Buddy Bar valve covers - Question

[silverton_ford]

I posted some pictures here:  https://flic.kr/s/aHskMDJhNL  For anyone that wants to analyze details.

I have been talking to Dan.  Wow, such a nice guy and a wealth of knowledge!  He is very helpful.  Thank you Dan!   

The history behind these valve covers on how they evolved through 1963 to 1966 is very fascinating.

[6s1640]

Hi Brian,

Did you get a hold of the seller and get the other set to re-mix and match?

Best of luck

Cory

[Iceman]

I have 2 NOS valve covers in the original box. Both have buddy bar casting lettering. The RH cover always has a hyphen between the words BUDDY-BAR-CASTING-CO.

[6s1640]

Hi Iceman,

Good eye on the hyphens on the pax side cover.  I did not realize.

Thanks for sharing.

Cory

[Dan Case]

One Saturday afternoon I compared castings made from five different wooden master patterns. One pattern was used to make first version castings without maker's identification and covers with after a metal tag was added to the pattern.  I didn't think at the time to take close up pictures of all the texts but I gathered up three I could find. How many different versions of text there were, I have no idea.

[DRGT350]

Mine don't have the dash between the buddy bar,

Dave

[Iceman]

for sale in Ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Buddy-Bar-REAL-DEAL-Valve-Covers-Shelby-Cobra/173637493174?hash=item286d99e1b6:g:VyIAAOSwxPNbx1Eh:rk:1:pf:0

[Bob Gaines]

One Saturday afternoon I compared castings made from five different wooden master patterns. One pattern was used to make first version castings without maker's identification and covers with after a metal tag was added to the pattern.  I didn't think at the time to take close up pictures of all the texts but I gathered up three I could find. How many different versions of text there were, I have no idea.

Dan ,any sequence of production noticed between the different text styles that you pictured?

[Dan Case]

Dan ,any sequence of production noticed between the different text styles that you pictured?

I don't remember, I wasn't in that frame of mind at the time. I was going through all the sets I had and some sets I borrowed trying to come up with a matching pair in similar condition for a Cobra completed in the spring of 1964.  After doing some trading with people I borrowed from I traded off most of my better ones. I still have two or three singles and a new pair of reproductions that a person restoring their Cobra bought and then decided not to use.

I used one GT350 time period pair for my play engine.

It is really interesting that two people have old boxes marked with 1966 model year part numbers (S2MS-6A582-B).


Text in quotes below are direct quotes from the Shelby American parts book dated May 31, 1965. The numbers at right are retail and dealer prices.

Oil Fill On Right Hand Side : Cobras with 1964 HP289 engines.
"C3RA 6582- B2 Valve Cover with Filler Tube R/H (Bud-B) Buddy Ea 17.97 14.47" (This was the second version. The number of the original version with chrome plated fill tube seems to have been lost to time, at least we haven't found it, but might have been C3RA 6582- B. Both came out mid 1963.)

"C3RA 6582- C Cover, Rocker Arm LH Budy Bar Ea 18.68 13.08" (I believe, can't prove, LH side PCV covers in Cobras with 1964 HP289 engines. For Cobras any raw casting could have been machined to be either an oil fill or PCV side.)

Others listed in the same parts book.  Because this is a service part book we can't know what might have been production, service, or both.

"C3RA 6582- B4 Valve Cover Aluminum RH (1964) Ford (Buddy) Ea 24.75 20.13" (The 1964 notation is interesting. The original versions came out mid 1963, it seems SA defined them differently for some reason. I wonder what a B3 suffix might have been?)

"C3RA 6582- C3 Valve Cover W/Filler L/H (Bud-B) Buddy B. 18.92 15.24" (I read left hand fill as the GT350 application.)

"C3RA 6582- C5 Valve Cover Aluminum LH (1964) Ford (Buddy) Ea 24.75 20.13" (Again that 1964 notation is interesting. For some reason the suffix and price is now different with Ford being listed as the supplier first. Can't help but wonder if the C3 and C5 suffixes are switched misprints. Service parts books can be confounding.)

