Bouncing around the internet, I saw a thread about valve covers that had sufficient clearance for various makes of roller rockers in Ford Big Sixes. One guy called Clifford and quickly bought their second-to-last remaining valve cover.

It occurred to me that a valve cover would be an interesting welding fabrication project, so I googled "welded valve covers," then Images, and found some examples. I think you'd need access to a milling machine after you weld (and leak-test) the part, and maybe get it stress-relieved. But for some guys, this could be an answer to the problem.

I might try it myself, but I don't know that I'd show photos. I have most of the gear (and can quickly get what's missing) to do aluminum TIG welding, but I haven't done any of that in years, and would be embarrassed to post the results! But if you want to see some glorious TIG work, google welder John Marcella and look at the intake manifolds he builds.

 

I have read where people have taken two like valve covers and cut and welded for additional height [clearance].

 

I suppose you could get away with that, avoiding warping by bolting the valve cover to a head, and doing the cutting and welding as high up on the cover as you can. Tack the extension with tackwelds every inch apart and applied sequentially on opposite sides, and then weld between the tacks in the same manner, and back-stepping. Still, not easy to get nice results on very thin steel stampings. But if it doesn't have to look real good, it could be fine.

 

I've done them like that, as in my old Logghe T (orange one). My biggest problem with clearance was the rockers hitting the SIDE of the covers at the bolt indents, necessitating grinding the corners of the rocker arm bodies.

 

I'm away from my computer but I have a chrome valve cover that clears my rollers. I have a build with pictures and the like.

 

Couldn't you machine either some aluminum or steel that exactly matched the profile of the sealing surface on the head and make it tall enough to work as a spacer?

Someone with a CNC milling machine should be able to make one. Could experiment to see if it would be best to use aluminum, steel, or even phenolic resin. Seal it using two valve cover gaskets one above and one below. It would work much the same as a throttle body spacer.

 

Good idea, jedijeb!

 

But raising the stock valve cover might not answer Flyer's experience that the rockers hit the side of the cover . . .

 

No but you could still mill oversized ones with the same seating surface...

 

Taper it out from the base, I love the concept and I would buy one if it proved to work. Probably be pricey as an aftermarket part.

 

Here is the valve cover I made for the blue car. It was made from .090 aluminum. Because it is held down at the rocker stands instead of the flange I had a lot of warpage at the flange since I couldn't clamp it to the head there. It required surfacing. The flange was made from 1/4 thick.

 

Necessity is the mother of invention!