These Mopar OLP covers have the Direct Connection and Pentastar logos neatly stamped into them. The valve covers come with the five-bolt parameter fastener locations and a beautiful chrome finish that harmonizes well with other Mopar engine dress-up parts.

Just when you thought the vintage 1970s look of a pair of small-block Direct Connection valve covers had disappeared forever, Mopar has reintroduced them in all their original glory. In the 1970s, as a child tagging along with my dad, we attended drag strips throughout the east coast and the corn belt states. While in the pits, I would always peek over the fender of a Super Stock or Stock Eliminator Mopar with its hood up. The expectation was to find a pair of Direct Connection valve covers on the engine.

If I saw them, I knew this Mopar was a serious contender, and they had the factory connection to speed and performance (being a child, I did not realize that anyone could purchase the valve covers). As the years past, the Direct Connection name was replaced with the Mopar Performance moniker, and the cool valve covers with the Direct Connection logo began to slowly disappear. But now they’re back!

Above left: The Direct Connection valve covers come with the correctly sized grommets for the factory air breather and the PCV. The steel valve covers are constructed from quality materials for years of trouble-free use. The chrome is durable and will not flake off. Above right: The valve covers are tall, just like the original Direct Connection units. There is a spacious 3 5/8-inches in height, which should clear any rocker arms utilized, including Proform’s 1.5:1 roller rockers.

Proform is offering a pair of chrome valve covers with the prominently embossed Direct Connection and Pentastar logos for the LA engines (273-360). The valve covers are a tall-style (3 5/8-inch height), parameter-bolt stamped steel design with internal oil restricting baffles. The covers are furnished with air breather and positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) grommets. The covers are constructed of quality materials and are a Mopar Officially Licensed Product (OLP).

To complement the Direct Connection valve covers, Proform offers several Mopar OLP components, which include push-in crankcase breathers, ¼-20 valve cover wing nuts, Slant-Edge air cleaners, and air cleaner center nuts. Each part wears the Omega “M” label to carry the Mopar theme throughout the engine bay.

If you have a 1960s or 1970s small-block Mopar and are striving for a period-correct performance look, slip on a pair of Proform Direct Connection valve covers. And then, when you pop the hood at the drag strip or a car show, and a pair of little eyes leer over the fender, you can tell them you have the Direct Connection from Mopar.

The valve covers have oil control baffles. The sheet metal baffles have reliefs stamped into them to clear the PCV. Oil drain holes are punched through the baffles to return oil that separated from the air flowing to the PCV or the fresh air breather. The baffles are extremely important to control the oil in a high-performance engine due to the increased PCV airflow.