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| | | Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 262 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 262 | Just wondering what the difference is between the 216 and 235 bell housings. Thanks
My truck: She may not be the prettiest girl at the dance, but she's all mine!
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 2,644 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 2,644 | The 216 bellhousing is used to install a 235 or 261 in a '41-'53 frame because of the motor mounts. I have no first hand knowledge of this but it's what I've been told and I plan to use my 216 bellhousing, flywheel and starter when I put my 235 in my '51 | | | | | Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 262 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 262 | What's the difference in the mounts? Just wondering because I have a bell housing that was on a 235 in a '51 and was told it was different. Maybe it is actually one from a 216 as it has mounts on the sides.
My truck: She may not be the prettiest girl at the dance, but she's all mine!
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 1,061 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 1,061 | When I upgraded to an SM 420 Transmission from the old original, I found the bolt holes for the trans did not line up and the pedal mounting holes were not there. I don't know what year all four speeds were upgraded or exactly when the pedal system changed and nothing about three speeds, but it is big a consideration when upgrading. I didn't have any problem with the engine mounts.
1946 1-ton Panel
1952 1-ton Comml. W/Grain Body
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | 1953 and earlier 216/235 engines had one type of rear motor-mounts (and needed a transmission rear-mount, at least on 1/2 ton trucks). 1954 and newer 1/2 ton trucks had a different frame cross member and rear motor mounts, and they did not need a transmission mount for 3 and 4 speed manual transmissions (but needed a transmission mount and frame cross member for the very heavy 4-speed Hydra-Matic transmission). Tim | | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 166 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: May 2006 Posts: 166 | Here is a picture of a bellhousing from a 1957 235 motor. Notice that the corners are sloped. 1957 235 bellhousing Here is a picture of the mounts on the motor in my truck. 1953 Passenger 235 PG motor My truck is a 1951. I don't know what was used when my motor was replaced. My bellhousing does have the holes on top for the floor starter linkage. I am keeping the current belhousing for use on the 1957 motor that I am having built. Todd | | | | | Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,897 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,897 | Pre 1947 bellhousings mount to the crossmember the same way as the 47-53 bellhousings do, but they use a different transmission bolt pattern, and they have a boss with 3 tapped holes for the brake and clutch pedal which mounts to the bellhousing.
The general rule of thumb when swapping a 235 or 261 for a 216 is to use the bellhousing that came with the truck from the factory, not the bellhousing that came from the newer engine. All the chevy and gmc bellhousings from about 37-59 will interchange on the engines, but not necessarily in the chassis.
John | | |
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