The two piece design is adjustable. I can build a one piece design for my own engine but I wouldn't sell it as a product since I'd get an endless stream of complaints. People build engines with blocks that have been decked or with different head gaskets or with heads that have been milled but then blame me when the valley tray doesn't fit.

The two piece design has slots so it can slide back and forth to adjust for different deck heights, different head gasket thicknesses and different cylinder head heights.

I have made what I describe. That's my whole point. It is very easy if you have the equipment. From the parts he's shown, its obvious that he could make one.
I was trying to stay out of the selling aspect, but if someone needs one made just pm me.
All I would need is a couple of simple measurements for anything that is not factory deck ht.

Pics?

Hey Andy, I love your work and have used plenty of your tricks so I'm not being picky ok.

I made a ali valley tray for some 516 heads that I was using on the track years ago, the problem I had was the thin (1.2 mm about .050)tray broke it' seals on the front and rear of the engine because of vibration. I think your idea will need the flat bars each end and you will need to look at the join. Cheers Al

would there be a stiffening of the two piece if you incorporated a 90*flange approximately 3/8" into the lifter valley on the lower piece ? notching for the china walls of course. or would this be of little benefit ?

I don't have pics of the part not on the engine. The engine had the intake ports moved up .750", so no off the shelf pan would work.
I'm not digging on Andy. His stuff is all top notch, and were I building another BB, he would be on speed dial. I just look for the simplest solution.

That actually seems like a good idea. By turning one edge down you would make the part stiffer.

Here are some shots showing how I made the bat wings. First picture shows the blank and then the next picture shows the press brake tooling. A picture of the bent part and then a finished part after I glue the paper gaskets to each side.

How about one for me??

didn't Hughes or someone have a 2 piece tray ? was a lot of complaints of leakage at overlap . that may be the hardest area to seal ?
maybe the folded edge will help this by being stiffer . maybe have a threaded bar spot welded to the plate rather than use sheet metal screws at least then they wont tear out

Tex

that's a good idea tex. maybe, with a "captured" bar instead of spot welding the aluminum. you could still put a stiffening bend in the middle, but have a couple of extra "tabs" down the length that could simply be folded over the bar, holding it in place. don't know what kind of equipment andy has to facilitate this arrangement though. sounds just like an engineer. take a simple idea and complicate it a bunch, then require extensive special equipment to manufacture. write up comprehensive, complicated instructions for installation and use, then set up exclusive marketing networks to distribute.
still a good idea though ! what ever andy decides, it will be a great product.

For my B1 heads, there was a gap to fill, when the block was heavy milled, so I made these bars from alum.sheet metal. My intake is O-ringded and easy to lift of to get access under.

You want a one piece design or a pair of the two piece? I can send you some prototype parts if you want. Some fitting may be required......

Andy, when you get these sorted out and ready for sale please let me/us know, I was telling Doug my engine machinist about your idea and he thought the 2 piece would work well with the cast valley covers giving a shelf to seal with rtv and make a lot cleaner look.

I cut out a stiffener for the center of the valley. I'll probably just glue it to the plate and call it good.

I like it.............

Tex

I didn't read all the posts so I'm not sure if this has been suggested, But what I did was get some sheet gasket material, cut out my own intake gaskets leaving an extra 3/8" on the bottom, then I scored it along that extra 3/8" and folded up making like an "L" shape along the bottom, it sat right on the indy plate ... a little sealer and it worked (so far).....

I ended up making some one piece valley plates as well as reinforcement plates for the center. I'll probably give this a try on the dyno.

just an FYI, if that bung in the valley pan is a breather or vacuum pump it will blow oil out by the quart. Been there done that, it won't work.