Incorrect GMC valve cover decals :-(

[davepl]

At some point I'll need replacements for the valve cover decals on my 70 GMC 400, but from looking around I'm pretty sure the reproductions are WRONG. Most catalogs don't have a picture, but the "DC931" I see listed at Classic, Year One, etc is the "Invader 400" style. That's great for a GMC Sprint, but not a truck.

Mine are one pressure wash away from releasing the molecular bonds that are holding them together, but here's a picture of what they would have looked like new. The picture matches the remnants I have left.

There are a couple of old threads on this, but most include the "Invader 400" that I'm almsot morally certain is wrong. Mine, like that in the picture, is a Longhorn, but I really doubt the decals are Longhorn-specific.

Anyone know if the correct ones, like the picture, are reproduced anywhere? Thanks!

[davepl]

A picture being worth a thousand posts, here's the one from LMC and Classic Industries and so on that I think is wrong.

[davepl]

And here's a picture of what I have left, which clearly matches the magazine picture but not the reproductions. Sorry to be so verbose!

[black_sheep454]

My dads truck had the invader 350 stickers like posted by davepl and I know they were right to the truck.
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[71 super]

Dave the invader stuff is most definitely sprint stuff, the invader 350 is a replacement engine offered from GM before the onset of the crate motor.

[special-K]

The correct valve cover designates aren't reproduced,I know that. I wish someone could reproduce some off of any surviving examples.Or,for that matter,a good sign maker could do it off a good picture.

[davepl]

Mine aren't good enough to use as a starting point, but someone has a good original and could get some very good reference photos, I found a place that can do embossed foil emblems. I'm consider doing a set for my "427 Astro Jet" that aren't properly reproduced either, if it's not insanely expensive.

So... anyone know where they can get photos of originals?

[davepl]

ttt... Anyone have a set we could take photos of to look into starting a reproduct? Just photos, your emblem won't be disturbed :-)

[Sicklajoie]

Here's an original 71 GMC big block which has Invader decals.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Big-b...item43ad4c64dd

[davepl]

Yep, those are different. There's two possibilities, and I don't know which:

a) 1970 GMCs had different decals
b) Longhorns had different decals

Mine's a longhorn and the brochure is for a longhorn, and they match. I can't imagine that the longhorn would have specific engine decals, so I'm assuming (a), but don't know.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by davepl

Mine aren't good enough to use as a starting point, but someone has a good original and could get some very good reference photos, I found a place that can do embossed foil emblems. I'm consider doing a set for my "427 Astro Jet" that aren't properly reproduced either, if it's not insanely expensive.

So... anyone know where they can get photos of originals?

If you can't find any originals move that bracket out of the way and see what you can get as far as pictures of yours, and as many measurements as you can, I will see what I can do with it. I won't know what I can do until I can see the pictures though. Let me know.

LockDoc

[davepl]

Here's a reference photo of mine with a ruler. Combined with the brochure above will give you an idea. To be correct I think they'd have to be printed on a foil of some sort. What do you think?

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by davepl

Here's a reference photo of mine with a ruler. Combined with the brochure above will give you an idea. To be correct I think they'd have to be printed on a foil of some sort. What do you think?

Pretty well gone. I thought maybe the photo above was a recent one. The foil would certainly be correct but I bet it would be expensive for just a few of them. Was there anything printed in the rectangular area at the bottom?

LockDoc

[LockDoc]

-
This is a rough draft. It's kind of hard to tell on the size but this is 5.25 x 2.75. In the factory pic it looks like the 0's are pretty squared off...

LockDoc

[Biscayne Stocker]

That looks pretty good. Im restoring a 1972 C50 Rollback with a 427 and it had the same decals on the valve cover, but said 427 insted on 400. if you make some. I would be interested in some 427 ones. Thanks alot.

Scott

[davepl]

Do you still have the 427 decals, even in rough shape? I'd love to get some more reference photos of them so I can get them to look like the originals.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Biscayne Stocker

That looks pretty good. Im restoring a 1972 C50 Rollback with a 427 and it had the same decals on the valve cover, but said 427 insted on 400. if you make some. I would be interested in some 427 ones. Thanks alot.

Scott

I'll see what I can do with it Scott. It will be a couple of weeks though...

LockDoc

[Gokart Mozart]

I found gold and black decals as well as the invader ones and a build sheet

http://www.lategreatchevy.com/chevy-...00hp-1963.html

http://www.impalaparts.com/product.php?productid=415

http://www.classicchevroletpartsonli...atalog/21.asp#

http://www.classicchevroletpartsonli...atalog/29.asp#

[Biscayne Stocker]

Daevpl,

I use to have a pic of one on my old phone, but the phone is done. I wasnt able to get the pic off. They look just like you're 400 decals, but say 427.

[sameyrasmea72]

This was a low mileage ebay truck.

[davepl]

Originally Posted by sameyrasmea72

This was a low mileage ebay truck.

It was till they painted the valve covers, wrote with chalk paint on the firewall, and stuck a Sprint sticker on the valve cover!

Looks as good or better than mine, don't get me wrong, but it's still the wrong sticker...

[georgieb51]

I will just add my two cents here. More than 30 years ago I owned an unmolested 69-72 GMC (I cannot remember the year but it was not 67-68) that clearly had the Invader 350 sticker on the passenger side valve cover (and the engine was NOT a replacement). But my truck had a small block 350 in it, and what you are showing in your photos is a Big Block engine. I have no idea what is correct for your engine but the Invader 350 sticker was correct for my SB when my GMC was only 15 years old and you could see the sticker clearly. Have you looked through any of the original sales literature?

[davepl]

Originally Posted by georgieb51

I will just add my two cents here. More than 30 years ago I owned an unmolested 69-72 GMC (I cannot remember the year but it was not 67-68) that clearly had the Invader 350 sticker on the passenger side valve cover (and the engine was NOT a replacement). But my truck had a small block 350 in it, and what you are showing in your photos is a Big Block engine. I have no idea what is correct for your engine but the Invader 350 sticker was correct for my SB when my GMC was only 15 years old and you could see the sticker clearly. Have you looked through any of the original sales literature?

Yes, the very first post in this thread is in fact the sale literature showing the correct decal, which my truck used to have.

Here is a better condition 427 example. Yesterday I submitted a quote for getting them produced, but it won't be cheap unless there are a lot of people willing to group-buy, and there are only so many big block trucks. And we've only ever seen this decal in longhorns, unless someone can find it elsewhere.