I had a similar problem with a racing engine, a small block Chevy- - - -a 400 block with a 350 crankshaft to meet the cubic inch requirements of the track where we raced. We corrected excessive end play by building a fixture to hold a thrust bearing in a lathe, machining the Babbit metal off the rear thrust flange, and building it back up with silver solder. I believe we added .005" or .006" over the thickness of a regular bearing. That modified bearing would last the whole racing season, maybe 1000 laps or so on a 1/4 mile dirt track. That would probably be the equivalent of 100K miles of street use! Silver solder is MUCH more durable than Babbit. If the engine is newer than mid-year 1955, it will have a locator tab on the upper bearing shell at the parting line- - - -that type of bearing can be rolled in and out with the crankshaft in place- - - -no need to do a complete disassembly. Yes, the bearing is the same as a 235. Two #3 main bearing caps from a 235 can be bolted together to serve as a holding fixture, clamped over a piece of aluminum round bar machined to be a heat sink to prevent damage to the main bearing material while applying the silver solder.
Jerry
