1957 ford cast thunder bird valve ID

[alltin33]

Is there a way to tell orginal from repop any I.D. marks

[rmk57]

  Just a guess here, but the originals may have a part number on the inside. Reproductions, for legal reasons may not be able to have them.

[alltin33]

Only part number is a number 2   it is where the emblem is raised inside no other marks.

Thanks for the reply

[thomasso]

Original finned alum. valve covers have poor porous castings.  Hopefully repos are better.  I spent hours sanding and polishing on my used covers, still couldn't get all pits removed.  Fortunately the way they sit most are not noticeable when installed.

[alltin33]

The ones I have are  very porus looks like poor quality compared to repops because  they have better quality control because no one told Ford that we are going to (car shows ) with open engine compartments

[hiball3985]

Only part number is a number 2   it is where the emblem is raised inside no other marks.

Thanks for the reply

I believe only the originals have the raised T Bird inside, all repops I have seen didn't.

[Ecode70D]

   If someone has a set of the original ones that are off the engine that show the 2 on the inside, would you please post a picture of where it is located.   Thanks in advance.  Jay

[SkylinerRon]

One thing about these you need the longer studs to mount them.

T-Bird vendors sell them along with chrome nuts and washers.

Ron.

[alltin33]

Original pic of inside with  2

[Contibob]

The Re pops from many years ago didn't have the detail where the gasket sits. They were completely smooth. I don't know if the newest ones added that feature.

[Ecode70D]

Original pic of inside with  2

    alltin33   Thank you very much for posting that  picture.  I see the 2 inside the valve cover.    Jay

[alltin33]

Here is the difference  The one thats not super clean is the original  and the clean one is after market and has ridge a round for the gasket. You can compare them.

[Hoosier Hurricane]

I was looking at a picture in Y-Block magazine of an engine with T-Bird valve covers.  Something about the look of the covers didn't seem correct, so I compared the picture with the original covers on my T-Bird.  In the picture, the T-Bird emblem bird's tail intersects the last cast rib in the center, my originals has a full length outer rib and outer valley.  Also, the picture's bird's head intercepts the last inner rib, my originals have a full length last rib and valley.  Also, on the end of the covers, the tops of the ribs in the picture look to be even with the edge of the gasket surface, on my originals the ribs are set back from the edge and have a gentle curve at the bottom to blend into the gasket flange.  Obviously the pictured cover's Bird is taller, and if the proportions are the same, the pictured bird will be longer, wing tip to tip.  I have no verification, but I feel the pictured covers are repros.  I have nothing against repros, but this information may be helpful to anyone buying covers, an engine, or a car with covers to be able to easily differentiate between the two.   John