Chevy sixes are thus:
1929-32: 196 cu in, only 3 main bearings; downdraft carb from '32 on.
1933-'36: 206.8 cu. in.; still only 3 mains!
(This engine resembles the '29-'32 unit and will swap)
1937: "All-new" six: 216.5 cu.in; now has 4 main bearings. Shares no parts w/ earlier six.
1940-'41: Some improvements to 216, mainly concerning crank and flywheel mounting and # of teeth on ring gear & starter drive. Switched to 10mm spark plugs -1940-1948.
1941-'4? Trucks: a "235" cu .in. six available in larger trucks- basically a bored-out 216- still a splash-oiler.
1949: 216 returned to 14mm plugs; Rochester "B" replaces Carter W-1 carb.
1950: Hydraulic valve lifters on 216 equiped w/ power glide.
1953: Transitional 235 introduced: same bore & stroke as the '54 unit, but a splash-oil version.
1954: Full-pressure 235 introduced...You all probably know the rest from here...
Chiphead: both my '36s were trucks- one was a 1/2 ton pick-up, the other a 1& 1/2 ton Cab & chassis, 136" WB, I think.
Both were torque-tube all the way from trans to rear end from the factory, but the 1/2 ton had gotten a '53 235 splash engine, a '41-'46 crash-box truck 4-speed (& steering gear), and some how they had rigged up the original rear (with its Huck brake backing plates still riveted to the axle tubes!) with an open drivehaft yoke and bearing & seal on the pinion shaft (perhaps they changed the whole pig's-head).
JB Larson,
Sorry I didn't look closer at your original post and realize that you're working on a big truck before I made my remark about the 17" wheels (I was thinking you were working on a 1/2 ton pick-up!)...don't know if they did full torque-tube on the longer wb trucks; the pre-'54 3/4 tons had a short torque-tube from the tranny to the center carrier bearing, then were open-drive back to the differential.
My '41 1.5 ton dump is open drive all the way.
Mechanically, the trucks kind of group like this:
'29-'32;'33-'38; '39-'47; '47-'53, '54-59 and so-on.
If you found a '37 or '38 1.5 ton chassis to scavenge goodies from, you'd get your x-member for the 216, juice brake goodies, and so on...
Unless you plan on upgrading the brakes to hydraulic, I would be cautious about a outfitting the truck for a larger, later engine.
I don't see any advantage to a 1951 engine over rebuilding your original 1935 unit- it would still be a splash-oiled engine w/ poured rod-bearings.
Unless you spend the money to have the rods machined and converted to insert bearings, you really don't gain anything... you could have your 206 rebuilt with insert bearings... and not have to go through the "fun" of all the chassis mods.
If you're going to upgrade the running gear but try to "stay faithful" you might as well set-it up for the '54-62 235; that way you get a full-pressure engine- no more babbit-poundage!
Ultimately, how do you want to use the truck? Light use, parades, fairs, light bopping around town? Or heavy work or lots of driving on high-speed roads?
This truck likely has a rear-end ratio in the high 5's or low 6's, which means it won't do much over 50 (if that) with your foot to the wood.
It's probably happiest cruising at 40-45mph; and the brakes are suited for just about that.
If you're going to have an historic plate on it (which in most states means you'd better not get caught hauling a load; big fine!), I'd vote to stay stock....
Somewhere on this site, someone posted their saga about driving an unrestored '36 1.5 ton truck from the west coast back to the east; it'd be worth looking-up.
Good luck with your project; I like the earlier "high-cab" look of the '33-'35 trucks...check out all your options before you break-out the torch!
