I'm still trying to sort all of the parts I got with this new project. I have 4 different sets of valve covers. The first set is flat without oldsmobile on them. The second set is flat on driver and notched(for a/c?) on passenger without oldsmobile on either one. The next set is same notched blank cover on passenger and flat with oldsmobile on the driver cover. The next set is both with oldsmobile on them. Also, I got a set of M/T covers...old but good castings. If it matters, I have the "C" heads.

Which covers would be correct for a 68 400 without A/C?

I also have 2 different oil fill tubes. One is red and one is black. Which one is the original?

I've attached some photos after I brought her home today. I power washed the mold and clear coat off before coming home! For a "city" find she is not in too bad of shap.

 

Welcome to the site! All 1968-72 442's got the notched valve covers on both sides, even if the cars came without AC and power brakes. Would you post pictures of the oil fill tube? There were a couple different designs, but the best way is for us to see what you have.

If you want to post the extra valve covers in the parts for sale section there's a good demand for the M/T covers, the ones with Oldsmobile pressed into the metal, and the stray notched cover. It sounds like you need a drivers side notched cover, correct? You can make a post for that in the parts wanted forum. John

 

Both fill tubes are the same size and type. However, one is red and the other is black. The red was in the block when I got it. I can see some numbers on the red one. They are 4054280.

 

The number on the oil fill tube is the engine unit number. Olds started putting engine unit numbers on the oil fill tube of all Olds V8 engines in 1968. Before that, the engine unit number was stamped on the front of the right side cylinder head.

If your 400 is a '68 engine, there should be an engine unit number stamped on the oil fill tube that starts with an 8. My guess is that, if the red tube starts with a 4 and there is no number on the black tube, neither is original to your '68 400.

The oil fill tube was straight on all '68-'72 Olds V8 engines, except for '68 models with A/C, which used a tube with a 30 degree angle.

Randy C.

 

Thanks for the help. Ill keep digging through boxes for the right parts and organizing what I am gonna keep and what im getting rid of.

 

The oil fill tube may not have the correct number, but the appearance is correct for your car. Once its painted very few people would know it's the wrong year stamped on it. John

 

Whoops! I just noticed the casting letter after the string of numbers to the right of the fill tube. It looks like an F block, correct? That would be a 455 engine. Only the Hurst Olds got a 455 in 1968, so the correct 400 engine would have a large letter G after the string of numbers.

By the way, I don't know what it looked like before you washed it off but the car in the pictures looks very nice! John

 

Do I paint it bronze or black? While on the subject which engine paint do you recommend? I will also need the orange/red for the air cleaner.

 

Yes you are correct. The original engine is MIA. Check out my other threads for the details. I have a lot of the original parts, but the bottom end was swapped for a L.C. 455. I still have the C heads, intake, maybe the covers if I find em, distributor, carburetor...and so on.

Check em out!

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...-455-4spd.html - this thread has a picture of it after I uncovered it and my Novas

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...ower-tour.html - this thread has some pre-cleaning pictures

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post383631 - this thread has my body tag that needs some decoding

 

FYI, you don't have four sets of valve covers. You have eight unmatched valve covers. The OLDSMOBILE lettered valve covers were only used in the 1973-74 model years. The 68 442 should have a pair of notched covers, and in both cases the notches go towards the rear of the engine.

 

I just called them sets since they were grouped together in boxes. They had valve train in them so I assumed they were matched. Anyways, I have found the set originally on the car(im guessing). Don't say oldsmobile and are notched. Bronze in color. There has to be some stamps on them somewhere. Where should I be looking? I just want to make sure these are correct. This guy had so much crap shoved in this garage and has so many parts intermixed. I have at least 9 quadrajets and 1 holley spreadbore to figure out and sell. I also found a set of D heads on the shelf among the rest of the heads. He asked if he could keep them. I said yes since it was obviously a mistake on his part; he didn't know they were in there. Stupid conscience. I did take the original steel 400 4 speed crank that was originally in the car. When we dug that up I said I had to have it no questions.

Im still hunting for the exhaust manifolds.

 

Wow! It sounds like this guy has a serious collection. Would love to have a set of D heads myself, but agree its better to sleep well at night. Sorry, I had missed your previous post about the engine missing.

Bronze would be the correct color for your car. You can use the search option to try and find threads with pictures of different brands. Here's a recent thread that discusses both gold and bronze colors from different vendors and opinions of what looked good.


https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...ine-paint.html

 

Thanks for the link. Yes the man had a huge collection. He had 3 sets of c heads, the Ga heads, and the D heads. He also had a complete 425BBO. I bought the car and 95% of the parts in the garage. He gave me power steering pumps and gear boxes off of 2 different 442s. Mine doesn't have power steering. I have so many parts that I am overwhelmed.

I also found the original spare, jack,and chrome dealer emblem(Jack Schmid Columbus Ohio) in the trunk. Im trying to get him to give me some copies of photos of the cars original paint. He is also going to give me as much information about the history as he can. I lucked out on this deal; it is the best I've come accross yet.