PINTO CAR CLUB of AMERICA
Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: 80_2.3_ESS on July 12, 2013, 06:37:57 PM
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I bought this valve cover off eBay last summer for my new motor that I was planning on building. The motor is coming together now and I thought I'd try to figure out a little more about this valve cover.
Just recently, one identical to mine was listed on eBay, but didn't sell as the reserve did not get met. In the ad, the seller claimed that this was a very rare and uncommon valve cover from Ford Motorsports. His was used, in "driver condition" as he put it. His Buy It Now was $250, plus $30 shipping.
Other than mine, his was the only other one I've seen. If my memory serves me right, I paid $250 shipped for mine. However, as you can see from my pictures, mine is NIB.
So can anybody tell me more about this valve cover? Is it really as rare as the ebay seller claims?
Thanks!
(http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l478/blindfaith429/IMG_3763_zps8df8ed6c.jpg)
(http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l478/blindfaith429/IMG_3762_zps1238bf29.jpg)
(http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l478/blindfaith429/IMG_3765_zps27dcaae7.jpg)
(http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l478/blindfaith429/IMG_3766_zpsee18070b.jpg)
(http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l478/blindfaith429/IMG_3767_zpsb279d369.jpg)
(http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l478/blindfaith429/IMG_3768_zps66f76931.jpg)
(http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l478/blindfaith429/IMG_3769_zpsefe0854d.jpg)
(http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l478/blindfaith429/IMG_3770_zps2d54f12d.jpg)
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Looks like it's similar to the valve cover for a mid 1980's Ford Thunderbird Turbo but with out the Turbo or EFI markings. The numbers on back look like the years the casting was made and the part number looks like it's from 1986.What is really odd however is the vacuum breather cap hole is sized like the 1987-1988 Thunderbird . So yes this is odd but not one of a kind. Remember the Mustang SVO was one of the reasons that Ford started the Special Vehicle Operations Group to handle allot of stuff that Ford Motorsports handles today. I mean it looks nice but the one I'm using is from a 1987-88 Thunderbird and except for the cut out for the TB. on the upper intake manifold it's similar but the oil cap hole is not threaded so it's a nice mix of features between the old 1983 and the new 1988 Thunderbird Turbo coupe valve cover.
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I have one of those on my 1979 Bobcat, only time i have ever seen one. It does have one drawback... I like the newer reusable "rubber" valve cover gaskets but they will not work with this valve cover. Old style cork gaskets required.
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I have one of those on my 1979 Bobcat, only time i have ever seen one. It does have one drawback... I like the newer reusable "rubber" valve cover gaskets but they will not work with this valve cover. Old style cork gaskets required.
You should be able to use the rubber ranger gasket with it cause it doesn't look any different then the old ribbed merkur cover at the flange and they can be used on them.
Ford Motorsports made 2 different valve covers that one and the one that looks like the other tall turbo valve cover and it also just says Ford Motorsports. They usually sell for a pretty high price and I have seen quite a few of them.
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You should be able to use the rubber ranger gasket with it cause it doesn't look any different then the old ribbed merkur cover at the flange and they can be used on them.
nope, I had the rubber one ready and I tried. Wouldn't set down all the way in front, not even close and had to scrounge up a cork gasket...
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if you use a late ranger ford valve cover gasket it will work perfectly and is reusable many many times....I even grab them from the u=pick yards...its black
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OE Ford F57Z6584A Gasket / VICTOR REINZ Part # VS50208 Is a reusable rubber gasket[/font] made for 95 and newer rangers they work with those covers. The Fel-pro junk on the other hand if you had one of those yah I could see it not working they are trash.
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I ordered the rubber one for a Pinto motor, one I had was blue.. I'll have to order the later one then and give it a try.
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They are worth more because they came from the Ford Motorsport catalog. I am not sure how rare they are, I have seen a maybe 10 in my days but not NOS. I would say yours is rare because it is NOS. $200-$300 seems to be the going rate but it depends on condition.
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They where standard for the early Mustang SVO. I'm not to sure of the other Turbofords however. I have seen a few on SVO of which why I say they are standard. The value of one is subject to how many that where made and installed etc. Quite frankly you could buy a whole engine complete for the price of this valve cover. As for the gasket yes use the black one from a later Ranger , the Felpro one is not well thought of by many people.
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The Ford Motorsport ones were only catalog items. There were a couple standard versions that came on the SVO's, turbo coupes, and Merkur's but they were slightly different and did not say Motorsport on them.