The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop "plus's " for a 235 over a 216?

im looking at getting a cool looking 1945 chevy 1/2 ton truck going tomorrow to look it over and hear it run as well as drive it around alittle to seal the deal.

plan on staying as much original with it as poss, BUT the prior owner had switched the 216 out to a newer 235 and did a 12 volt conversion already going to ask if by chance he still has the 216 id like to get it but if not tell me the plus's for the newer 235?

plan on switching out the rear gears to higher hiway sets, and use her everyday very glad to be back in the stovebolt game

Well if the 235 is a newer version then it would have more power and of course a more modern oiling system. If you switch to taller rear end gears you will want to stick with the newer 235.

Here's some info that should clear up a few questions:

http://www.chevrolet.com.au/articles/engine_swap.htm

http://www.stoveboltengineco.com/howto/engineswaps.htm

This may be a little off the topic, but is there any info out there comparing the 235 with the next generation 230 and 250's? I'd like to know the pro's and con's of these. Thanks.

its getting very hard to find pre war trucks with the original engine....transmission and rear end.......then start adding all the hard to find original parts such as radiator...generator...starter etc. etc. and you will have something thats becoming very very very rare......this 41 3/4ton im going to do a frame off on is one of those trucks a person is obligated to keep original....ive seen to many of these trucks get chopped up by some young kid.......i picked up a 67 nova from a kid who was going to chop it up....thank god he needed the cash....wink wink......

The 250 and 292 were some wicked engines. 7 main bearings compared to the 4 main bearings of a 235 or gmc 228-302. They use a lot of smallblock parts as well. A properly built 250 will blow a properly built 350 off the line.

The 250 and 292 are not bad candidates for engine replacements in the older stovebolts, but they don't swap in as eazy as a 235 or 261 where a 216 once lived. In other words If your truck originally had a 216, you could literally bolt a 235 back in it's place. You would need to do some fabrication to get the next generation in there.