The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Corvette 235 with 3 2bbls in a 53 3100

Has anyone tried a similar engine swap? If not, is it practical to swap in a 235 with pwr steering? Thank you!

Most on this forum couldn’t afford such a swap. Those old corvette engines are like gold (just those manifolds with carbs in restorable condition go for 2-3K) and really should be reserved for those trying to do Corvette restorations. JMHO

Wait 5 minutes, and someone will ask what their Corvette block, cylinder head, water pump, etc. is worth. Answer: the same as the ones in that 4 door sedan.
The Corvette-only intake and exhaust systems are the only very $$$ parts, now priced far beyond their worth for performance use.

Just my 2¢?
Things that can only be appreciated when the car is parked with the hood up have minimal cost/value basis for me.

I would like a picture of a Corvette 235 with 3 2-barrels for my files. Would be an exceptionally rare setup

Jon.

Two versions, one for 53 and one for 54/55. Both versions used a vette specific head. They are as rare as hen's teeth. Rarer even as Snagglepuss would say. The 53, no holes for the valve cover like the later 54 and 55 version, the 53 motor used the rocker studs. Also, if you look closely at the above photo, you will notice the profile change in the front of the valve cover to accommodate the hood of the Vette. The 53 valve cover is nearly unobtainable. For 54 GM used the 4 screw valve cover. The 54 valve covers used four slots punched into the valve cover itself and a non-venting oil cap. Lots of people think the slotted valve cover is specific to the vette but it was actually used on all 54 235 motors. In 55-58 car and truck line, the valve covers did not have slots but did have a vented oil cap. What I dont know is whether the 55 vette with a 6 used the solid 55-58 style valve cover or the 54 style slotted valve cover. If I was a betting man, I would bet it was the 54 version given the lower profile of the non vented valve cover cap as opposed to teh taller 55-and up vented cap. I have never seen a 55 vette with a 6 in it personally, they are exceedingly rare, I think only 6 or 7 were ever made that way. The air breathers for the YH Carter side drafts are different between 53 and 54/55 and also ungodly rare, as is the ignition cover, cable drive tach and generator for the tach. There are lots of vette specific parts on these three year vette motors that are rare and expensive. Interestingly enough, the intake and exhaust are way easier to come by then the other parts primarily because you could purchase both the split exhaust and side draft intake over the counter at a chevy dealership and many of them were sold over the counter.

The aftermarket also sold triple side draft intakes and they turn up once in a while, not anywhere as expensive as the real deal vette intake but the challenge is always finding the right carbs. Then the challenge is seeing if you have room to install depending on the location of the master or slave cylinders, that sort of thing.

Phak, most on this forum can’t afford the swap? Speak for yourself and not others.

e-mailed the pictures I had to the address listed in your profile. Hope they help. G.H.

I found this picture a while ago searching "Go-ogle" when I was looking to install a Vette intake on my 1958. I have the intake and carbs, but they are unrestored and sitting on my shelf. Haven't tried mounting them yet.

If one has a picture of a Carter YH side draft TWO BARRELS I would like one also since they and the ones on the Corvette are ONE BARREL. Our 1953 3100 shop truck, the Green Hornet, had a 54 Corvette engine but this was in the mid 60's so I think we paid in the $300 range for the entire engine including the three carb intake and the cast iron headers. Ran it for about five years till a Corvette nut offered the ridiculous price of $900 for the whole set up. A 265 V8 replaced it.

Greg - got the pictures, thank you!

The three single barrel Carter YF side-draft carbs work VERY well on the 235. We have done several sets, and owned a few sets (now sold out).

There are issues: (1) the die-cast choke cable retaining casting breaks if abused, and (2) the fuel valves in the popular aftermarket rebuilding kits are WRONG, as are the bowl cover gaskets.

Additionally, there are 4 separate and distinct generations of the Carter YF, and MOST parts do not interchange among generations (although "rebuilders" try to do so). The Corvette YH's are generation one. The later turbo Corvair carbs are from generations three and four.

Jon.