The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 235 Engine value

I am very new to the classic truck game so I am a rookie. I just purchased the truck I have always wanted which is a 1948 Chevrolet 3100 truck. The truck has been restored, all original. It has the 216 engine which was rebuilt as well. I have read so much about people swapping to the 235 engine. I have found a rebuilt 1955 235 with complete setup, Fenton split exhaust, carb, alternator, starter, bell housing, clutch, and 3 speed tranny. He doesn't know exactly when rebuilt but I have seen video and it is clean and runs well. I was thinking purchase and see how I like the 216. They are wanting $900.00. Is this a good buy?

If you have the money, I would snap it up. The Fenton headers alone are worth $300. With carb, alternator and tranny, $600 is a very fair price. Even if you decide not to use it, you can always sell it later.

These 216's must be terrible engines for people to pay so much to replace even rebuilt examples in restored trucks.

It was a less litigious society in the 30s, 40s, and 50s. Nowadays, Chevrolet would have been sued of existence for producing an engine that randomly self-destructs on the highway, if it can even make it up to highway speed.

clhaney, I'd say $900 would be a great buy if I knew all the details of the rebuild & it was a complete rebuild. The word "rebuild" means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

The $600 Bald Eagle quotes would be a lot better with your unknowns, though I may be missing something there...?(edit- I see he broke the cost down)

I'd be happier putting $900 worth of gas in the engine I already had, either way.

Brad

An actual "rebuild" involving rebored cylinders, new pistons, reground crankshaft, new cam and lifters, all bearings replaced, rods reconditioned, complete valve job including valve and guide replacement if necessary, plus all the other nitpicking details required to bring the engine to "as new" condition will cost somewhere upwards of $3K unless the owner does a lot of the assembly himself. Machine work alone would eat up the #900.00 asking price IF a quality rebuild was done.

I can invest $200.00 in rings, rod bearings and a gasket set, plus a couple of rattle cans of paint, and claim I've "rebuilt" the engine. It will sound good and run smooth for a while. Buyer beware!
Jerry

I think the 216 gets more of a bad wrap than it deserves. It is a pretty reliable engine when set up correctly and driven with common sense. The main reason for changing over as stated above is more horsepower and torque 85hp/176lbft verses 140hp/210lbft for a 56 and later 235 engine. Parts are getting harder to acquire for the 216 for rebuilding and costs are higher in some cases than for a 235/261 engine. I'd try the 216 and see what you think, then go from there.

John

Without a work order/receipt 'rebuilt' means little. Its a good pile of parts.. but nothing that is not unobtainable.

I think the bad rap the 216 has is mostly due to ignorance. Sure its less power than the 235, but I'm sure that the splash lube system alone confuses more people because of how, on the surface, unreliable it may appear.

If I could find a correct production 235 with splash lube for my 42 truck I would snap it up in a heartbeat... but wartime motors are hard to come by.

I've got more than that in a 235 I'm in the middle of rebuilding.
As been said, "rebuilt" carries all kinds of connotations, some of which don't even qualify as a refresh much less a rebuild.

That could be a great deal depending upon the true overall condition. Getting as much of the matching accessory parts is valuable in itself.

re. 216, I got the 216 running in my 49 alittle over 8K miles ago and it's proven to be a dependable powerplant. It does great for what it was designed for, running back/country roads between 40 - 50 mph. It's low end torque is so strong that there are times I don't have to downshift from high coming out of some turns. My future plans for the truck include some extended interstate runs and I felt a slightly hopped up full pressure 235 would work out better for that. Otherwise I'd keep that 216 right where the factory put it back in 49.
Good luck
Dave

I think Sput couldn't find the sarcasm emoticon. (We need to add one to the choices.)
I would personally love to have a brand new 216 in my truck, but I can't get past the extra cost of the rebuild, when I can spend that same money on a newer 235 and end up with 40-50 more horsepower. Especially when 99% of those looking at it do not know the difference.
If the OP can verify what exactly was done to the 216, and it was truly rebuilt to as new, then he should stick with the 216.
He should then PM me when he finds out if the 235 was truly rebuilt to as new condition so that I can rescue it. (Insert sarcasm emoticon here.)
Carl

When it comes to emoticons I like to use the smilies cause LOL is so yesterday
Another site I peruse has a standing protocol where anything posted in blue = sarcastic.

I looked back at my 1st couple of posts here and wouldn't you know it, I too was asking what would be a better replacement for the 216 in my 49. That was even before I got the 216 running.
So I guess it's just a natural progression for a new Stovebolt owner

Dave

Oh great, now I have to figure out how to type in colors. Will I need more than my two index fingers?
Carl

It's not really that difficult!

Jerry

Give it a try, Carl

I can do it and I have only one index finger

SHOWOFFS!

Yah right! I still can't find the "any" key, and sometimes I run out of mouse cord to make the whachyacallit move on the screen.
Carl

I hate it when people get all technical.... LOL

John

Apologies for initiating the complete derailment of this thread.

I sure enjoyed the 216 in my 50 3600.
They must have been "good" engines for Chevy to make them for 17 years...

Yes

Whatever you boys do, don't describe to me how to type in colors. I swear on my dead Mahmaws grave I will type each letter in alternating colors on every post from here on out!
Carl

Oh, Carl, give it a try.

Click "Reply" and then click the colored "A" button/icon at the upper right of the edit box.

you asked for it

hate to be the spoiler, but rather than reply using the box thats under the latest response, go to the top and hit New Reply. Then you will see a bunch of stuff you didn't see before.

Plan to spend at least a grand on a properly rebuilt engine. I tried to make it cheaper once. I honed the cylinders myself, mic'ed everything and used my new ridge reamer to take off the ridge at the top of each cylinder. The problem for me, and maybe its just me, is there are 6 cylinders with varied wear so thats why an engine shop BORES the cylinders. They take the most worn cylinder and make them all the same so you can use a coherent set of pistons, rings, etc. An engine on its first rebuild, you may be able to get away with doing it the way I did back in the day. Now that we are 60 years away, I would suggest a good engine shop determine the health of each cylinder and suggest options. Nothing is cheap anymore. Things get even more expensive when you are on social security! LOL!

I believe we've reached some strange colorful situation here

I get the same edit box by pressing "Reply" right above a post, as I do by pressing New Reply at the top of a thread. Same options at the top of the New Reply "box" and at the top of Reply "box".

The "default" Quick Reply box does not give options.

[color:#663366][/color]

The big money on a splash lube engine is the rod bearings. Getting babbit work done if needed will probably double your cost estimate.

The tools to align the tubes and set the dippers are out there for rent, or you can figure it out and rig something up.

I just found a 292 that is completely rebuilt by a company called powertrain productions for about $1800. Just a thought.

A 292 is a different engine family (194, 230, 250) than the 216/235/261 engines. You would have to do some fabricating for engine mounting, you would also need the clutch housings that goes with it, flywheel, pressure plate.

John

just a thought

It has been done, and I'm sure that you can find all the info from here for changing over to a newer straight 6.

John

my neighbor actually had his changed to a 292 in his '52 3/4ton. He said that he loved it.

The 292 is a good engine, with plenty of power and torque. 170-175 hp on the early ones before emissions gutted them.

John

I just spent 3500 to rebuild my 56 235