Author Topic: 68 GT 350 Valve cover gasket  (Read 2354 times)

Offline ruppstang

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68 GT 350 Valve cover gasket
« on: February 16, 2014, 03:04:09 PM »
Just another new be question. I am installing the original cast cobra valve cover gaskets but have found that the bottom two tabs do not alien with the cover. They do alien with a standard steel cover. My question is did the assembly line cast covers have a special gasket or did they simply cut off the bottom two tabs?
Marty

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: 68 GT 350 Valve cover gasket
« Reply #1 on: February 16, 2014, 05:18:03 PM »
The "ears" were there and in those days they lined up with the valve cover cut outs.

Newer versions of the gaskets have changed the locations (think it is to fit the more modern cars) of the ears/tabs

Some just continue looking for gaskets that match or transplant the ears/tabs to the original locations from what I've been seeing

Sorry can't remember where I got the last set (for Dan's 69 GT350) from :(

Might have been an old kit or originals/Nos
Jeff Speegle

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Offline jwc66k

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Re: 68 GT 350 Valve cover gasket
« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2014, 06:11:25 PM »
The "ears" were there and in those days they lined up with the valve cover cut outs.
Newer versions of the gaskets have changed the locations (think it is to fit the more modern cars) of the ears/tabs
Some just continue looking for gaskets that match or transplant the ears/tabs to the original locations from what I've been seeing
I had that explained to me by a Shelby owner faced with the mis-located ear gaskets. He wanted to "swap" me a set of wrong for right. I said no.
Jim
I promise to be politically correct in all my posts to keep the BBBB from vociferating.

Offline TLea

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Re: 68 GT 350 Valve cover gasket
« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2014, 07:50:49 PM »
Marty what Jeff explained is 100% correct. What a lot of people do for a show car is cut the tabs off with a razor knife then glue them in correct location with weatherstrip adhesive
Tim Lea  Shelby concours judge MCA, SAAC, Mid America

Offline ruppstang

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Re: 68 GT 350 Valve cover gasket
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2014, 09:56:04 PM »
Marty what Jeff explained is 100% correct. What a lot of people do for a show car is cut the tabs off with a razor knife then glue them in correct location with weatherstrip adhesive
OK thanks that seems like a ok fix to this problem. But what I have found is the tabs on the new gasket fits the original steel 68 covers perfectly. Are you are saying that there were specially made gaskets for the Cobra cast covers that are now not available?

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: 68 GT 350 Valve cover gasket
« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2014, 10:33:04 PM »
Don't know if they were "specially made gaskets for the Cobra cast covers" or they just had a different supplier

Use to be able to purchase both types of gaskets so I don't think they were "special"  can't remember if one of the suppliers was Mr gasket but it was one of the hot rod suppliers that had the backing cards and the clear plastic overlay

Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline ruppstang

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Re: 68 GT 350 Valve cover gasket
« Reply #6 on: February 17, 2014, 09:24:23 AM »
Were the valve covers installed at the Ford engine assembly plant or did Shelby install them like the intakes? I have noticed that the engine tag for our GT 350 is different than a Mustang J code Automatic, 284-J01. What is different about the Shelby J code than the Mustang J code?

Offline TLea

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Re: 68 GT 350 Valve cover gasket
« Reply #7 on: February 17, 2014, 11:17:54 AM »
valve covers were installed at AO
Tim Lea  Shelby concours judge MCA, SAAC, Mid America