Good on ya!
You may wish to check the "Where Can I Find Parts" thread in the FAQ forums. There is a list of companies that produce replica side covers, and to be honest, I'd say the replicas are better than the originals. The pins on the originals break off very easily. By the way, it's not a bad idea to replace the rubbers that hold the side covers (I think they can be gotten on ebay), and it's good to keep them a bit lubed.
Where in VA are you? We have a bunch of members down that way, especially around Washington. Personally, I've spent a fair amount of time in south central Virginia.