Engine cover with integrated ignition system

An engine cover for an overhead valve assembly of a spark ignition internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a housing having a horizontally-extending upper wall and at least one side wall extending down from said upper wall to a mounting surface of said housing, wherein said mounting surface has a conformation that mates with an associated surface of the engine such that, when said housing is mounted to the engine with said mounting surface in contact with its associated surface, said upper and side walls together enclose the overhead valve assembly within an interior region below said upper wall, said housing including an enclosed compartment extending upwardly from said upper wall;
• a first group of high voltage terminals located in said compartment;
• a plurality of ignition devices mounted in said compartment, each of said ignition devices being electrically connected to at least one of the terminals in said first group;
• a second group of high voltage terminals located below said upper wall, wherein each of said terminals in said first group is associated with a corresponding one of said terminals in said second group;
• and
• a plurality of high voltage leads, each of said high voltage leads being associated with one of said terminals from said first group and one of said terminals from said second group, wherein said leads are each electrically connected at one end to its associated terminal from said first group and at another end to its associated terminal from said second group, whereby said leads provide electrical continuity between associated terminals from said first and second groups to thereby permit high voltage spark energy to be transmitted through said upper wall from said compartment to said second group of terminals.