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I'm confused I read in one of the forums here that a fellow stovebolter was asking questions about the 235 and he said it was 40s model not doubting his word but according to a parts catalog I have [dont know if I can put its name here] says that the 235 was not around before 1954 is this true or is this catalog blowing smoke you know where?

Well.. hmmm... I don't know about 40's but I have a 53 with a 235. It's a car not a truck, so the actual engine was surely before 54.

According to Mechani-nut's article, the 235 first came out in '50. However, the '53 235 with powerglide was the first engine with full-pressure lubrication. This motor was carried over to '54 and used in the '54 sedans with 3-speed and solid lifters. This motor is the one that came stock in my '54 Bel-Air.

Many engineering improvements were done to the 235 between '53 and '62, when it was retired in favor of the 230/250 family. Just one example of the changes is the oil pan. There were at least 3 different styles of 235 oil pans between '54-62.

Chip

It seems that 1941 would be the year.

http://www.antiquechevytrucks.com/Content/Engine%20Information/engine_types_side.htm

http://www.inliners.org/becks/BCN2.html

Tim

Hey HEY all I can say is thank god for the stovebolt page [I love this site!!]thanks guys maybe my catalog man. should read STOVEBOLT

Well, there are 235's and then there are 235's...It's correct, that the first 235 was in either 1941 or 1942, depending on the source. It was a heavy truck option called the "High-torque" or "Liberty six" (wartime lingo) and had the same dip & splash low pressure crank as the 216. Looks externally the same as a 216. Normal parts sources won't list this motor because it was never a passenger car option. It was essentially a beefier, bored and stroked 216. In 1950, With an improved cylinder head and hydraulic lifters, it became the "Powerglide" 235. As archaic as the "High-Torque" engine seems today, it was sought after by racer-types in the 40's and '50's due to the displacement increase over the 216, and became the engine of choice for many of the Wayne 248" 12 Port conversions.

To further confuse things, another variation on this engine was avilable as a factory option in trucks from 1950. Called the "105 Hi-Torque", it used the 235 block with the improved head, but with solid lifters and the old-style oiling system. Supposedly for heavy trucks, but possibly some pickups were so equipped.

I haven't seen it mentioned here that the light to medium Chev AD trucks had either a 216 or a 235, both were splash oilers. The 216 was known as the Thriftmaster and the 235 was known as the Loadmaster.

Further fodder,

All 1941 to '48 Chevy sixes used 10 mm spark plugs: the really tiny ones!

Have had two '41 to '46 big Chevys w/ the Liberty 235.

What can also confound things is that the 1954 "high-pressure" 235 will pretty much bolt-into Chevy cars & trucks back to 1941, so there's also retrofitting going on, so someone might speak of the "235 in his '41".

Don't know what year the naming convention started, but there was a

Thriftmaster 216; Loadmaster 235; and the Jobmaster 235

until 1954 and then (for at least two years) there was the

Thriftmaster 235; Loadmaster 235; and the Jobmaster 261

Tim