" The '55 first and older 235s are a different animal from the '55 second and newer 235. The waterpump sits higher on the older engines. It also has a shorter shaft. The water pump shaft on your engine has been shortened to make it clear the radiator. There is an adapter available to use the early engine water pump on the late engines and someone will soon chime in saying you need one. I still say if it doesn't overheat, you're OK with what you have. I ran one for years in a '55 first I had in the '80s. "
Ah.. ok. That makes sense now that it's been explained. I won't go and recheck as it's sitting outside in the dark and rain, but I do recall that the shaft seemed awfully close to the rad. Does that adapter actually reposition the shaft (& fan) higher or does it just provide a shorter shaft? And nah, it seems to cool fine in the summer ..well it did until the rad problem er-occurred after I kept sticking BarsLeak in it to help it along. The guage is now starting to creep upwards - - good thing it's getting into winter - - and the rad is starting to leak again.
So far as the rad goes, my hunch is that with one of the newer cores installed (and engine cooling flushed), I may be able to either run the rad at higher pressure(?) or it will just cool better with the newer technology. So yes, the new rad will probably negate any need for repositioning the pump or fan ..just a hunch ;^)
