VALVE COVER ADAPTER PLATE KITS

Bolting on a pair of FE pentroof valve covers will greatly enhance the appearance of the engine compartment of your small block equipped Cobra replica. These plates are intended to adapt Ford FE valve covers to any standard Ford 289/302/351W cylinder heads that could normally use a standard small block valve cover including GT40, GT40P, GT40X, Edelbrock and Holley. My adapters are produced from quality Alcoa 6061 aluminum plate, CNC machined to close tolerances and have been designed to work primarily with cast aluminum FE valve covers from Ford Motorsports and other quality suppliers. Roller rockers on standard cylinder heads should clear nicely. These adapters may also be used with the chromed stamped steel pentroof valve covers available from T. Branda and others but in certain cases the bolt holes in those covers may need to be slightly elongated with a round file to fit the mounting studs. This is the result of a manufacturing problem with the repro covers and not with the adapters. If you plan to use stamped steel valve covers with this adapter kit please review Special Instructions For Steel Valve Covers. Heads with non-standard valve geometry and/or stud girdles have not been tested so I cannot comment on those applications. Stud girdles should not present a problem with the adapter plates themselves but the added height of the girdle might cause interference with your valve covers depending on which FE cover you plan to use. My express warranty certifies that these adapters are free from defects in materials and/or workmanship and will perform as stated for the applications specified. No other warranty, express or implied, exists. If the purchaser chooses to use these adapters for any application other than those specifically stated it is done at the purchaser's own risk and voids the warranty. Any modification to the adapter plates voids the warranty.

I can usually ship within 24 hours of receipt of payment. The adapters come with all screws and washers needed to mount the adapters and valve covers plus a pair of premium steel reinforced rubber smallblock valve cover gaskets. The kits cost $149 plus actual shipping via Priority Mail. Please provide your postal zip code to calculate shipping charges. I accept PayPal OR a money order made payable to me at the address I send you with your quote.

I am very proud of these plates and would be happy to make a set for you. To contact me just click on the E-MAIL link below with your contact information.

THE KIT INCLUDES:
1 pair 3/8" thick aluminum CNC machined adapter plates
1 pair smallblock Ford valve cover gaskets, steel reinforced rubber
Cork gaskets are NOT recommended. They harden, crush or distort, and stick over time.
12 1/4x20-0.87" flat head Phillips screws, 10 standard, 2 with small diameter heads to mount adapter plates to the cylinder head.
10 1/4x20-1.00" flat head Phillips screws, 8 standard, 2 with small diameter heads to use as FE valve cover studs
10 1/4" 18-8 stainless steel washers
10 1/4" 18-8 stainless steel lock washers
10 1/4x20 18-8 stainless hex nuts

MATERIALS AND TOOLS NEEDED:
#3 Phillips head screwdriver, 7/16" socket or nut driver
1 tube of Permatex Ultra Black (Part #598B) hi-temp silicone RTV. Other RTVs do not posess the oil resistance required for this installation.
1 small tube Anti-Seize Compound (Optional)
1 pair Ford FE valve cover gaskets, FelPro #VS-13049R (preferred) or Victor #VS38308R
10 Valve Cover Bolts, 1/4x20, Ford Motorsports part # M 6680A recommended

View complete Installation Instructions for the adapter plates here:

Adapter Instructions For Cast Aluminum Covers

Additional Adapter Instructions For Steel Covers

The adapters bolt onto the smallblock head with 1/4x20 flathead screws. Instead of 5/16" bolts to attach the FE covers, I opted for 1/4" studs. This allowed a little more room to jockey the FE cover into place and allowed me to use the Ford Motorsports short retainer nuts which I think look great. I highly recommend the use of short valve cover nuts such as Ford Motorsports Part #M 6680A which, I understand, have been recently discontinued. A good alternate source for these nuts is:

White Performance
3349 E. Stone Drive
Kingsport, TN 37660
1-877- 288-3881

Their price is quite reasonable compared to Ford Motorsports. Just ask for their Small Block Ford Mini Nut Kit #200. The adapters follow the shape of the polished 427 LeMans valve cover in order to hide them from view when looking at the motor. I chose a pair of polished pentroof covers from Ford Motorsports. On the right cover (passenger side) I installed the PCV grommet because the PCV port on my carb faced in that direction. On the left cover (driver's side) I decided to use a nifty twist-in oil filler tube (part #EG-381) from Virginia Classic Mustang. I thought this tube would make it easier to add oil without dripping all over. This tube uses a Ford Motorsports push-on breather also from Virginia Classic Mustang (EG-382) similar to the smallblock oil filler setup. This setup costs a few bucks but I thought it would work better than having tto aim oil at the grommet hole. One thing to note is that when I finally installed the dual quad intake setup shown below I swapped the grommets side to side to place the PCV valve on the driver's side of the motor. This is because the PCV tube in the base of the dual carbs ended up facing the driver's side of the motor because they were running backwards. See the photos below.

I have Crane roller rockers on my Edelbrock aluminum heads and have absolutely no clearance problems. The adapter plates are made from 3/8" thick aluminum plate which actually provides 1/2" additional clearance over that of the cover itself (3/8" plate plus 1/8" for the second set of gaskets). Scroll down to see the photos of the plates as installed on a demo head as well as the finished installation.

                    

                    

                    

      

Now for the same installation using chrome pentroof covers:

      

If your desire is to make your 351W Ford motor look like a 427FE clone, read the following paragraph. At long last, Price Motorsports has finally brought their long-awaited dual quad intake manifold for the 351W to market and I was one of the first to pounce on one. The intake is a beauty with individual runners for crisp throttle response, a low-riser design to avoid hood clearance problems, and carb mount spacing to accommodate Holley Model 4160 carbs, dual mounting bolt pattern to accommodate either Holley or Edelbrock (Carter AFB) carbs, and available in two models, one for Cobras (flat carb mount, no power angle) and Standard (with 4* power angle carb mounts). While not cheap ($485) the cost is comparable to the Blue Thunder intake for the 289-302 block. Some additional specs on this item, the intake height is 3 5/8" tall measured from the front end rail to the carb mounting surface. The location of the carb mounts will allow running your Holley carbs reversed similar to the 427FE motors even with a large diameter distributor. If a small diameter distributor is used, the carbs can be run facing forward like the original 289 setup. Original carb linkages for the 427FE low or medium riser intakes can be used. Carb spacing is correct for the Ford oval dual quad air cleaner setup. Contact Price Motorsports for information and purchase of this item.

      

Click on this link to see some photos of completed installations using my adapter kit:

COMPLETED PROJECTS

ADAPTER TECHNICAL SUPPORT

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people have visited this site since February 1, 2001