The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 235. Probably for sale but what would you do??

How is the demand for these engines? We have a 41 we just bought and it's got a 235 in it. Looks like we could get it to run. Previous owner said was running when parked. Of course they always say that lol. But as we plan to build a hotrod, I'm sure a 350 crate motor or similar is what will be in it. What's the most logical route to go when building a hotrod. Looks like 350?

Don't trash the old stovebolt engine- - - -put it on Craigslist and somebody will take it off your hands. Save the running gear too, transmission, rear end, etc. A lot of us like restoring the old stuff. 350 powered hot rods are like belly buttons- - - -everybody's got one. Do something different like installing a 500 Cadillac or a 440 Dodge engine!
Jerry

Well I don't have one (a 350 hot rod) but sure wish I did!

Duplicate post.

https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1013048#Post1013048

a 350 is surely effective, however there is absolutely no imagination involved. If you are going to ruin an otherwise good truck at least do it some justice. a 396 or a 409 or a 302 GMC with a 12 port head, (this would actually lend authenticity to the build, and they can be made to make incredible amounts of power, like 5-600 horsepower, although at around 900 horsepower I have heard they tend to start breaking main caps) Pretty much anything but a 350 is my opinion.

I think you need to decide if the truck is going to be a daily driver for your son, as stated in your other post, or a chopped, dropped, bagged hotrod. You could go middle of the road with a mild hotrod using the 235 and update the brakes and suspension and have something unique, or you could follow the V8 crowd.

People used to build hotrods to be different. Now 'hotrodders' all follow the same code. I love V8s and I love hotrods, but I'm so tired of Cookie cutter-chromed out V8-Auto trans-digital dash-bucket seat-tiny steering wheel hotrods.

Yes, a 350 might be the most logical route, but hotrods aren't exactly logical.

I just bought a 36 and may want to put a 235 in it. Can you determine the year of the motor?

Thanks

I agree with you guys a regular 350 would be a little boring. I'll probably do like the one fella said and go the 396 route, or something similar. My buddy just built a 396 for his suburban and it's a beast. However I have to say going the middle of the road route, where it's still a hotrod, but capable of being a daily driver, I haven't thrown out building he 235 completely just yet. Any of you guys worked over one of these 235's with good results???
The motor in this truck should be the original 41 235 as I was told and it seems everything included is original. And of course it was running when it was parked. Lol

235 Picture
There's a picture of he old 235!!

that is a 216 if still original...

here is a 235

[IMG]http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa84/rcplumley/51%20chevy%20project/chevytruck007.jpg[/IMG]

or better yet find a 261 do a early 60's style hot rod..:)

[IMG]http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa84/rcplumley/51%20chevy%20project/IMG_8674.jpg[/IMG]

whiskey runner,

A 235 and a 216 can look the same, depending on the year.

If you are IDing that engine based on the valve cover, from 1941-1953 216s and 235s had two top-bolt valve covers.

Mine is a 216?? Lol. If that's true I guess I have a 3/4 ton with a 216 and not a half ton with the 235 like the owner told me. Hmmm. I'm sure he just didn't know what he had. Good thing was he had good clean title. But totle doesn't say anything about 3/4 ton.

Cool so maybe mine is the 235. I guess I need to get the numbers off engine and ID it for sure. If I can get this thing running like he says it did then it seems it may be more valuable to you other bolters who may need an engine like this.

you're right i cant be sure by that picture.. but i always thought the 1/2 and 3/4 ton trucks from 41-46 got the 216.. didnt think the babbit bearing 235 was put in anything but the bigger trucks.. but i dont know that for sure i am just speaking from my own experience.. sorry if i mis-lead you

You are correct, whiskey runner.

It would have to be 216 or a replacement low-pressure 235 from a larger truck or a 50-53 Powerglide car.

In another thread someone said they didn't make a Longbed 1/2 ton in 41. So that would mean this truck is a 3/4 ton with possibly the bigger 235. I was told when I bought it that it was a half ton with 235. I'll have to look up the numbers on the truck when I get back home.

Here are the locations of various codes on low-pressure 216/235 engines.

I don't believe the 235 was built in 1941. The 216 was the standard until mid 1950's. 216's have the ultimate drawback.........splash oiling of the rods......bad news....low rpm's and low hp. The 235 has a full pressure oil system....thus most swap out the 216 for the 235.
A hot rodded 235 engine is a-okay but don't expect lot's of speed or torque cause it ain't happening!

1941 was the first year for the 235. It was low oil pressure, babbitt rod bearings, and looked very similar to the 216. Later on they changed the intake manifold runners to round in cross section and changed to a short tappet side cover. Another change was to insert rod bearings and full oil pressure. Others can pin point the years of these changes. You need to look at the various casting numbers and stampings to verify exactly what you have.

