Partial as I am to “Chevy Orange,” this “original” rocker cover had to go…
Much like Bugattis and other supercars, the mighty Spitfire requires highly specialized tools and technicians for maintenance such as removing & replacing the rocker cover gasket once every 1/4 century or so.
Getting the cork valve cover gasket (quite prone to warp & flex) pinned down to align properly took some doing: More highly sophisticated and specialized tools req’d.
New rocker cover proves my theory: chrome > Chevy Orange paint. In a triumphant aftermarket “win”, I only had to re-machine for about 15 minutes so the holes for the retaining nuts it came with were actually wide enough to fit. Gotta love “bolt on” aftermarket bits.