Got my non-self-aligning pro mags installed tonight on my modified 083 heads.

I knew I'd have problems getting the valve covers to fit.
I ground the lip off the horizontal brace and got the brace to fit down between the rockers. Thought I was home free.

As the cover came on down, the same braces hit the raised guide plates. Damn!!
Looks like I'll have to remove the bottom portion of the brace completely.
I'm afraid the cover will flex too much if I remove the brace.

The other option would be to cut slots in my raised guide plates for the brace to fit into.
Don't really want to do that either.

Now looking for aftermarket center-bolt valve covers that will fit.
Any ideas?

 

I've been there once before. Never found a set that worked. I ended up trading for a set of narrow-body Crane Gold roller rockers.

THought about using a set of flat guide plates or maybe just grinding some material off the tip of the guide plates? They're usually a little longer than they really need to be to locate the pushrod correctly.

 

I'd have to cut off quite a bit off the end of the guide plates to clear the brace. The covers are abt 1/2" from seating.

It looks like I could cut ~1/2" deep slots in them so the brace would fit. It would be like having a 3rd pushrod slot between the original 2.

I just torqued, sealed and adjusted the whole valve train. Hate to tear it all apart again.

I posted a seperate thread abt the Edelbrock Elite series that I heard might work. I need to see if the brace is in the same spot or not.

 

I'd suggest using an adpater to put perimeter-bolt covers on there. That will give you some clearance above the Poly-Locks too, which is another possible problem you just haven't gotten far enough to run into yet.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=33254 for example

There's probably something else out there that doesn't cost as much....

 

Thx for the replys.

I've cut off the brace.
We'll see if it leaks or not.

If it doesn't work, I'll get different ones.
These covers are about ready for replacement anyways.