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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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| | | | Joined: Jun 2012 Posts: 5 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Jun 2012 Posts: 5 | I have a 1953 3800 Canadian truck with a bad head. Machine shop magnafluxed it and found some cracks. I have found a good head from a 1953 Bel Air with a manual transmission. The main difference I see is that my truck head's valve cover is held on by 4 stovebolt screws and the head from the Bel Air is held on by two extended studs from the rocker arm. Does anyone know if the heads will interchange? Main things I think about is rocker arm oiling and valve sizes. Any help is appreciated. | | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | Count the head bolts.
15 bolts (1937-1952) or 18 bolts (1953-1963)
If the head will bolt onto the block, you can use it.
If I am wrong, we will hear about it. | | | | | Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 5,337 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 5,337 | Main things I think about is rocker arm oiling and valve sizes. All 1953-62 235 heads use the same valve sizes. Rockers changed a bit in 1959. Here is my blog post on rockers and there oiling.
See the USA in your vintage Chevrolet! My Blog | | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,272 Renaissance Man | | Renaissance Man Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,272 | I don't know about Canadian '53 heads, but all US '53 heads had 2 acorn nuts holding the valve cover on (there were no holes for a 4 bolt cover). Maybe your original motor is not as original as you suspect.
Carl
Last edited by 52Carl; 02/14/2016 3:09 AM.
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2012 Posts: 5 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Jun 2012 Posts: 5 | Thanks to all for the replies. Pretty sure the engine is original as the pistons are marked CANADA. Haven't found a way to decode the stamped engine vin number, doesn't match the US engine vins. Started digging through the Forums the past few nights (instead of sleeping) and found lots of good info on the old 235's. Local machine shop price for rebuild less head work was over $2500 so I am trying to lessen the cost. I haven't messed with old Chevy 6's since the early 70's when I had a '50 5-window 1/2 ton (which I sold years ago and regretted every day since). So now with restoring the '53 I am trying to relive my wasted youth. | | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 |
Post your Engine Serial Number.
There are members who can decode a Canadian ESL.
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