gt 350 black valve covers, when did they

I have #1507 with black covers. I believe that they are originals. I'm not sure but I don't think the black covers said "buddy bar" inside. '97 Registry states "hollow letter sand-cast predominated on early cars. After April they were replaced by die cast "solid letter" with black crinkle finish paint". Then it says "some late cars received the early solid letter unpainted valve covers".

 

Tough to say without any factory documents. You might contact Howard Pardee at SAAC and see what factory paperwork they have for your car. I need to do the same for my car. Most of the date codes on my sheet metal i.e. inner fenders, fenders, doors etc. are Jan/Feb '66 and my car is # 1507.

 

Hi Ed..glad I found this post before I started mine....well just got my registry today as well and it says after april as previously stated...ours is 1902 a March 16 17 sheet metal dates probably built up around march 25-30 so told by Howard...but waiting to hear back from him on follow up for maybey a little more exact guestimate. We have repops on ours but my dad seems to remember that the originals were the black crinkle finish...but based on the registry I think I am hunting for some open letter ones now...I like how those look anyhow with a nice restored manifold

Jimmy

 

Not sure what to make of my findings but I noticed from looking at my photo file a number of Hertz cars having open letter and non Hertz cars having black crinkle. I know the Hertz cars were rented and motors removed to replace motors being raced during "the day" then having Hertz pick up those rented cars with blown motors!! Who would do such a thing??? Just thought you'd be interested before making any permanent decisions on what your motors should have. The spare motor I have has the crinkle covers and was from a Hertz car number 1400-1500.

 

This should not come as a big surprise. My non-Hertz auto 66 was built in the middle of a Hertz run. and it (as well as the surrounding Hertz cars in the 1100-1200 range) received open letter non- painted valve covers. Of course later Hertz and non Hertz received the close black painted versions as noted in the registry

 

Hey Jeff...tell me this if you were judging a concourse car is the registry a handbook on what should and should not be? another words if the registry states cars after build dates of april are the black painted version and a car after that build date has open letter version are they considered wrong....I just want to be sure in the unsure world if I follow what the book says and I go and get the open letters like the book says as we are before april build date that we will be correct ....

 

I was able to find a range of San Jose Ford VINs that surround my Ford VIN and determined the scheduled build date for 6S1757 as March 29, 1966.

Ed, since our Shelby VINs are so close there's a good chance you car's Ford VIN falls within the same range. Did I ever send you those VINs?

As far as the switch to close letter valve covers it was between 1400-1500.

Dave

 

Regarding the transition point of the open letter, natural gray (open) to solid letter, black crinkle paint (solid) letter valve covers, a quick study of the 1966 Shelby pictures on the SAAC Nevada website indicates the following:

1377 = open, 1401 = open, 1433 = open, 1487 = solid, 1497 = open, 1514 = open, 1530 = open, 1562 = open, 1600 = solid, 1623 = open, 1645 = solid, 1667 = solid, 1670 = solid, 1700 = open, 1729 = solid, 1757 = solid, 1785 = solid.

I realize that there is no guarantee that these Shelbys have their original valve covers …. But there are a number of data points around the open letter to solid letter transition.

Hope this quick study is of some use. Rick

http://www.nvsaac.com/gallery/1966_main.htm

 

Several years ago I posted a "survey" on the Shelby email list asking 66 owners who felt certain they had original valve covers to respond. Not sure I still have the results but believe they indicated the change was near car 1450. If I find the numbers I'll post them here. Seems unlikely there was an absolute change car though.

 

Right on Dave!!!

Jimmy