It is a common problem, once you modify something, you have to change something else. In this case, I installed a set of roller rockers on a 351 W, and the stock height valve covers would no longer clear. A set of aftermarket valve covers would do the job easily but nothing really caught my eye. The engine is going in a '64 Falcon wagon I am building, and I wanted the understated factory look of a black painted block and heads with red valve covers and air filter, so aluminum or aftermarket was out of the question. I toyed with the idea of valve cover spacers, but they are not cheap, and they require another set of gaskets that would complicate things. I like simple cheap things, so I went another route. I had an old pair of Moroso SBF steel chrome valve covers from my circle track days, and they would clear the roller rockers and poly locks. I did not like the Moroso logo, so that had to go. My plan was to cut out the Power By Ford letters from an old set of 351C valve covers and weld the piece into the Moroso valve covers so I would have a factory look (sort of) and still clear the rockers.
The stock 351 W valve covers would not clear the Crane roller rockers I was using:
The tall Moroso steel valve covers would clear nicely:
The logo was going to have to go:
The Power By Ford logo from a set of 351 C valve covers would look nice, so an 11" x 2 1/8" piece was marked out with masking tape:
A 4 1/2" angle grinder with a cut off wheel was used to cut the piece out:
The piece was de-burred and set aside:
The Moroso valve cover was also cut out with the same dimensions 11" x 2 1/8":
A little fine tuning with some tin snips made the piece fit exactly:
The piece would be butt welded in, so the fit has to be pretty close:
A couple of magnets hold the piece in place:
The piece is tack welded in place:
More tack welds are added about an inch apart alternating sides to prevent warping:
Tack welds are added from side to side until the piece is completely wleded in place. A wet rag is run over the piece to keep everything cool as each tack weld is added:
The finished piece doesn't look too good yet:
The welds are dressed using a 36 grit sanding disc. Let the grinding disc do the work, and do not dig into the metal:
The valve cover after grinding looks really nice and smooth with only a few scratches that will need to be filled with catalyzed glazing putty:
The valve cover was primered with a high build polyester primer to fill in the remaining scratches. I masked about an inch down from the top to keep the chrome that was already there. It was then sanded with 400 grit sandpaper:
Duplicolor Fire Red was chosen as a not so bright red for the valve cover. The engine is going in a '64 Falcon wagon, and the factory colors would have been a black block and heads with red valve covers and air cleaner, which is the look I am going after:
After the masking tape was pulled and any overspray wiped off, the valve cover was bolted to the engine:
The finished valve cover will keep people scratching their heads trying to figure out where they came from. Now to do the other valve cover.
[
Today
Gydyup - 67 Mustang Coupe
