I'm swapping out a tired 216 in my '51 3100 with a rebuilt '58 235. I've been through several discussions on this site regarding the front mounting of the 235 in the truck's frame. As mentioned in discussions, the timing cover plate on my 235 does not have the 2 bottom mounting bolt holes, so it sounds like the typical modification is to accurately locate the position of the holes on the plate and drill for proper-sized bolts.
Since my 235 does have 3 threaded holes on each side of the block, I was wondering why I haven't seen more discussion on the possible use of aftermarket side mounts which would bolt from frame to block. I would think that side mounts would be more secure than the single front mount. I've seen some posts about miss-alignment of the front mounting causing vibrations, and I'm thinking that positioning the side mounts accurately might be difficult.
My mechanical abilities are intermediate and I have never done an engine swap so I'm relying on the expert advice from you all out there. I'm sure I'll be back with many more questions!
Thank you
