Topic: 68 GT 350 Valve cover gasket

[ruppstang]

Just another new be question. I am installing the original cast cobra valve cover gaskets but have found that the bottom two tabs do not alien with the cover. They do alien with a standard steel cover. My question is did the assembly line cast covers have a special gasket or did they simply cut off the bottom two tabs?
Marty

[J_Speegle]

The "ears" were there and in those days they lined up with the valve cover cut outs.

Newer versions of the gaskets have changed the locations (think it is to fit the more modern cars) of the ears/tabs

Some just continue looking for gaskets that match or transplant the ears/tabs to the original locations from what I've been seeing

Sorry can't remember where I got the last set (for Dan's 69 GT350) from

Might have been an old kit or originals/Nos

[jwc66k]

The "ears" were there and in those days they lined up with the valve cover cut outs.
Newer versions of the gaskets have changed the locations (think it is to fit the more modern cars) of the ears/tabs
Some just continue looking for gaskets that match or transplant the ears/tabs to the original locations from what I've been seeing

I had that explained to me by a Shelby owner faced with the mis-located ear gaskets. He wanted to "swap" me a set of wrong for right. I said no.
Jim

[TLea]

Marty what Jeff explained is 100% correct. What a lot of people do for a show car is cut the tabs off with a razor knife then glue them in correct location with weatherstrip adhesive

[ruppstang]

Marty what Jeff explained is 100% correct. What a lot of people do for a show car is cut the tabs off with a razor knife then glue them in correct location with weatherstrip adhesive

OK thanks that seems like a ok fix to this problem. But what I have found is the tabs on the new gasket fits the original steel 68 covers perfectly. Are you are saying that there were specially made gaskets for the Cobra cast covers that are now not available?

[J_Speegle]

Don't know if they were "specially made gaskets for the Cobra cast covers" or they just had a different supplier

Use to be able to purchase both types of gaskets so I don't think they were "special"  can't remember if one of the suppliers was Mr gasket but it was one of the hot rod suppliers that had the backing cards and the clear plastic overlay

[ruppstang]

Were the valve covers installed at the Ford engine assembly plant or did Shelby install them like the intakes? I have noticed that the engine tag for our GT 350 is different than a Mustang J code Automatic, 284-J01. What is different about the Shelby J code than the Mustang J code?

[TLea]

valve covers were installed at AO