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1969-70 Chrome Valve Covers Identification

You believe everything you read, right? Especially when it is written in the BOSS 302 bible, Mustang BOSS 302 Ford's Trans-Am Pony Car by Donald Farr. Well, guess again. There was a little mix up in the wording under the picture for the chrome valve covers. The stuff below, now this you can believe.

"The printer must have screwed the caption up, because the '69 is on the left and the '70 is on the right."

Chrome covers book shot

"I can explain this one. Back in 1980 when I was looking for '69 chrome valve covers for my yellow '69 I had at that time (9F02G190191) I found a set taken off an early '70 (Yes, you guessed it, it was a Metuchen car) and ASSUMED they were the same. I found out a little later when comparing to a friends '69 they were different. I later found a true '69 set and replaced them. I have those early '70 covers hanging in my garage today yet (Right, Dana?). All those pictures in Donald Farr's book are of my '69, including the yellow '69 on the cover. He had virtually no one contribute '69 shots for his book except me. So, I had a bunch of pictures taken when the '70 style were on the car and I also took the picture you see above. The printer must have screwed the caption up, because the '69 is on the left and the '70 is on the right. In hindsight, I should have taken all my pictures over when the correct valve covers were replaced on the car. But, hey that was 20+ years ago and who would have thunk it would have caused this kind of concern today?"
Randy Ream

"The photo below shows how to tell the difference. The valve cover on top is an early '70, while the one on the bottom is a '69. The most notable difference is the notched corner on the '70 version next to where the oil cap goes. The '69 covers did not have the notch. Also, when the valve cover is on the engine, the top of the '70 covers will be slightly angled downward on the outboard edges. This of course causes the the oil cap to sit at a slight angle. The '69 cover is flat on top and the oil cap sits flat. All Boss 302 valve covers have drip rails on the insides."
Jim Kelly

Chrome covers black_white

Now in living color! Photos by Jim Kelly

Chrome covers color 3

1970 on left, 1969 on right

Chrome covers color 4

1970 on right, 1969 on left

Chrome covers color 5

1970 on top, 1969 on bottom

Chrome covers 1969

1969

Chrome covers 1969 2

1969

Chrome covers 1969 3

1969

Chrome covers 1970

1970

Chrome covers 1970 2

1970

Chrome covers 1970 3

1970

Chrome covers 1970 4

1970

Chrome covers color 5

1969 on top, 1970 on bottom

This page last updated: February 3, 2022. All Rights Reserved.