Oldsmobile stamped valve covers

[Minion1186]

They were a one or two year thing oldsmobile did. They fetch some money and yes they are rare but one problem with them is Oldsmobile stamped the letters into the valve covers and I'm assuming the die for the press wore out after stamping thousands of these and a lot of them ended up having a "faded" looking E at the end. The ones really that are rare IMO that may bring money are the ones with Clearer looking E's.

 

[88hurstolds]

Very late '72's may have come with them.
My Dad's '72 Cutlass 350 was bone stock and had them and I bought a stock '72 350 with 7a heads that was never torn into, all original paint etc. and had them as well.

 

[rccktmn2]

Actually as far as I know all of the early olds blocks until the late 70's came with them, the rare ones are the ones that say oldmobile and have a depression in the back of the covers to clear the heater box and power brake booster, they were made for big blocks only. I have about 10 sets of these things because whenever I went to the yard looking for good engine cores just about everything I found had these things on them, at least everything from mid 60's to late 70's. As a matter of fact the 70 BB E head I picked up had them and my 77 cutlass with a 350 along with my dad's 71 BB had them and as I said everything in between. I think the reason you don't see them very much is because everybody always takes them off to put on aftermarket covers to clear roller rockers or just for the chrome, there usually the first things to go. Here's a link that might help.
http://oldsjunction.classicoldsmobile.com/vcover.html

 

[lightemup2]

i have them on my olds, its a 68 350 rocket, with #5 heads

 

[Evan11]

I'd have to disagree with them being every year. They were '73 only & likely very late '72 as stated. If you seem them on other year engines, they were either put on there from a 73 or ordered from GM at that time. All other years had plain valve covers.

 

[rccktmn2]

I'd have to disagree with them being every year. They were '73 only & likely very late '72 as stated. If you seem them on other year engines, they were either put on there from a 73 or ordered from GM at that time. All other years had plain valve covers.

Just wondering where you got your information from that they were late 72 and 73 only?