Some racers actually preferred the splasher engines- - - -they claimed a solid, non-drilled crankshaft was stronger, and a properly set up splash engine doesn't have oiling problems. The idea that splash oiler engines are fragile belongs in the same category as the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, and honest politicians- - - -they don't exist!
Jerry

Here is general information on stovebolt six engines.

Here is some identification information on the various generations stovebolt six engines.

"It would have to be 216 or a replacement low-pressure 235 from a larger truck [41-53] or a 50-53 Powerglide car."

Splasher Bashers are just haters.

It's a 3/4 ton so I imagine it should be the 235. I will check to verify. What's a good shape 235, possibly running go for?? Any ideas??

The 235 engine might have been an option for 1941 3/4 ton trucks; however, the 216 was the standard engine. Look for the codes on the engine and post them here.

A 235 could have been put in the truck at some time during its life.

Here is a 1941 Specifications Manual. It has information on standard equipment and options (and, a lot of other valuable information).

For me, it wasn't the splasher issue, it was that of all of the AD's I have seen, and I see a lot of them, about 30% still have the original splasher engine in them. The other 70% or so have the next generation 1954-1962 insert bearing, full pressure oiling 235s in them. I am still not sure why this is. Were the new style 235's so cheap back in the day that it was cheaper replacing them than rebuilding the 216? I wish I knew.

"If you LIKE your 216 splasher you can keep it!" Now that you can get insert bearing kits for the original splashers, removing the need to find a Babbitt bearing person, they are a really viable solution. My original truck has the original motor, but the closest machine shop that could still do Babbitt was 200 miles away and the dude was 80 years old. Cost me about $800 for the Babbitt bearing job about 12 years ago. They were great engines for a lot of years.

Besides being a stronger engine, the high-pressure 235 was the standard engine - MANY more of them were most likely built for cars and trucks between 54-63 in comparison to the number of 1941-53 low-pressure 235s installed in low-production big trucks and in Powerglide-equipped 1950-53 cars.

what is so special that it takes someone specialized in low pressure bolts to work on them?.. i worked on many of them back in the 60's when they were still very common. but most did prefer to switch a used full pressure engine in place of one that needed a rebuild because it was cheaper to find a good used engine than pay to rebuild if any machine work was needed.. and i am not 80yrs old...yet..:)

i remember when i was a young guy working at the texaco station and the old guys would come in.. part of a regular tune-up would be to pull the pan and "tighten the rods" which consisted of pulling out a few shims or filing down the cap... probably cost a whole 5 bucks..:).. ha ha ha ha

I don't know about what is so special, but I had a rough time finding someone who could understand what I was trying to get done. I finally found a couple of shops. One was the napa machine shop, they have an older guy that actually remembers them, and the other is the shop that all the others send their stuff too. Even at that I had to pull the head due to either using positive valve stem seals on the exhaust or they didn't give the extra .0005 clearance for the exhaust. I'm inclined to think they didn't give the extra clearance, after reading up on the seals and the theory behind them, they should work just fine. Nonetheless my exhaust valves stuck open.

When I worked as a grease monkey at a Dodged dealership/shop in 1970, I had the job of trying to keep the farmers' Chevrolet trucks running for the lowest cost. Most farmers knew the unsavory trick that was used when all shims had been removed - file the ends of the caps to decrease the clearance. I do not know why the farmers did not do that jack-leg repair themselves, and I do not know why they brought their Chevrolet trucks to a Dodge dealership.

I never had one come back - probably because when the engine threw a rod, the farmer just left the truck next to the barn (or in an unused field).

I never worked on the muscle car engines but I got to drive a 1970 440 Six Pack at that Dodge Dealership - it scared the H out of me.

I built a 56 235 full pressure motor for my 46 1/2 ton that puts out over 300 hp on the dyno, I found an old guy at a machine shop here in pa. that used to drag race these motors in the 60's and he put my motor together with all the right parts, and it wasnt cheap, im talking close to $4,000....(1700 for just the clifford/weber 38 intake setup)

I built a 56 235 full pressure motor for my 46 1/2 ton that puts out over 300 hp on the dyno, I found an old guy at a machine shop here in pa. that used to drag race these motors in the 60's and he put my motor together with all the right parts, and it wasnt cheap, im talking close to $4,000....(1700 for just the clifford/weber 38 intake setup)

A 3/4 ton was light duty and would have had the 216. That's if the engine is still original.

Found out the engine is NOT original and it is indeed a 235 I have no idea what year but he assured me that it does run. I need to find out what year and exactly what this engine is. Im sure one of you guys could use this engine and maybe we could do some trading or something!!
I believe we have decided at this point, although subject to change down to last second, finding us a 350, and making ourselves a nice 383 out of it. Definitely wont be keeping the 235!!