Workmaster,
Ignore all of the previous post and do what I did. While looking for a 235 replacement for my 216 I followed some of the advice from Patrick's; about the only thing I got right was the year.
My search led me to a '57 with "about" 57k miles on it before it was pulled, according to the ad. After some back and forth emails the ex-girlfriend told me she wanted to get the dang thing out from under the kids swing (which was hanging from the old oak tree in the front yard). She told me that she was sure that it was a good engine because her ex put some duct tape on those inner and out take things; and to add further evidence of its great condition said that the kids were always tracking in oil after playing on the swing.
Well heck, what a great deal this seemed like especially since the engine was in CT. and me in FL. I suppose it was the vision of the engine formally hanging from the oak tree that pursuaded me to "win" this engine.
I asked Ruth Ann if she minded hanging on to this jewel for awhile as it might take me some time to come up there and claim my price. She said it was serving as a great support for the kids skateboard ramp and didn't really mind the delay as she couldn't afford new carpet anyway.
Well, after a few months I talked a buddy of mine who only lived about a 150 miles from the dream engine's location to go pick it up for me (he owed me a giant favor from about 20 years ago.) He did and about the only thing he said several weeks later was that it was quite a chore getting the thing back and into his barn. Come early December of 2005 I finally made the drive up to Danbury to haul the "swap made in Heaven" back to Florida. When I arrived the area was undergoing a severe snow and ice storm, but as my friends farm was only about 1/2 mile down a steep icy road I was feeling pretty good, especially since the 18' trailer behind my truck helped me down the incline.
After a few bot'uls of good wine to warm us up me and Larry troumped through the deepening snow and driving ice to check out the swap. There she was in the back of his back of his broken down, bald tired, 50 something Chevy truck, behind a 3 foot snow drift. Hmm, Ruth Ann didn't say anything about the whole dang Powerdrive transmission being included in the bargan. "Hey Larry, how are we going to get this thing into my trailer, especially since you backed the truck into the barn last fall?" She was running when I parked her, but I have a feeling that the battree is dead now -- how about we go have another bot'ul and figure things out.....
More later on the 216 to 235 swap made in heaven.
Don
