look?
does anyone have a pic of them on thier engine that I couls see?
if you do, please email it to me at mr70monte@yahoo.com

thanks

The 2 sets of covers are somewhat different. The 69's are a mat or dull finish and don't have drippers on the under side. The 70's have a polished finish and drippers (tabs that hang down and guide splashed oil to the rockers).

Any quality alum polish and lots of elbo grease will take care of the 70's version. The '69 version is a whole nother story. I've heard of folks using a form mild acid to etch them after wet sanding but don't try it off my accounting of what was done...

Send '69 valve covers to Jerry MacNeish ( www.z28camaro.com (http://www.z28camaro.com) ) and they'll come back looking like this - he also did the intake, carb, booster, alternator, etc.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2002-2/13522/2002228131959-1-ZnoaclR1.JPG
graemlins/beers.gif

Hey John Z

I thought you had you exhaust manifolds reskinned by McNeish. They look kind of rusty??? I had mine done, but havent run the car yet.
What's up??

As a note of interest- I have a 6,000 mile 1970 LT1 engine complete- Air Cleaner to Pan ( sitting for the last 30 years, out of a roll over, and NO it,s not for sale ) It has never been apart, still has all the CTB chalk marks on the sides of the block as well as all the original paint overspray and ink dabs, date coded wires, etc, etc. and IT DOES NOT have polished valve covers. In Fact they look very similar to the covers on my 42,000 mile 69 Z28 ( kinda dull in appearance), except newer looking. It has a July Stamp.
The 70 covers do have the drippers while the 69 covers do not.
Just my 2 bits worth, hope it helps.

The dripper thing has pretty much been documented as a 1970 and up equipment.

The Chevy Power manual states this in the valvetrain section - "1970 and later die cast aluminum rocker arm covers have cast in drippers to improve rocker arm ball lubrication".

I have a set of original 69 covers in great shape but I run a pair of NOS polished ones because they look nice AND the drippers were added there for a reason. The engines needed the drippers for valvetrain durability. smile.gif

I have not seen any documentation on when the polished finish became standard production. AFAIK it is still somewhat up in the air at this point.

-Mark.

Jonesy...I have seen Johns car in person. There is no rust. It must be the picture, as the booster looks more gold in this shot than it really is.

Originally posted by Jonesy:
Hey John Z

I thought you had you exhaust manifolds reskinned by McNeish. They look kind of rusty??? I had mine done, but havent run the car yet.
What's up?? That's an old photo - here's what the re-skinned iron manifolds look like now.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2002-3/13522/200232391138-0-RHexhman.JPG
graemlins/beers.gif

John Z

I was wondering what was up. I got my exhaust manifolds done by Jerry also and mine look just like yours. I am going to fire up the engine this week and maybe drive my car for the first time in years. Thanks for the update. graemlins/beers.gif