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#26699 05/20/2004 5:59 AM | Joined: May 2004 Posts: 6 Junior Member | | Junior Member Joined: May 2004 Posts: 6 | I puchased a 59 chevy truck with an inline 6. I've read everything I can find but still don't know exactly which engine is in there? Here's the numbers I have found and their locations on the engine...
Cylinder head: 3701887
Manifold: 3835590
Engine block (below distrib...towards front of engine): 3764476
Below distributor: GM 11
Small screw plate (above starter towards the distrib): D196
Also the valve cover has 2 bolts stickingup through the top to hold it down.. I know this indicates a older (pre 54) 235 but is it possible that an older valve cover could be bolted onto a new 235???
help??? | | |
#26700 05/20/2004 6:27 AM | Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 316 Member | | Member Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 316 | 1. Get #'s from machined pad next to distributor. The #'s you have are fine, but the manifold #'s don't mean too much, as far as your engine is concerned. 2. Go to Inliners.org and click on "casting #'s" there......they have them for GMC's too.
*** GMC ***
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#26701 05/21/2004 2:24 PM | Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 1,966 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 1,966 | The inliners site list your block number as a 56 thru 62 235. The little screw plate number is the casting date and it decodes April 19, 1956. I would guess it has an older 235 or 216 valve cover installed for nostalgia. How does it run? Good luck with it.
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#26702 05/21/2004 2:50 PM | Joined: May 2004 Posts: 6 Junior Member | | Junior Member Joined: May 2004 Posts: 6 | It runs great. I just bought it and drove it 500 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles (HWY 5) in hot weather.
So far I know its a later model 235 but it looks like the head & valve cover were changed at some point.
Is there any advantage/disadvantage to having the older head with the valve cover that is held down by 2 bolts? Should I consider "upgrading" it to the regular head with the 4 bolt cover?
Pros... Cons... Suggestions??? | | |
#26703 05/21/2004 5:30 PM | Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 1,966 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 1,966 | Another link on inliners.org gives a chronological list of casting numbers for blocks and heads. It shows your head number as a 1953 235. That's the only year the full oil pressure 235 had the valve cover held down by studs thru the top. It was in cars with Powerglide trans. only. Starting in 54 the cover had 4 capscrews around the edge. About 13 years ago I did the same thing with a 235 I had in a 55-1st series pickup . Then I didn't know to look for casting numbers, etc. I just knew it worked. The 53 head is lower compression than the "848" head your 56 motor started with. See the other discussion about 848. Good luck.
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