Passenger car service 235s from '50-'53 used the old-style, two-stud valve cover (as did the '41-'53 HD truck 235s). Best way to ID the engine in the truck is to look for the stamped engine serial number on the machined pad, just aft of the distributor, and sort of behind the dipstick (as was said in an earlier post). If it's a '53 or older 235, there should be a three-letter prefix that will ID the engine and its original service use. Some replacement blocks may not have that.
'54 and newer 235s will either have a letter-number suffix or a short serial number, either of which can also help ID the engine. It's an easy retrofit to install the two-stud valve cover on the newer 235s, so the engine serial number, the date code cast in the block, sort-of behind and above the starter, or block casting number (low in front of the distributor, and sometimes hard to see) are really the best way to ID the engine. In any event, it's not a 216, as others have said.
Doug
Last edited by drdoug; 12/16/2020 1:39 PM.
