Keep looking for a free one. They are out there.
The problem with buying a 216 (or a 235 for that matter) is that most of them failed, resulting in the truck being parked or the engine being pulled.
Don't hesitate to dive into a 216 engine. Some of the internals are fascinating and a testament of the history of the evolution of the modern engine.
I find myself asking, "Why in the world did they design it that way?" or "Why did they ever stop making them like that?"
(Some Southwestern US ranchers have no sense of adventure, nor the yearning for learning the history of the internal combustion engine development.)
Carl
