I have had my truck for 4 years and although I have swapped the old 216 for a 292 I have always wondered about the odd "arches" on my valve cover. I have looked and looked and looked but never seen another like mine. Today however, I finally took the valve cover off the engine to learn more and discovered the following " C. A. W. Reinforcement Pat. pend. Denver, Colo." stamped into one of the pieces. My truck did come from Colorado so I am wondering if this is a local idea that never caught on. As best I can figure the purpose of this kit is to prevent distortion of the valve cover due to over tightening. It seems like it would be an effective system. Has anyone seen one of these kits before? Heard of it? can you tell me anything about it?
There has been history on this site or Inliners site about CAW aluminum valve cover, so I am wondering if it's part of the same manufacturer production. I am trying to remember if it stood for California Aluminum Works or Colorado. Hopefully, someone else will have the info. Also, you have several curious items in your engine pic, ie; the flat forward 4 bolt hole plate and the large receiver on the firewall with an accompanying bent-to-fit fender brace. Do you know what those 2 items were used as?
Follow up. Here is the valve cover from the Jalopy Journal. Definitely the same company.
The Other "interesting items" were part of the truck's hydraulic system which was used to operate a dump bed. The plate was the mount for a belt driven pump. The bent rod over the plate was a control rod for the hyd. valve. On the fire wall you can see a black box which was the Hyd. reservoir.
Most of the valve covers of this type that I have had to deal with needed some tin smith work to seal right. I guess that if you were never able to master that technique, you could use your gadget. BTW, what's the deal with the location of the wires on the top of the coil?
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
did you ever get your hydraulic system working, I have the same set up on my 1948 3600? my current is not working due to seal leaks on the bed cylinders.
Boy, that caw cradle for the valve cover is cool. First I have ever seen.
This is the valve cover that was made under the CAW name. I have the actual patent application for the cover around here somewhere but I can’t find it at the moment but if memory serves me, I think I recall that the caw is the inventor’s initials. I will keep looking for the application and post it when I find it.
