[70ra455]

Are the '66 421 Valve Covers the same as used on the GTO?? Can someone post pics? My engine is just about done ... all the pulleys are one and everything is lining up ... just some blasting and painting of the pulleys first.

Thanks

Phil

[Jerry H.]

HO valve covers are the same. Lower HP 421 engines had painted valve covers.

[70ra455]

what about the tripower non-ho 421's??

[jdh421]

Phil, call me. I can help

[70ra455]

are you available now?

[jdh421]

yes

[stevep]

My 1966 338 HP 421's all had chrome valve covers and a chrome air cleaner lid. I had 2 of them.

[Jerry H.]

Originally Posted by stevep

My 1966 338 HP 421's all had chrome valve covers and a chrome air cleaner lid. I had 2 of them.

I should have noted on my post that I was speaking in reference to the 65's that I've had. Never had or even seen a 66 original 421 car, so I can't really speak for a 66 car. I will defer to Steve on his 66's.

[Stuart]

I don't know if the images are 100% accurate for what went into production, but the 1966 prestige brochure has pictures of each engine and shows which ones had chrome valve covers. http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/stati.../dirindex.html

[70ra455]

Got it gentlemen! Thank you for sharing your knowledge so willingly! Getting there ... lolol

[stevep]

Jerry, My friend has a pretty much unmolested 1965 Catalina 4 door sedan with a 338 HP 421 and it also has chrome covers and air filter lid. It was owned by a Mid Western farmer (he even got a picture of the farmer and his wife standing next to the car) for most of it's life and the 2nd owner didn't touch it.

Like I have said before about these cars: nothing is written in stone!

[Jerry H.]

Originally Posted by stevep

Jerry, My friend has a pretty much unmolested 1965 Catalina 4 door sedan with a 338 HP 421 and it also has chrome covers and air filter lid. It was owned by a Mid Western farmer (he even got a picture of the farmer and his wife standing next to the car) for most of it's life and the 2nd owner didn't touch it.

Like I have said before about these cars: nothing is written in stone!

The brochure that Stuart posted pretty much settles it. All 421's in 66 got chrome valve covers.

[Doug Hopkins]

I have never seen in all my years and I am 62 and have worked on Pontiac's all my life, a 65 or 66 421 without chrome valve covers. I have seen 389's in full size cars with painted covers but not 421's. The 1965 Pontiac Performance Brochure also shows the same as the 1966.

[63gpman]

Maybe I am looking at the wrong page, but I thought they were showing the 338 HP 421 with painted valve covers?? To me, even looking at the 389's that if it came with a cool air cleaner (tri-power or chrome) it came with chrome valve covers per the brochure??

[Doug Hopkins]

Originally Posted by 63gpman

Maybe I am looking at the wrong page, but I thought they were showing the 338 HP 421 with painted valve covers?? To me, even looking at the 389's that if it came with a cool air cleaner (tri-power or chrome) it came with chrome valve covers per the brochure??

In the 65 and 66 Pontiac Performance brochure it states chrome air cleaner, valve covers and oil cap come standard on the 338hp 421 in the 2+2 along with a picture.

[Stuart]

Looking more closely at the 1966 brochure, I think they have a couple pictures swapped for the standard 389 engine in a Bonneville (note 11) and the standard 338hp 421 engine in a 2+2 (note 7) but the descriptions for each sound accurate. The page also shows an optional 338hp engine (note 13) that doesn't have chrome valve covers in the picture or in the description.
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/stati...estige-50.html

[Jerry H.]

Originally Posted by Doug Hopkins

I have never seen in all my years and I am 62 and have worked on Pontiac's all my life, a 65 or 66 421 without chrome valve covers. I have seen 389's in full size cars with painted covers but not 421's. The 1965 Pontiac Performance Brochure also shows the same as the 1966.

You are correct Doug that the Performance Brochures of both 65 and 66 show and state all 421's had chrome valve covers. In the same ad they also show that the 4bbl cars had chrome air cleaners, which we know that only the 2+2's came with chrome air cleaners. Same is true with 4bbl 2+2 valve covers, all chrome. What is not clear to me is the 4bbl 421's that came in the other big cars. Bonneville's, Cats, station wagons, etc; I swear I've seen some 65 421's with 4bbl's in these cars that had the plain big black air cleaners and painted valve covers. Anyone have a picture of a survivor one of these cars to document this one way or the other?

[65WJ]

ALL 421's have chrome valve covers for ALL B bodies.
Air cleaners are different from the chrome pancake to the single snorkel with chrome lid to the HO single units.
I do not recall the large tri-power air cleaner used up to 65 for 389 and 421 tri-power if it had a chrome lid.

patrick