The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 235 fan blade replacement options for a 1951

I'm in the need for a fan blade for a 1951 235 2-ton (big stovebolt) engine. I bought one from Chevy Duty but learned this morning it is only for the 216. Help!!!

Anybody purchase a replacement from any parts dealers? I've search most of the chevy parts suppliers I know about and can't find one for a 235 from 1951. If you bought one or know what is compatable, please let me know. The engine rebuild is almost done and now I've got no fan... Sometimes it just goes that way when you've got a big truck.

I'm putting a '55 235 in my '40 GMC. I used the
'53 -54 216 water pump and a new 216 fan from Chevy duty. I have the original 17" 235 fan blade if you are interested. This must be used with the stock 235 water pump, not the special short shaft conversion pump.

Steve

I'm not sure it will work with the 1951 version of the 235. I pulled out the Factory Assembly Manual and it shows one size fan blade for all the early 216/235 engines. So I'm a bit confused.

I have been told it will work but I can't get to the 235 engine location until Thursday to see if it really fits. I'll get back to you all on Thursday on that issue.

I would love to have the 17" blade!!!

Well what a day...I learned that the 235 motor in my fire truck is really a 1959-62 261 motor...

I'll get a look at it in the morning when I get off work.

Virginiafiretruck, I'm in kind of the same boat with the 1960 Apache 30 I purchased.

I thought I had a 235 in it and after looking at numbers today and then doing some reading this evening I believe that I too, have a 261.

I'll look again tomorrow when I have more light in the engine compartment.

From this thread on fan sizes I measured the one on the engine and it shows 19 inches?

I'm not sure whether I should be happy or not. How about you?

I agree. I'm happy with more horsepower and a "better" motor but unhappy to find that sombody change the motor from what I thought was the original. First thought: Where and how do you buy 261 parts for a stovebolt? I guess that is my current position...

I'll get over it but it was a shock when I looked at the motor numbers. It looked like a 235... The good part is the motor shop that has the job of rebuilding the motor already knows it's a 261.

261's were available, in 1954 Chevy Stovebolts.

I'm begining to learn where I can get parts and the in/outs of the 261. I learn more on this web site everyday!!!! Thanks to everyone who takes the time to share the experiance with me.

Well my engine is definately a 235 of 55-57 vintage.
The block numbers on the left side of the engine confirmed it.

Works for me as I'll still be going from 90 horsepower to 140 without any additional engine work.

This thread seems to have gone astray from the original question. My 55' 235 engine in the 53'-3100 series had a fan problem too. The problem was clearing the crank pulley. I ended up using spacers and a56' Chevy V8 fanblade. That combo worked out well. The pump position on your earlier 235 may be different from my 55' engine however.

I apologise for my straying from the topic.

I started this thread and I'm following it through. Here is my firetruck motor info: Block number:3769925 My Head number:3836850

My research indictes it is a 1959-1962 261 engine. So how and what fan blade fits in a 261? I've got a 14 inch four blade fan for a 216 but doubt it fits a 261. I'd like a bigger fan "if" it was how it came from the factory. Anybody with a 261 measure their fan size?

The fan needs to be 17" as I recall. Much bigger than that won't go.

Flex fans makes a 7 blade unit that ought to work fine and is what I intended to use until I found the old Chevy blade lying around.

I've heard it was 17". Any idea where I can find a 17" fan blade? What I mean by that is which year and model catalog will would be a match for a 1959-62 261 engine? I have a parts breakdown book for the 48-53 trucks but all it has is the 14" version in a four blade. I don't have a 1959-62 motor book.

The fan that was on the truck is a flex fan but I've removed it. I really want the original look black 17" version.

BTW: I've added before photos of the motor on the web site (linked below) if you want to see the 261 motor and water pump set up.

VFT,
most of my experience has been with pickups so some of this may not apply as the larger trucks had longer hoods & fenders. 1955 2cnd series & later trucks ( & 55 cars ) had a different & longer water pump than than earlier models which used the same pump as the old 216. most of the vendors sell a shorter conversion pump for swapping the 55 & later engines into the earlier vehicles. this is to prevent from having to move the radiator forward & butchering the hood latch panel as was often done in the past. if your engine doesn't have this shorter conversion pump, the correct 17" 261 fan may interfere with your radiator. that may be why the flex fan was used. with all this info. in mind call jim carters & tell him what you have & what you need & he should be able to help you out as he's got a salvage yard & will most likely have the right fan & the shorter conversion water pump if that's what you need.
robert

Thanks for the response. I'll call them on Monday. I have to ask this: Is the water pump in the photos below a "short shaft pump?"

[img]http://www.iaffl2924.com/pump.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.iaffl2924.com/pump2.jpg[/img]

Look in my webshots 224 to 235 swap album, photo DCP 1096. This shows the short shaft pump on my new engine. It has since been removed and replaced with the 216 pump and adapter plate. As I mentioned before, I do have a 17" fan off this engine if you need it.

Steve
http://community.webshots.com/user/ndnchf

Now I can see the difference in the water pumps! I'll check on the space in front of my motor/radiator and order the short pump if there isn't enough room. I've got a few photos I can look at until the motor is finished with the rebuild (next week).

I'd like to get that 17" fan blade from you. Can you email me at: [email protected]

My parts manuals show that the 261 used in the AD series (54-55.1) used an 18" 4-blade fan. Check this page for the 54 info. Look at the bottom of group 1.064. The water pump had casting #3836208 (see group 1.069 farther down that same page) I don't know if that is a short or long shaft. This was the same for 55.1. The 261 fan blades have more pitch than the 235 fans.

The 55.2-57 commercial and utility w/ 6 cyl., and the 56-57 2-ton w/ 6 cyl. (could be 235 or 261) used a 20" 5-blade fan.

The 58 series 6 (2-ton) w/ 261 or 283 used a 19" 5-blade, except Dubl-Duti, which used the 20".

My references stop at 58 for the 261 applications. I don't know if any of this is relevant to a 59-62 261 used in an AD.

Thanks. That is good info to have. I've got a line on the 17" blade and I'm going to call him tonight after I take a look at the truck this morning.