Topic: Valve cover bolts

[dkknab]

It appears in my searching valve cover bolts are not painted blue in a 289 Sprint B. Is that correct? For the most part the ones I had originally on my car were mostly painted blue.  I had the incorrect chrome valve covers that I've since replaced with the proper blue covers.  All my bolts are now blue.  What is correct?

I understand the valve covers were painted blue when the engine was painted.  How did they keep the covers on when painting of there were no bolts installed? Or were there a few bolts installed to hold down the covers and the wire brackets?

[CharlesTurner]

It's typical to see a mix of painted/unpainted.  I don't see why a Sprint B option would have any affect on that detail over any other 289 built during the same time.

[jwc66k]

The general rule of the thumb is if the V-8 engine is painted blue with the valve covers on, then the bolts are blue. The major exceptions: chrome valve coves as a factory "option" (aka HP engines) then all the bolts are cad (or dull zinc as a close replacement) plated; sometimes the wiring J-clip bolts are cad plated on blue engines. (1965 V-8 Engines are black.)
Jim

[gtamustang]

It's typical to see a mix of painted/unpainted.  I don't see why a Sprint B option would have any affect on that detail over any other 289 built during the same time.

Charles is correct: it is typical to see a mix of painted and unpainted per each valve cover. I have seen too many unrestored mustangs to say all valve cover bolts were painted. I am sure Jeff has plenty of pictures confirming this as well.

[dkknab]

I understand from an older post on the concours site mentioning the top outside bolts were installed when the valve covers and engine were painted meaning the bottom 3 bolts were probably most of the time not painted. I did also see some pictures on unrestored cars to that effect.

Mine are all blue all the way around.  Should I at least have the bottom 3 unpainted or at the end of the day it really doesn't matter? I don't see any mention of these bolts specifically in the MCA judging sheet for concours driven cars.

[jwc66k]

I understand from an older post on the concours site mentioning the top outside bolts were installed when the valve covers and engine were painted meaning the bottom 3 bolts were probably most of the time not painted. I did also see some pictures on unrestored cars to that effect.

Mine are all blue all the way around.  Should I at least have the bottom 3 unpainted or at the end of the day it really doesn't matter? I don't see any mention of these bolts specifically in the MCA judging sheet for concours driven cars.

You did not take into account the numerous photos on this forum of the exhaust manifolds of small blocks with blue over spray. That is a good sign that the lower bolts were painted.
Jim

[dkknab]

But were the lower bolts actually in place when the engine was painted? The overspray could definitely have hit the exhaust manifolds but is there any info or evidence about the valve cover bolts being in place at that time? Does anyone really know that answer?)

[carlite65]

i believe that the unrestored pics already prove that point decisively.

[dkknab]

Here's the bottom line.  What say our judges? Will there be a deduction for bolts all not blue or not?

[carlite65]

yes a deduct for all blue or all natural. there must be a mix.