The valve covers on my 283 for 1962 don't have any markings, so likely someone painted them over the years. Is the PONTIAC lettering from the factory a decal or painted on? If it is a decal can anyone tell me it they are readily available? If they are painted on can anyone tell me where to get a stencil?
They are for sure a decal on a plain smooth cover. I do not currently reproduce that one, but i might give it a shot next winter if someone can get me good detailed photos and dimensions
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Beaumontguru
MY BEAUMONT HAS 4 STUDDED TIRES AND 2 BLOCKHEATERS......AND LOTS OF OIL UNDERNEATH. The other one has a longer roof.
If they are stickers like Ray's picture, they are available.
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Prince Edward Island
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
Thanks Greaser. I am also trying to track down the decal for the air cleaner. Here is a photo of mine which seems to be on gold vinyl with black lettering.
-- Edited by Glenn Musgrave on Thursday 2nd of July 2020 10:40:02 AM
-- Edited by Glenn Musgrave on Thursday 2nd of July 2020 10:42:28 AM
The original Chev 265 V8 has Chevrolet gold script valve covers, as well as Corvette was on the old vettes, I believe they were painted. I wonder if the Pontiac was also originally paint?
-- Edited by DonSSDD on Thursday 2nd of July 2020 02:20:38 PM
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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
Well here's a untouched 56 in Quebec and its pretty strong evidence that the PONTIAC script was not painted 55-57 which is the conclusion we have collectively drawn on these rare valve covers.
Personally being educated as an accountant I can't see how GM Canada would justify the cost of hand painting or stenciling each valve cover on such a low demand product, its just way to expensive and time consuming for a mass production facility. The decal is an easy and cost effective solution to the branding.
So Ray, is that a ridge in the metal, same as similar vintage chevies?
I guess they went to the no ridge PONTIAC valve cover later and used a decal or paint, like on the top of the page one?
Just curious on these details.
Thanks, Don
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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
Rather than use Chevrolet script valve covers as in the U.S., McKinnon eventually settled on sending them out the door with smooth valve covers. Half the engines went into Pontiacs. Heck my K1212CQ engine could have dropped into my Chevelle or the Beaumont on the line behind mine and been correct.
A friend's mother owned a Marina Blue '66 Beaumont from new and kept it clean and untouched. It erroneously had from new the Chevrolet Turbo Thrift decal on the top on her 230, which had a smooth valve cover in Canada for the reason that it could have been Chevelle or Beaumont-bound. Her hubby (who lived to be 101 despite smoking since 11) had a Lemonwood Yellow '66 Parisienne sport coupe also since new. Smooth valve covers with Strato Flash 283 decals. When the garage door was opened, the pair of '66s were a pretty site, all clean with vinyl tops. Sadly rust was starting to appear in 1979 and he let the Parisienne go as he was now pushing 80. The Beaumont was clean but by 1986 the frame on this Ontario driver went soft & the trunk was perforated. I had just bought the Chevelle the previous year when my friend asked if I was interested in his mom's Beaumont as it was going to scrap. I already was imposing on people moving my Chevelle around for stints so I passed on the Beaumont, though I always loved that car. 6-cyl with p/s p/b & vinyl roof; it (or the old Parisienne) would have made fine feature cars in their prime.
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67 Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe, Oshawa-built 250 PG never touched.
In garage, 296 cid inline six & TH350...
Cam, Toronto.
I don't judge a man by how far he's fallen, but by how far back he bounces - Patton
So Ray, is that a ridge in the metal, same as similar vintage chevies?
I guess they went to the no ridge PONTIAC valve cover later and used a decal or paint, like on the top of the page one?
Just curious on these details.
Thanks, Don
Yes, the stamped name PONTIAC the same as Chevrolet and Corvette. Most sales literature will show the green valve cover with a gold script on the PONTIAC but finding an original in the field usually shows no evidence of the script being painted. Many restorations have the PONTIAC painted either black or white and my research shows neither is factory correct. I recently restored a pair and chose to leave the script unhighlighted. I worked hard on getting the right colour but see the most recent photo of a 56 shows that I missed the colour but not by much.
As Cam points out they eventually went smooth for all. I think we see a similar production choice with the 348 and 409 as we know Chevy's had a bow toe embossed on vc but Pontiacs did not, instead the Super Flame decal was affixed.
-- Edited by 73SC on Friday 3rd of July 2020 02:59:09 PM
Yes, Canadian 348-409 Pontiac valve covers were smooth, no bowtie. Dont remember if Cdn Chev had the bowtie.
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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
I found this one at a country scrap dealers place - there was absolutely no other sign of the car it might have come from and of course I spent an hour looking for the second valve cover with no luck
Anyway I will be away for the next week but I should be able to get it to you when I get back
Two or three years used the Pontiac decal on the flat covers with no holes. PCV was in the back top of the block with a vented filler cap. I sourced my decals on E-Bay. I bought two sets just in case I messed one up which I did! They are really good repro's but did have a couple of ridges across them so you have to be careful to roll them on just so to eliminate them.When I stripped my covers I noted that they had a type of corrosion resistant electro coating on them..
These valve cover decals are being reproduced and sold on eBay.
I thought I saw them on there, but when I searched, I couldn't come across them.
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Prince Edward Island
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
I found this one at a country scrap dealers place - there was absolutely no other sign of the car it might have come from and of course I spent an hour looking for the second valve cover with no luck
Anyway I will be away for the next week but I should be able to get it to you when I get back
I had a pair of decals to be used as shown in this picture. I never used them and may still have them, but last time I saw them they were slightly crumpled. If I find them in the next few days I will let you know in case you may want them.
![[IMG]](https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bruneauperformance.ca%2Fpics%2F021402-1.jpg&hash=c27f15e960f157cda0d9d23e6cec40ae)
