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This has been covered on here time and again. However, perhaps your new.
First and foremost, it's certainly not "Tacky". It looks really nice. Much nicer than your bare distributor just hanging out. Second, only Corvette's got this ignition shielding. So whenever I see a Corvette without the first thing I think is transplanted engine.
They were originally installed to shield ign. interference from your radio. Particularly a issue with AM radio.
So, Bottom line. If you don't like these beautiful covers that hide your ugly distributor and plug wires.
Then yes, you can remove them.
It stops Radio Frequency Interference, AM more so than FM (Frequency modulation versus Amplitude modulation). In a regular metal body car the metal firewall prevented this. Changes in plug and plug wire technology has also helped solve some of this....good ol' solid core plugs back in the day could even kill an msd box
This has been covered on here time and again. However, perhaps your new.
Indeed I'm new, but I find the search function on Corvette Forum to be not so good -- hence my post.
I suppose the appearance of the chrome distributor cover is subjective. But I prefer function over form, and it just doesn't appear to have a function, which is why I referred to it as tacky-looking.
Your not wrong about the search feature on this forum. However, for future reference. When looking for something, just use Google. Put in C3 Corvette blah, blah blah. And 90 percent of Mr. Google's answers will bring you back here. That seems to work great. The feature on here seems worthless.
Welcome to the forum!
Indeed I'm new, but I find the search function on Corvette Forum to be not so good -- hence my post.
I suppose the appearance of the chrome distributor cover is subjective. But I prefer function over form, and it just doesn't appear to have a function, which is why I referred to it as tacky-looking.
Jason
The cover is a PITA when it's time to work on the distributor.
Your question boils down to:
Are you a purist and want everything stock?
Or a modifier?
A good set of plug wires and any previous interference issues of listening to the radio are gone. Thousands of us Vette owners pitched those covers in the round file and never installed again.
IMO....those "radio suppression" covers look like crap, retain heat, clutter up the engine compartment, .......and I would toss them as far as I could throw them....or sell them to someone who wants them.
See? Lots of opinions on here!
My engine, anything but factory stock, yet the ign. shields remain. Pain in the butt to work on the distributor? I don't know, 2 wingbolts. Doesn't seem that difficult to me.
Can't see a single plug wire, very tidy. I personally like it.
Do they have a purpose? Yes, they were the electrical shield sometimes referred to as a Faraday Cage after its inventor. It was to keep electromagnetic pulses (your distributor points) from interfering with AM radio in particular. In this case they were an inverted Faraday Cage, meant to ground the pulses on the shielding before they wrecked havoc with your reception. As pointed out earlier, metal body cars do a decent job of this, but the fiberglass body evidently did not. If you think these are a PITA, you should see the early C3 shielding around the spark plugs (same idea). IMO, they look nice and distinguish a Corvette engine from others, but if you are function over form I can see why you'd get rid of them. To each their own...
When I restored my 76, I left all that crap off. I never turn on the radio - the engine sings to me with that 350/350 cam and Pypes 2 ½ exhaust and the T-Tops off!!! Yeah Boy!!!!
IMO....those "radio suppression" covers look like crap, retain heat, clutter up the engine compartment, .......and I would toss them as far as I could throw them....or sell them to someone who wants them.
It stops Radio Frequency Interference, AM more so than FM (Frequency modulation versus Amplitude modulation). In a regular metal body car the metal firewall prevented this. Changes in plug and plug wire technology has also helped solve some of this....good ol' solid core plugs back in the day could even kill an msd box
I'm old enough to remember when the neighbor's electric drill caused static on our radio and black & white tv.
I'm old enough to remember when the neighbor's electric drill caused static on our radio and black & white tv.
In the early 60s AURORA made these little electric slot cars, they didn't have a conventional motor, they had a set of points that opened and closed an electro magnet...they were called vibrators...lol I lived in NY and all the houses were close, these little cars wrecked everyone's antenna TV with their RFI... I remember my dad would outlaw me using them nights when something good was on...
In the early 60s AURORA made these little electric slot cars, they didn't have a conventional motor, they had a set of points that opened and closed an electro magnet...they were called vibrators...lol I lived in NY and all the houses were close, these little cars wrecked everyone's antenna TV with their RFI... I remember my dad would outlaw me using them nights when something good was on...
60
When tv remotes first came out my grandpa found out they interfered with some garage door openers, so he'd get drunk and drive around the neighborhood opening people's garage doors.
Not to get too far off subject here. But when garage door openers first came out, there was roughly only 3 -6 frequencies on limited brands.
And the remotes had quite a range too, often operating an eight of a mile away.
If you lived in The Burbs, mid 60s, real good chance your neighbor's door opener was on the same frequency as you.
And it happened at our household until we changed frequency (multiple times).
Chrome has no purpose in our cars. On door handles, it may reject more solar heat than an equivalent black component. That is the only useful location.
Your not wrong about the search feature on this forum. However, for future reference. When looking for something, just use Google. Put in C3 Corvette blah, blah blah. And 90 percent of Mr. Google's answers will bring you back here. That seems to work great. The feature on here seems worthless.
Welcome to the forum!
I was just about to suggest that. To your tip, I would include the term 'corvetteforum' in your search line to get you back here. There shall be no other false gods.
