The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop '53 235 engines: bearing upgrade ?

Regarless of whether you convert to full pressure or even fully circulating oil filtration, you can convert to insert bearings by replacing the rods with insert bearing rods, or having the babbited rods machined for insert bearings.

Converting the bearings and upgrading the oiling system are two different things.

I have a set of later 235 rods that were shotpeened and trued, though I'm not sure if they will work in the earlier engines because I don't know if the stroke length, crank diameter and wrist pin diameters are the same. I was going to use them in my 261 because I had one bad rod, but was able to find a 261 rod. I believe you would also need a set of bolts and could use regular old big block chevy bolts if you grind the outside edge of the bolt head to match to original ones (otherwise they won't cleaer the cam).