Where to begin? First, 216's and early splash 235's used cast iron rings which were very easy on the cylinders, along with the amount of oil that is thrown around in a splash engine kept cylinder wear at a minimum. Re-ringing a splash engine was very common because of this. Because of the heavy cast iron pistons in these early engines rod bearing and journal wear is a concern. If one mics the rod journals and they are not more than a couple of thousands out of round, and enough shims are removed to set the oil clearance at a minimum, things should last a long time with minimal use. Replacing the pistons with aluminum at this time will also extend bearing and journal life with there lighter weight. Putting a later full pressure 235, whether a car or truck engine is a pretty straight forward job. There are a few thing that would need to be addressed depending on the year of the replacement engine. Car or truck engine is of little concern. The main difference in car engines is that in some years they came with hydraulic lifters, but they will still work fine in a truck.
