58horse

I thought all early Corvette engines had the seven finned aluminum valve covers. I just found a picture of a supposed NCRS correct 58 with orange steel covers. Which is correct?

Nowhere Man

Only the high horse engine got the al valve covers. All others got the stamped steel painted covers

jim lockwood

You could actually invert that and say that only the base engine got the stamped steel valve covers.

DZAUTO

Both are correct.
In both 55 and 68, there were ZERO finned alum valve covers. The 55 V8 cars only had chromed steel valve covers and the optional 68 SB engines got chrome valve covers.

Additionally, back in the day, MANY, MANY of the Corvette owners (as well as pass car owners, street rod owners, etc, etc, etc), bought finned covers from the parts dept and installed them on their engines (I still put them on all my SB engines). So it is very possible that many of the early base engine cars today have finned covers instead of painted steel covers.
Most of the finned alum covers were available for MANY years long after they were no longer installed during production---------------------and they were cheap, about $25ea.

58horse

Thanks -Learned something. Guess I will save a few bucks on valve covers as I have the steel ones.

1COOL60

One more thought: There are also nine-fin covers. I believe these were early covers that only fit '59 and earlier heads that had the offset mounting holes.
160

JohnZ

Here's a chronology I put together about 15 years ago on the '56-'62 aluminum valve covers.

Donny Brass

or you could paint your aluminum valve covers orange

Easy Rhino

That does look nice.

stevebz06

They stopped trying to make attractive engines starting with the C5 and instead hide ugly parts under plastic covers.

Easy Rhino

But they haven't stopped reposting old threads. In this case, over four years old.

mattba

The C5 folks just don't appreciate my C5 tribute to C2s! But I couldn't resist adding this to my C5 LS1!

65 Pro Vette

Not exactly true in 63, 64, and 65 the base engine was a 250 horse 327. The optional 300 horse also got steel valve covers.

mjdart

I have the original finned covers on my '64 327 365 and my '67 with the LS376 has these billet aluminum covers on the coils which I love so I just added these door sill covers which carry over the look.

Nowhere Man

I do like those door sills. Very nice design.

MikeM

That'd go good without about six tailpipes sticking out the back that matched yer gold chain necklace.

jim lockwood

Yep. You are right. Brain spasm on my part because I have a '63 with the 300 HP engine. And it has steel valve covers.