does anyone make a timing cover with the timing tab already attached at the 12 o'clock postion? or do i gotta buy the tab seperate?

 

Not that I know of, other than GM. I could be wrong though. (well I am WRONG, with a capital R, but besides that, mistaken about this particular point, even)

Not that I know of... think about it... how you gonna bolt it on?

 

well they could weld the tab on or make one that extends way over. I think i found the tab here:http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MRG-4600/ but id rather but the cover with the tab welded in the middle if available.

 

im trying to think... (correct me if im wrong)

but wouldnt you have to notch the harmonic balancer in a different place if you move the timing tab over?
with #1 cylinder at TDC, wouldnt the notch on the balancer be pointing roughly at the 1:00 1:30 position?

i guess you could install timing tape on the balancer in an adjusted position

 

Precisely: stock dampers for engines with that style of tab, which includes ALL of them that came in these cars, have their notch in the place for the ~12:00 tab. A typical aftermarket bolt-on tab is at about 1:30. This difference results in somewhere around a 35° error in th etiming mark indication.

That tab looks like it should work; it looks like it has the right length, which would have to be about 4". As long as it doesn't flop around too much it should be OK. I didn't realize somebody in the aftermarket had FINALLY, after more than 30 YEARS of this style of damper being used, NOTICED that the early-model thing they've been selling, DOESN'T WORK. Maybe somebody there FINALLY actually BUILT A MOTOR and in the process USED THEIR PRODUCT??