When the original 235 in my '46 2-ton went south, I put a 216 in there as a temporary fix. Even though the 216 was rather tired, it actually had more power than I was getting out of my dying 235. I replaced that with a '53 235 last year and the difference was very noticeable, I think the rated horsepower went up by 20. I suspect the actual went up by more since the 216 was getting tired itself. Point being, either one worked OK for me and I USE my truck on my small farm. It doesn't see a lot of miles, but it hauls many loads of compost each spring and fall. Being otherwise stock, it tops out at around 50 MPH which is plenty fast enough with the early steering box and no shocks. As for acceleration, I don't drive the truck if I'm in a hurry. It's a workhorse, not a hotrod.
