I have a couple of old sets of valve covers and am wondering if they are worth anything. #1. 7 fin raised letters part number 376743 with the "Lester" on the inside. One has the "O" in corvette filled in and the other it is ok. I have two sets with only one filled in and the other ok?
#2. 7 fin flush letters staggered holes part #3726086. any value?

 

They might be to someone building up a C1 or C2. Staggered hole covers fit early V8 engines (265 and early 283) and the others are for the later 283 and 327 engines.

I'd scout eBay and the C1-C2 Parts for Sale sections to get a current market value for those. I've bought several sets over the years for not much bucks. 7 fin covers are not hard to find. 9 fin covers were used on fuel injected cars and are not as plentiful but still not that expensive.

 

Thanks

 

When you say you have covers with the "O filled in", I'm assuming that you mean you have the covers that have the casting flaw or line, going through the middle of the "O".

1) If I'm reading your post correctly, you have 2 finned aluminum "Corvette" script valve covers, with the "O" in Corvette "filled in", and two without the filled in "O"? If so, then what you have is one pair of 59L-66E finned covers (the 2 covers without the "O" filled in), and one pair of 66L-67 covers (with the filled in "O").

During 1959, Chevrolet redesigned their heads, so that the valve cover holes, would be straight across. On Corvettes, the 283/230, the 327/250, and the 327/300, came with painted steel valve covers, all other 283's and 327's came with 7 fin, aluminum, "Corvette" script valve covers.

The covers with straight across holes, and without the "O" filled in, where used from late 1959, until early 1966. Sometime during the 66 model year, the mold for the finned aluminum valve covers was damaged. From that point on, all of the finned "Corvette" script valve covers, had the flaw, or line, through the "O". These are very common covers, as they were used on all 66-67 350 horse engines, and sold over the counter by GM, for many, many years.

A pair of used covers, with the casting flaw, usually sell for about $100. Ones without the casting flaw are much more desirable, and a little harder to come by. These usually sell for about $150-$200 a pair, but sometimes more for a real nice pair, or if you find someone who really needs them.

2) The 7 fin staggered hole covers, were used from 58-early 59. Like the straight hole covers, they were used on every Corvette engine, except the 283/230. Demand isn't great for these covers, since they had a rather limited use originally (less than 2 years), so the price reflects this.

Like used covers with the flaw in them, the staggered hole covers usually sell for about $100 a pair. There just isn't much demand for them, and like the flawed covers, they were available from Chevy for many years. If you have a particularly nice pair, you may get a little more for them, as the later ones from Chevrolet had a rather unappealing flaky look to the aluminum surface.

I think that half the time that staggered hole covers, actually get sold, is because an uneducated buyer doesn't realize that they have staggered holes.

You may see any of the covers you have, advertised for more, but the prices I gave you, are about what they usually sell for.

 

The C1 Forum folks might be interested in your valve covers.

 

thanks! lots of good information.