When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
My car has after market valve covers - they say 454 on them and look much more modern than a 1971 should. I would like to purchase the original style. Were the original ones all painted orange and the chrome ones were all aftermarket? I also want to make sure I purchase the correct ones - I notice some have "drippers" built in and some do not and some have a recess for the distributor and some do not. How do I know what I should get? Would you purchase new after market from a vendor or would you try to find used OEM ones? How much should they cost? Thanks.
They should all have drippers in them. This is how you get oil to the center of the rocker arm to lube the ball.
The drippers get in the way and are not needed with roller rockers, so that is one reason some don't have them and also the cheap reproductions don't spend the money to put them in.
1971 454's used chrome covers until somewhere between VIN 3,000 & 4,000. From about VIN 4,000 on, all 454's used painted covers.
The chrome 1st design covers use a chrome, twist off oil cap, and have drippers and the power brake booster indent in the left cover. These covers were also used in 1970.
The 2nd design covers were unique to 71. They used a push in black rubber oil cap, and had 2 stands on each cover, for the wire dividers to mount on. These also had drippers and the PB indent.
The PB indent on 71 covers is only a small notch at the back of the cover. It's nothing like the large triangle shaped rear corner found on covers used prior to Jan. 68.
72-74 covers are similar to the 2nd design 71, but only the cover with a stand for a wire divider, is the left one, and it only uses a single stand at the rear. 72-74 covers also have 4 clips on each cover, so that each holds a single plug wire.
Last edited by gbvette62; Apr 7, 2011 at 05:38 PM.
Jason,
I have an original set from an LS7. They have the drip rails and the baffles for the breather and PCV. They are for sale in the C3 parts section. They need to be refinished since all the original paint has chipped off. I think they were originally black since this was an early 70's GM crate engine.
thanks,
gbvette62, Thanks for the detailed/informative post. I believe based on my VIN 1S112005, I have a late 71 so I should have painted covers. How much should I pay for a set? I am finding them priced new from $40 - $500! I assume the $40 ones are a 'one size fits all' type...but I am not really sure.
Rebelrob, If possible, I am going to try and find the exact type/style that my car came with. I am not sure if they would have been the same as your LS7 ones or not.
I wonder if there's any chance you have a later generation 454. They had the cast valve covers with 454 in Red.
Well...they do have '454' in red. Here is a picture. Do you think these could be original? I just assumed they are aftermarket as they look like a much newer design.
One avenue you should try is to offer the aftermarket covers you now have in trade for some original '71 BB covers. The covers you have are desirable for those modifying their cars...and they have no use for the original set.
ou are in luck I have been saving engine glamour shots for a while.
I found 3 pics for you: This is a very nicely restored 48k mile 71 LS5 that has the two wire clip in the center of the pass valve cover near the carb stud. Interestingly the driver's cover does not have this clip on this car.
The second pic is a 72, this is a 900 mile! (duh) untouched original and you can see the four clips near the bottom valve cover lip, one for each plug wire. It also has a clip in the middle of the valve cover, but it holds 4 wires, is further back, and is on a 45 degree angle.
This third pic is a 2 owner car, he owned it since it was 4 years old. 55k mile, unrestored but very well maintained 71 LS5. No air holes in manifolds. But missing silver shielding on plug wires. Correct plug wire clip in center of valve cover.
Last edited by leigh1322; May 22, 2020 at 09:30 PM.
Speaking of 454 valve covers, I should have taken pictures of the insides and rocker arms when I installed new gaskets.
They sure were clean for 49 years old.
1971 454 Valve Covers
