65 GT350 PCV Grommet

[mygt350]

Can someone tell me what the correct PCV grommet part number/marking is for a 65 GT350 open letter valve cover?
Thanks!
Martin

[s2ms]

Not Shelby specific but all the OE grommets I've seen on 65-66 GT350's are marked "378766 S".

Dave

[mygt350]

Thanks Dave!

[Dan Case]

I hunt for them as 1964 model year Fairlane parts. Cobras with 1964 model year design COBRA POWERED BY FORD cast aluminum rocker arm covers used the same grommet. The "65" on the right of the text arc is not a year but a mold cavity number. I have no idea how many molds and how many cavities there were but I have seen a part from cavity "111". I do not know what the "1" on the lower side means. Some parts have a number there and some do not.

[s2ms]

Dan,

Thanks for the photo. From my notes I've seen mold cavity numbers 28, 53, and 89. The 89 is the original from my 66, now in several pieces. These things harden from heat and age and are very difficult in my experience to remove from a valve cover without breaking apart. Also, all the ones I've seen also had the "1" on the lower side.

Dave

[mygt350]

One I am looking at has a 56 mold cavity number. Sorry, no pic.

[Dan Case]

Dan,

Thanks for the photo. From my notes I've seen mold cavity numbers 28, 53, and 89. The 89 is the original from my 66, now in several pieces. These things harden from heat and age and are very difficult in my experience to remove from a valve cover without breaking apart. Also, all the ones I've seen also had the "1" on the other side.

Dave

You are welcome. F.Y.I.... years ago, twenty years maybe, SFM5026 had a grommet from cavity "18" and there was not "1" on the other side. My notes have cavity numbers from that low of 18 to a high of 111.  I have no doubt there was at least 111 cavities. My only question is how many molds were required to have that many cavities? I put no significance to the cavity number as Ford required many thousands of grommets for all the 260/289 Ford engines they were to be installed in. As the grommets were made all parts more than likely went into large bins for lift trucks to move away from the molding presses. 

Here is an ex-1964 Fairlane cavity 28 grommet shown with the valve and elbow in excellent used condition Jim Sfetko took a picture of.  The way late Cobra owners and their restorers find parts is ask for Fairlane parts. The valve shown was apparently a Cleveland engine plant only item. It is the second design used for the 1964 model year. The first design valve was used as the only known service part.

Note that this cavity 28 part does not have a "1" molded in.  In my 1964 Fairlane and Cobra part picture collection about fifty percent have the extra number.



I have had mixed results heating old grommets to remove or install them. Sometimes heating seems to help and sometimes the rubber splits. I have not tried heating them in 1960s style Ford automatic transmission fluid (which will soften some types of rubber at least a little).

[texas swede]

The grommet on my car 5S275 has the same number as the shown examples but the font is smaller.
Texas Swede

[Bob Gaines]

I have seen others in the later 66 time period with FOMOCO in block letters inside the rectangle.

[Greg]

I need the proper one for 5S109 if anyone has one they would like to sell.  thanks Greg

[Dan Case]

I have seen others in the later 66 time period with FOMOCO in block letters inside the rectangle.

I have seen these in late covers. Ford 381898S and it includes the FoMoCo® logo. Cover kits were sold for years by Ford post any car using them.

[s2ms]

The 381989S grommet with a FoMoCo logo is the C8SZ part so not sure if it was available in 1966 or not. The good thing about those is you can still find NOS, plus they appear to me made of a more flexible and heat resistant material, I've pulled several out of original Cleveland valve covers with no issues.

[NC TRACKRAT]

Just checked 5S071.  It's got a 55, FK and a 2, looks just like Dan's.  No FOMOCO.