Thanks Josiah, glad to hear from someone that has actually been through it successfully. I’m stickin with the 216 for now but I want to keep my options open, in fact just last week a guy offered me a 235 free for the taking., and I’ll take it if he doesn’t back out. I had a 261 in my ‘60’ Biscayne and thought it was a good little engine. So I am assuming from what I hear here, that the length of the block is the same, the only problem you encounter with length is with the water pump, correct?
I have machine shop access, in fact if I ever get the 5hp motor mounted up, I have a 16” lodge and Shipley engine lathe in my shop that I have been restoring for 15 years. That would be nice for things like flywheels, brakes and hubs. With the steady rest I could even do a drive shaft. Did you have to heat, expand/shrink the starter ring on the flywheel? And it sounds like there is enough room for the larger clutch in the 216 bell housing.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL
