The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Will a 235 from a 1955 Sedan work in a 1958 Apache Truck?

First post and of course I come with questions.

I am restoring a 1958 Fleetside Apache that needs a motor. I am staying with the 235 that came in the truck originally but need a replacement motor.

I found a very nice 235 that came out of a 1955 Belair sedan with only 52,000 original miles. The car was a former town police chief's car that was used mostly for parades. The current owner of the car said he only removed the 235 because he wanted a 350 SBC. Yes, it will need all new gaskets and some sprucing up, but the hope is not a complete and more expensive rebuild.

Questions are:

Can a 1955 sedan 235 be used in a 1958 truck?
If so, what are the differences?
Motor mount locations?
Clutch fork location?
Transmission bolt patter?
No provision for foot starter?
The truck has a 3 on the tree and I would like to go with a top loader transmission.

I am scheduled to go and look at/buy the engine on Sunday, but don't want to buy it if a 1955 sedan engine won't work in a 1958 pickup. Though as clean as the motor is and with only 52,000 miles and an original 1955 Belair radiator included, the price is right at $800.00.

Hope adding more info to your title may bring more responses. You've got some good questions you are asking. That would be great if it WOULD work.

Did the car have a standard shift or an automatic transmission? Automatic engines were equipped with hydraulic valve lifters. Some car engines also had automatic choke carburetors. That won't prevent the swap, but it does change how a valve adjustment is done. There will also probably be a slight difference in the motor mount setup.

Do you have the original engine for the pickup? If so, it will be pretty simple to swap over the parts that don't match up.

There might also be some slight differences in throttle linkage and a corresponding change in the angle of the exhaust pipe and exhaust manifold outlet.

None of these details will prevent the changeover being made- - - - -just a bit more work involved than a direct swap. Good luck!
Jerry

I already read about the lifter differences and just a matter of knowing what kind when they need adjustment.

Yes, I still have the original motor with the original motor mounts.

The motor out of the 1955 sedan was a manual 3-speed on the column, the same as the Apache. Would I be lucky enough that it would bolt right up? I will have both bellhousings to work with. Swapping motor mounts shouldn't be an issue.

If I lose the floor starter easy enough I assume to wire in a dash mounted ignition switch.

It's unlikely that the car and truck bellhousings will have the same motor mount setup. Truck mounts are positioned at a 45 degree angle and use a single bolt through the middle and rubber cushions top and bottom.
You'll need to match up the flywheel tooth count and the starter, but since both vehicles were manufactured with a 12 volt electrical system, that shouldn't be an issue. Chevy trucks changed over to 12 volts in midyear 1955.
If you need to swap bellhousings, the flywheel and clutch will have to be removed, since the flywheel covers up a few bellhousing mounting bolts.
Clutck splines will be identical for both engines.
If you plan to fit a SM 420 4 speed, it has the same bolt pattern as the 3 speed- - - -no problems there.
Jerry

If you need to keep the truck bellhousing (for the mounting points) you should be able to keep the stomp starter arrangement. If you do keep it, make sure the switch on the starter has a lug on the side for the wire that is used to bypass the ballast resistor when starting the engine (Classic Parts # 53-712).

These Stove bolt 6 cyls. are pretty interchangeable, I removed the original 235 engine out of my 46 COE and installed a rebuilt 62 235 out of a car with no problem using all the original bell housing, fly wheel manifolds and valve cover. The only thing is, it now has hyd. lifters. Which can be a problem if they need replaced.

No one has mentioned the water pump. Its been a long time but it seems like there is a difference in the water pump mounting. Someone may want to clear that up.
Don't through away any parts till the job is done & tested. You may need something else off the old engine.

George

Yes, the water pump needs to be sorted, long vs short. I never throw old parts away.

Keep the throttle linkage + bell housing from the 58. Really everything.

David, you are thru with moderation. You've posts will go thru faster now and you can post and read PMs. Good luck with this!

As others have mentioned many times before, the car engine features a lower placed water pump. Member Pre '68 Dave designed and offers a pump relocation kit that will put the water pump in the correct "sweet" spot for getting that engine in your truck and providing the best cooling. Check out his website for a ton of great info 235's and the relocation kit!

YES: Of course, I forgot that I had to buy a shorten modified water pump from one of the vintage parts outfits. It's been over 15 years ago and I'm getting really old!

By 58, the low water pump engine was already in both cars and trucks- - - -the high pump 235 only applies to 54 and early 55 trucks. The hood height and core support for the later engine was the reason for the low mount pump. Not sure about shaft length, but a quick look at the truck engine that's being replaces will answer that question.
Jerry