Stovebolt.com Forums The Shop Area The Engine Shop 1962 235

I'm currently rebuilding a 235 which from the identification numbers I'm finding is a 1958-1962. The engine came with my 1950 3600 that I'm rebuilding. The engine was separate and locked up, long story short the engine had been sitting outside with no oil in it for a long time before I got it and I recently got it all torn apart and have to replace almost everything on the inside. As I'm looking for parts on sites such as Advance Auto and NAPA they require me to put in a year make and model of the vehicle but I'm not sure what the engine came out of. Should I by parts that are consistent with the truck I have or just pick a truck from the 1962 era to find parts for it. I've tried searching under both searches and finding such things as the camshaft that have different model numbers depending on the year I select.

I also found from sites like Summit Racing it will let me search by engine and there are a couple models of 235 that are 3.8L and 3.9L. Does anyone know which category this engine would fall under

Thanks
Chris

There is a block casting date behind the starter. That will pin point the year of the engine.
http://1954advance-design.com/Web%20images/casting-code-photos/codes-ser-nums.html
Then request parts for that year engine. If it has hydraulic lifters then it is most likely from a car. If solids, then most likely a truck... The were changes made to the rocker oiling, so this link could be helpful.
http://chev235guy.blogspot.com/?m=1
I hope this is useful. Good luck.

Here is a little more information on 1947/48-1962/63 Stovebolt Six rocker-arm oiling. [1954advance-design.com]

Better link to my blog post about rocker oiling.
http://chev235guy.blogspot.com/search/label/235%20Rocker%20Oiling?m=0

Thanks, Dave
Your excellent-blog link is also given in my long-winded year-by-year rundown. [1954advance-design.com]

Thanks all, this has been very helpful!

Thanks Tim!
Together we will get things straight.

If you need to buy a new cam be mindful that in 1959 Chevy adopted the new cam that would remain the one for all 235s until they quit making the engine. It produces higher torque at lower rpm than the 56/57 or the 58 cam and it is the one you want...if you can find it. I'm in the process of trying to figure out what is happening at Melling. They were making one, but now they've substituted a different grind which doesn't look to me like it matches GMs specs.

The 3.8 and 3.9 liter designations are both for the 235 engine- - - -people just fudge the conversion figures to suit themselves. A cubic inch is 16.4 CC's, and there's a thousand CC's to a liter, so you can do the math and pick which one floats your boat. Unless you get very lucky and find a set of "new old stock" hydraulic lifters, I'd strongly suggest going with a solid lifter camshaft. The Elgin E-293S cam is a clone of the 261/Corvette camshaft, and the Melling CCS-1 cam has a similar grind, with a bit more duration to the exhaust valve. Both of those cams will offer a power gain over the standard original equipment 235 cam without getting into an idle lope and loss of low end and midrange torque. RUN- - - -do not walk away from the cam Clifford sells- - - -anybody who has to lie about power gains and fuel mileage with no supporting documentation to sell a product probably shouldn't be trusted!
Jerry

It seems Elgin isn't making the E-293S camshaft any longer, Jerry. Do you know otherwise? Melling can make the CCS-1, however they are not doing so at this point. Please take a look at Melling CCS-6 and let us know what you think of that one. It is what Melling is offering as a replacement (hydraulic lifter cam) for the 235 from 1959 onward.