Black crincle valve covers

[hertzdonut]

I've been a SAAC member for over 30 years and evidently a "lurker" on this forum. How do you tell an original black cover from a reproduction?
The family I purchased a Hertz car from in 1987 has a pair from what I think came from a Sapphire Blue car that they had in the 80's. They probably would sell them. I will try to find which car they came from.

Terry

[gt350hr]

    Terry,
        I would look for "fangs" around the PCV grommet first. If those aren't there it becomes a little tricky.
      Randy

[Bigfoot]

Can't say on the 302 but on the CJ the underside has the engineering C7C8 (can't recall ) number.

[hertzdonut]

Thanks

There are fangs by the opening. Still looking for the Blue Shelby's number.

Terry

[shelbydoug]

Isn't the ID that the originals at the bolt holes are square (rectangular) openings and the repro's are "eyebrowed"? Gee. It would be nice to post pics into this.

[s2ms]

Originals with fangs and square bolt hole openings were used through 70 GT350 production and available as over-the-counter / service parts until at least the mid 70's. Sometime after that the area surrounding the PCV and breather openings were machined slightly larger in diameter and the fangs disappeared. Then the rounded hole openings became available from Ford which I believe was the first version reproduced, I'm sure others will have more info on this. Now you can get repros with square openings and fangs, but they do have different baffles than originals.

Dave

[gjz30075]

How about this

[gt350hr]

Isn't the ID that the originals at the bolt holes are square (rectangular) openings and the repro's are "eyebrowed"? Gee. It would be nice to post pics into this.

  Doug that is "one" of the ways to tell early ones but the "fangs" fell off after production and the squared bolt reliefs held on until the entire mold was remade and converted to round bolt reliefs and later twist in breathers. Fangs were never on reproduced covers ensuring they are "assembly line" items.
    Randy

[s2ms]

  Doug that is "one" of the ways to tell early ones but the "fangs" fell off after production and the squared bolt reliefs held on until the entire mold was remade and converted to round bolt reliefs and later twist in breathers. Fangs were never on reproduced covers ensuring they are "assembly line" items.
    Randy

Randy,

Actually, Scott Drake now makes a very nice set of repops with the fangs, but they do have different baffles. On a car might be really hard to tell from OE...

Link from Brant's website: http://www.virginiaclassicmustang.com/BLACK-COBRA-VALVE-COVERS-PAIR-P984.aspx

Dave

[gt350hr]

   I hope they aren't made in Taiwan.