Matt.  E code cars bring a premium when ALL the things a 'numbers' person looks for are correct.  I just had communication with a fellow in PA who is selling off some of the other '56 and '57 'Birds he has and is only putting his efforts into E and F code restorations.  His reasoning is that the other cars don't bring the return for his money and time spent.

Prices are down on the more run-of-the-mill cars because of factors like supply and demand, the economy, and the cost of totally going through this stuff.  While a labor of love anyway, you don't want to be too upside down in restoring a car.  

In the case of this vintage of vehicles, an awful lot of parts may have been replaced, swapped-out, or somehow 'lost' in the last 60 years.


NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

Charlie

You state
"ALL 1957 E code cylinder heads (passenger car and 'Bird application) used two piece valve springs (one spring w/ damper) and one piece valve spring retainers."

According to the information I have,only a DSO engine would have had the damper spring installed from the factory. Since we are discussing "E" Code engines only,that would have only been the elusive 285 H.P. "E" code engine.

There is a TSB that specifys the addition of the damper spring to be installed on the "E" Code engines already in service. I believe this is where the common belief that the "E" Code engines having factory installed damper springs has come from . 

Those damper springs were installed according to the TSB once they left the factory except on a DSO engine.

Oldmics




 

Oldmics.  I hear what you're saying regarding the valve springs and the retainers.

Charlie Brown does not have the information base that you have.  I've come to believe that there are numerous contradictions in the paper records that we work to scour and can fall into swearing by.

Natoli, Ron May, Jim Weatherly, Don Hyde, and those they know that I'm sworn to not name (this stuff is an information card game for some in these circles) have seen first hand what I've efforted to share.  I don't state anything I haven't come to believe, But I also have high regard for what you and others like Marvh on our Forum have shared as information they have found.

The most recent item that brings home what I'm getting at about conflicting information was the Forum member who wrote about the end-of-production '57 C code 'Bird that had a data plate showing that his car came with a 3 speed with overdrive transmission.  As you know, '57 C code 'Birds were supposedly only produced with 292 engines with 3 speed standard transmissions behind them.  Go figure!  

Again, I respect and appreciate ALL that you and others share on this Forum.


NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

(this stuff is an information card game for some in these circles)


So true!

  While there is so much in the "as built"  when compared to the existing documentation the confusion comes to light.

In the high stakes, numbers game its all about the verifieable documentation,not what may (or actually was) have been.

Oldmics

Ahmen, Oldmics!  

Regards,
Charlie


NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

This may be getting into the weeds, but without measuring the volume of the cc, how can one tell if a G head is a '57 or a '58?  Casting date is 7.1.57 (77A), Cleveland foundry.  Was there a general cutoff date for when they stopped one design and started the next?  I don't have immediate access to the part, just the data.

With the exception of possible small variances due to wear and tear of tooling, the date will have nothing to do with the cc (chamber volume) of any head,  If it is a G head, then they should be around 69cc or smaller, if the heads have been milled. 

The "next design" of G heads is 113, but you would see 113 instead of G, since a 113 head is not a G head.



Lawrenceville, GA