Topic: 1968 289 Valve Covers Spark Plug Wire Bracket

[Anghelrestorations]

Looking at this low mileage 68 coupe (289 engine) I have here trying to understand if the passenger side valve cover spark plug separator was actually a different color (black) than the rest of the valve cover.  Would think this would be blue like the rest of the engine and valve cover....wondering if anyone else has seen an example like this?
The driver side is more what I would expect. 

20220928_162916 by Marcus Anghel, on Flickr

20220928_162841 by Marcus Anghel, on Flickr

[RoyceP]

The few originals that I have seen were always painted blue, same as the valve cover. I thought they were unique to Thermactor equipped 289 and 302's?

[dave6768]

I have one of those.  Painted it blue to match the engine.  I don't remember the original color, but assuming it was blue...why else would I paint it blue.  Mine has smog.  I assume it was strictly to clear the smog plumbing.
Just went and found mine (never installed).  I also have a smaller one for the driver's side.
68 NJ July car, 302 3-speed.

[ruppstang]

I found on a Dearborn fast back that I purchased in the early 90s, it was black. It could have been a service part. I thought it was part of the Thermactor  system as well.

[J_Speegle]

Looking at this low mileage 68 coupe (289 engine) I have here trying to understand if the passenger side valve cover spark plug separator was actually a different color (black) than the rest of the valve cover.  Would think this would be blue like the rest of the engine and valve cover....wondering if anyone else has seen an example like this?
The driver side is more what I would expect. 

Maybe that one was replaced or it was missed initially when the engine was assembled and painted. The vast majority (999 out of a thousand) I've seen were painted attached to the valved cover when the engine was painted. Believe the examples shown in other threads and in the unrestored picture section will support engine color

[J_Speegle]

..... I thought it was part of the Thermactor  system as well.

Passenger side relocator brackets I find all the time on original Thermactor and non-Thermactor engines. All plants of course this year. Much easier I guess to build the engines all with the same detail than have the workers worry about with and without Thermactor in this example 

[J_Speegle]

Looking at this low mileage 68 coupe (289 engine) I have here trying to understand if the passenger side valve cover spark plug separator was actually a different color (black) than the rest of the valve cover.  Would think this would be blue like the rest of the engine and valve cover....wondering if anyone else has seen an example like this?
The driver side is more what I would expect. 

Forgot some important info I should have asked before we jumped in . When was the car completed and what plant? Plant may not come into play in this question but should be collected as standard practice for questions



This may have been a production period thing but we need more details before going down that rabbit hole

[Anghelrestorations]

Jeff...the car in question here is the unrestored low mileage 68 I have up on my lift.  Built in San Jose June 18 1968. 

[Anghelrestorations]

Here is another version of original 289 valve cover tabs I found.  Also from a San Jose built 1968 with a build date of December 22 1967.   

20221003_200755 by Marcus Anghel, on Flickr

20221003_200801 by Marcus Anghel, on Flickr

20221003_200828 by Marcus Anghel, on Flickr

[J_Speegle]

Here is another version of original 289 valve cover tabs I found.  Also from a San Jose built 1968 with a build date of December 22 1967.   

Yes and a driver side valve cover from what I'm seeing on original cars. Appears not to have been used for very long

[J_Speegle]

Jeff...the car in question here is the unrestored low mileage 68 I have up on my lift.  Built in San Jose June 18 1968.

Thanks for the date.  Tried but the other black one is not from the same time period or even close so no good on the possibility that it was a short lived change at the engine plant but always good to check as a possibility

[DTruitt]

Bob Mannel's book addresses the two different versions of 289/302 valve covers that were used in 68.  IIRC the version pictured, with the bare valve cover, was the later version and better supported the extension.

Danny