"C4RA 6582- A Cover Rocker Arm RH Budy Bar Ea 17.74 12.42" (A new version which is listed for as part of the "S1MK 6582 Valve Cover Kit, For Mustangs, C4RA-6582-A, C3RA-6882-C, Gaskets, and Bolts Kit Pr 47.85 35.25", I wished they had indicated oil fill or not after each individual number.)

My biggest unknown is when the last version of PCV side cover come out? Was it before or after the May 31, 1965 parts book was printed. Note that the S2MS versions  indicated above are not listed in the May 31, 1965 parts book.

[s2ms]

Saw these on eBay, not sure if they pertain to this discussion, the seller describes them as original and made by Ansen...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/173658439096

From the seller's description...

"This listing is for a pair of ORIGINAL used aluminum open letter Cobra Small Block Ford Valve Covers

Will fit 260 289 302 351W

These were used on the 65-66 shelby's and cobra's, and also available for your production Mustang through local dealers.

These are NOT the Buddy Bar cast pieces, they are from ANSEN, the other manufacturer Ford used in the 60's.

These are not the recent reproduction pieces, these were pulled from a motor back in the late '80's....."

[Bob Gaines]

Saw these on eBay, not sure if they pertain to this discussion, the seller describes them as original and made by Ansen...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/173658439096

From the seller's description...

"This listing is for a pair of ORIGINAL used aluminum open letter Cobra Small Block Ford Valve Covers

Will fit 260 289 302 351W

These were used on the 65-66 shelby's and cobra's, and also available for your production Mustang through local dealers.

These are NOT the Buddy Bar cast pieces, they are from ANSEN, the other manufacturer Ford used in the 60's.

These are not the recent reproduction pieces, these were pulled from a motor back in the late '80's....."

I believe the open letter valve covers have been available reproduction since the late 70's .

[rhjanes]

I checked my Buddy Bar.   One is the "wide" style and one is the narrow.  The Oil Filler side is wide, the PCV is narrow.  Looking at FLEABAY, going rate around $1000?  I also have a pair of the late 1970's, never installed, in Ford box....dated on the box 1982.  Looks like those go for $500? 
And a third pair I had on my coupe....used, oil stained....
Maybe I should attend a national show and cash out....

[silverton_ford]

..... Looking at FLEABAY, going rate around $1000?  I also have a pair of the late 1970's, never installed, in Ford box....dated on the box 1982.  Looks like those go for $500? 
And a third pair I had on my coupe....used, oil stained....
Maybe I should attend a national show and cash out....

There is a difference in "sold" price and "asking" price.   There is a pair currently listed asking $1,200, but has been listed for quite a while.  I wouldn't take this as the current market.

Looking at sold valve covers when typing in "Buddy Bar" as the search on ebay sets have sold for $300, $200, and $260 in the past couple weeks.  Some need some help here and there, but the $1200 set isn't perfect either.  Just a quick observation of an easy place to see them sell other than by word of mouth or at swap meets.   

At SAAC 43 I saw an original unrestored set in the swap meet priced for $400 and sold in a large group of parts, so it isn't known what exactly the price was if the guy got the entire lot in a bundle price.

I would say a perfect set should bring more than the ones recently sold and are probably not part fair for this comparison.

I think they are the best looking small block valve cover ever produced.  All of my small block cars will get a set.  I still need a few more sets....

[rhjanes]

Thanks for the insights!

[gt350hr]

    Dave ,
       Ansen did NOT do sand cast valve covers of any kind. PERIOD.  Where these sellers come up with these hallucinations is beyond me. SAI switched because the Ansen die cast covers were less than half the cost of a Buddy Bar sand cast cover , and they were made in half the time. CS's buddy ( later partner) George Spears supplied the ( then) special "wrinkle paint" to Ansen.
I'm sure you already knew all this.
     Randy