The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Appearance changes to 216 over years?

I'm picking up a 1953 216 this weekend and plan on restoring it back for my 1937. Just curious what changes occurred over the years, and what accessories I'll have to look for to make it right. Anyone know?

I have 2 1937 216 complete engines if your looking for date coded engine to put back it your truck. one is from my 1.5ton and the other I don't know what it came out of.but it has low miles on it. Dan

Your over near Harrisburg, PA, I'm over toward the WV border in western PA.

I don't know if they still had the horn mounted to the intake manifold or not on those engines. If the intake has a protrusion on the top with 2 holes it is for a horn.
I take you want it to look like a '37 engine?

John

Dan, what is the engine you are working on in the pictures? GMC engine? Watch parking the Chevy so close to the Ford, don't want the Chevy catching rust..... LOL

John

I'll look for the horn mount/material to drill. This is a slow going process but I finally have the space and money to work on the truck (and other projects), and time will be opening up a little bit as we finish renovation of our old farm house in York county.

I have a 56 253 that came with the truck and I understand it's better, I also know they make dress up kits to look like a 216 at first glance. I am not 100% sure what the project will be (how much restoration vs restomodification), but I like the idea of the original motor setup. I do plan to actually use the truck to go to farmers markets and sell some produce from the farm. I figure it's "free" marketing.

Whitelightning, lol yes GMC, my 37 F33HD GMC COE engine, its a 286 , and where do you see any ferd stuff in my pictures? lol, if there was a ferd next to any of my GM stuff I would have to hot tank them before I could work on them. unless your talking about the 1914 model T, my 36 coupe/pu is parked next to it, I will have to build a wall now to keep the germs from jumping ship to chevys. lol

Frantz, if you need any pictures of what the 37 engine should look like let me know and I will take some pictures of the 37 1.5 ton engine for you,Dan

I have some of the changes listed on my Blog.
I have not added it to the list, but there also were some water pump changes between 1937 and 1941.

Thanks Dave. That's exactly the info I needed!

The valve cover for a '37 216 will not have a provision for an oil cap. The draft tube may be different and the top of the draft tube has a cap on it for adding motor oil.

Don beat me to it. The '37 216 used a Carter W-1 carb. I'm not sure if the '53 used that as well or if it came with a Rochester. I can furnish you with a lot of pics of my '38 216 which would be identical to your '37.

As Tiny and others have posted:

1937 carburetor - Carter

1953 carburetor - Rochester on most trucks (downdraft carb is Rochester and updraft carb is Carter)

My original 216 project from 1950 had the horn mounted on the intake, and a Carter carb.

My 49 3100 w/original 216 has the horn mounted on the firewall and a Rochester B carb. I'm absolutely sure the horn came from the factory that way but the carb was cleaner than the rest of the engine so it's possible that it is a replacement.
I would like to add that the Rochester B works great, just like it was made for the 216....
Dave

1937 horn mounted on "left side of cylinder head" (maybe someone will post information about this?)

1949 standard/single horn mounted on intake manifold - old style horn

1950 standard/single horn mounted on intake manifold - old style horn

1953 standard/single horn mounted on intake manifold - sea shell style horn

The 1954/55 seashell style horn/horns were mounted on the front of the radiator housing. The intake manifold in 1954 might have had holes for the horn on the intake manifold "buss/boss/bump" or might have had no holes in that mounting "buss/boss/bump", depending on how late it was in 1954.

The spec sheet for my '38 says the same thing about being on the side of the cylinder head. I think it's just the way they said things back then Tim. It (my '38) is, and always has been, mounted to the intake runner forward of the carb.

'38 spec sheet.

Horn.

Thanks for the clarification/information, Tiny

Here are links to a couple films (1938 and 1939) which show some engine details.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/sets/72157632203721308/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/sets/72157632314013722/
Also something to consider would be the older style coil as shown here.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8583881002/in/set-72157633068187319/

I have a question about the domed pistons. Was the volume of the chambers in the head of that 216 increased compared to later, flat top piton engines? Will the domed pistons work in the later engines (if you could find them)?
Carl

The 1937-40 dome pistons hit the 1941 and later heads.
If you use a 1937-40 head with flat top pistons you will end up with very low compression.

I expected some differences, it's impressive how many improvements occurred over the period. I am appreciative for all the responses!

As Brad noted above your '37 would have had the electrolock. While you can find them on ebay regularly the coils that work with them are pricy and sometimes hard to find.

Nothing a little machining on the dome couldn't fix, right? I'd like to see how much pounding the babbit can take.