How to Restore Corvette Valve Covers

Restoring '84-'96 Corvette Valve Covers

By Cam Benty

Photography: Cam Benty

Valve covers are the engine's topping, and a shiny clean set tells the world a quality, high-performance engine resides in your engine compartment. For owners of C4 ('84-'96) Corvettes, valve covers are often eyesores. Exposed to high underhood temperatures, they frequently shed their outer coverings or, worse yet, part of the coverings leaving a blotchy, ugly, black undercoating. The result of this erosion is not good.

Zip Products offers Valve Cover Paint (PN ZMG-92), which correctly restores the original coloration of the valve covers as delivered from the factory. The total time for this transformation is about an hour, including bead-blasting the old paint surface, reapplication of the new paint, and total drying time. This is one terrific weekend driveway project and well worth the effort.

The original valve covers were in poor condition. Much of the undercoating was visible under sections that had peeled away.

The first step was to remove the covers.

The next step was to clean them with solvent and bead-blast away the old paint. Try not to allow bead material to come in contact with the underside of the cover, as the engine could later ingest the debris.

The valve covers were painted with the Zip Products valve cover paint. Several thin coats were applied with drying time between layers. After a thorough drying, the insides of the covers were cleaned again, new gaskets installed, and they were bolted back in place on the engine.

The final look is a great improvement--no need to keep the hood closed during cruise night anymore!

Zip Products
Mechanicville, VA
(804) 730-7034
www.zip-corvette.com