The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Identifying the 235

Can anyone help me identify the engine I have?

The head casting numbers are: 3836848.
The engine casting numbers are: 3769716
The engine serial number is: F0419JC
The block date casting code is: D 17 1

Following the website below and putting all this together I believe I have a 1958 235. Can anyone verify this? The engine is in a 1952 Chevy 3100.

http://devestechnet.com/Home/CastingNumbers

Theoretically it could be a 58 block by the casting number but that number ran from 58-62 so really it could be from any of those years. But we can narrow it down even further by the casting date of D 17 1, which is April 17, 1961. So it appears you have a 61 235 block.

That block casting was used in 235 truck engines from 1957-62. Someone else would have to decipher the date code. Common head casting used 1956-62.

Good Morning, PastorMatt

I agree with Mike above. The engine block was cast April 17 of 1961. Flint, MI ??

V/R
John

I tend to agree Flint April of 1961 17th for the cast , 19th for the engine stamp.

JC code was used during those years for light and medium duty truck engines and you wont find it on a lot of the look up sites if the site was build by car guys.

Had a hard time validating that a while back but the history guys proved it up.

Thanks Mike! That makes a lot more sense that the 1 would refer to 61. I appreciate the help. My grandfather had the truck for close to 50 years before he passed and I inherited it. He had always told me it was a 54 engine but I don't see any way it could be a 54. It seems to me based on the numbers that it was cast in Flint, MI on April 17th, 1961.

Any benefits to having a 61 235 over an earlier model?

Likely has the best factory version of the 235 camshaft.

Also would have been equipped with arguably the “best” rocker oiling system. Rocker shaft gets pressurized and rockers have offset grooves to limit oil from spurting everywhere. That said, lots of monkeying around and mixing up components was common during the life of these systems. Hard to say what you have now.

The only “downsides” with the late engine are the modifications it took to get it into the early truck. Would have been super common to hack up the radiator support and lower sheet metal to accommodate the longer water pump. It’s also likely that someone did some creative fabricobbling to the throttle linkage. My truck had both when I acquired it.

Those are the “back in the day” way to make those modifications. There are ways to avoid such hackery nowadays.

Post some pictures and we can advise on how yours was done.

Has the better 848 head and a neoprene rear main seal. And, as the others have mentioned, the better oiling system.

Thanks John!

The "JC" designation was used from 1958 through 1962 and indicated it was a 235 destine for a truck with a "HD Clutch". Depending on the year it could have been installed in a 1/2 through 1-1/2 ton truck.

With a April 1961 casting date it's a pretty safe bet to say it was built and installed in a 1961 model year truck.

Mike B

Thanks Mike. Everything else I have read about this matchs up with what you have said too!