lets see what some of you guys have. In the process of doing my air cleaner and some valve cover breathers and wanted some ideas. Anybody know the size i will need for a stock 71 350 valve cover?

 

i have a chrome eldobrock breather and valve covers. im just usin pop in MR Gasket valve cover breathers.ive been trying to trade for regular chrome valve covers and a breather. i dont like Eldobrock parts.

 

got some work done on my little christmas break project lol. Just painted the housing gold w/black accent and ordered a filter for it. gunna look good after i respray my heads, valve covers, intake, and oil tube!

 

whats wrong with edelbrock?

 

just dont like Eldobrock. ive always been a Holley guy.its mainly the carbs i dont like. i cant ever get one set in right. i like Eldobrock intakes but i like Weiand intakes better.

 

i keep hearing different opinions on the carbs. I hear edelbrocks are better for street manners and are easy to tune, where the holley is more for performance with less street manners...

 

i tryed usin a Eldobrock 650 street carb one time on a chevy 350. i couldnt ever get it to stop flooding and the carb was brand new. i dropped a old holley 600 on it and it worked great.holley 4bbls do have a rep of having to be tuned all the time but im runnin a holley 350 2bbl on my 83 cutlass 2dr with a 307 and it is the best carb ive ever ran.

 

It's not a 350, It's a 455 which is now in my Vista Cruiser but I think it's a pretty combo.

 

I recently picked up a pair of Hardin Marine valve covers for a Rocket 350. I have learned they were used on Oldsmobile powered Jet Boat, which I thought was pretty cool. I also like the Holley valve covers and the Sharp valve covers posted in the parts for sale threads.
I am looking for a decent used intake now. I too prefer a Weiand intakes, but will use an Edlebrock if a good used Weiand doesn't turn up. I also need a ram air breather, and I am seeing that is going to cost a little.

 

nice!

 

Here are some pictures of the Hardin valve covers.

 

That's a beautiful looking 455!

 

Working on these to go on my 455...

Started out like this a week ago:


Been hitting them with 150grit by hand, and they look like this now:


Need a little more time with the 150 then i'll move up to 220 and then onto a buffer.

 

Those Edlebrocks are sweet! How old are they? 1970's?

 

x2 i love the older style ones

 

They list 330-455 as the application on the underside, so they are at least newer than 68 when the 455 was released. I'd guess mid 70's.
I've seen M/T covers that list 330-425 as the application inside, so those would be older.

 

so ur gunna polish them?

 

Yup.
They had a lot of corrosion on them, as well as deep circular scratches from what looked like a wire cup. Ideally i would have glass beaded them first, then started sanding, but I'm too cheap to send them out. So I sand em a bit each night while i watch TV.

Start with 150grit & 220 paper- once i get the deep scratches and pits out, then I know a guy with a pro buffer setup, they have 3 or 4 buffing wheels each with progressively finer rouge- I'll go over there and spend a couple hours and i'll shine like a mirror.

Hard part is gonna be the fins... I have a couple tiny bobs that will go on a die grinder to polish in there, but that takes a lot of time. I may let those go a little less than perfect and paint them engine color. We'll have to see.

 

engine color sounds good on the fins. it'll add some detail. i say go for it.

 

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I have these available if anyone is interested. GM Performance parts. Very good condition with a small blemish on one that can be seen in the photos. $200.00/shipped to lower 48.

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IMHO polished aluminum is the only way to go. The chrome tin covers look cheesey to me. You can put as many emblems or stickers you want on them, but I still don't care for the look.
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Damn that bench looks sick lol. Beautiful valve covers!

 

At least you didn't put a "Moroso" motor in the car....

 

I like them painted between the fins.
railguy
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Not too original on my part, but I couldn't find the stock looking Breather and the necessary elbow coming out of it. Gotta paint the intake and polish the carb next. Or maybe I'll just remove the motor and repaint it, that is, if I don't find an LS motor to swap in.

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