The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 216 or 235

I recently bought a 53 3100 with 52,000 on the odometer. The original 216 had been replaced with a 235. I can find another 216 but not likely the correct casting numbers. I would like to restore as original as possible but notice a lot of Stovebolters have opted for the 235 upgrade. I'll likely pay about the same to rebuild either engine. Will a 235 hurt the resale value for purists or help with a more durable engine? All opinions welcome.

Hy Dan B, I never look at a project for resale value, [I plan to be creamated under a pile of my trucks] its value to the next owner would depend on what or how they intend to use it. A 235 swap can be made to look almost identical to a 216, depending on which 235 you use. For me a 235 swap makes for a safer truck on todays roads.

I don't think they used a 216 in 1953. They came with a low pressure 235. Is it the low oil pressure version? You can tell that by the little plate on the driver's side of the block, near where the exhaust exits.

They used the 216 in '53. The larger trucks came with the splash oil 235. If your a purist go for the 216. Either way the engine wont determine what the truck sells for. Most folks would probably look at it and think they'd junk it an throw a SBC in it instead.

My 216 is 56 years old and still runs strong. Cant beat that!

Ive taken my 1953 3100 w/216 up and down I-5 in the past few weeks through rush hour traffic and loved every minute of it. The folks stuck behind me didnt, but oh well!

I have often told my wife I want to be buried in my truck. Just dig a larger hole!

Iron Clad

Most times when you see these trucks at auction, an upgrade to a full pressure 235 or 261 is almost expected. I must say that I really like my 216. I am not a speed fan so my original truck is just fine for me.

When my wife bought my '41 for me (isn't she a doll?) it had a 216 in it but it was a '52. When I did the latest restoration I put a '57 235 in it because of the improved oiling system. It would have been more expensive to locate a numbers matching 216 block and I believe I would have had a less reliable engine. Nevertheless, as others have mentioned the 216 can run fine for many miles and therefore it depends on what you want to do with your truck, i.e. a daily driver or for show. In my case I was trying to create a reliable daily driver that hopefully will one day take me on a "Blue Highway" adventure.

From the research and resulting knowledge I've gained here on the 'Bolt it seems to me that he full pressure oiled 235, with the full flow filtered oiling modification was the way to go for reliability. Whether or not this is the "best" way to go is always going to be open to debate. From a purely engineering standpoint it made sense to me and I've learned more than I had originally anticipated along the road in doing "the swap."

In the final analysis you need to ask yourself how you want to use and present your truck, and what the restoration means to you. If you are a purist of course you'll want a numbers matching engine, if on the other hand you seek a possibly more reliable engine you might want to consider a 235 "drop-in" (it isn't exactly that simple btw) and modifiy it to a full flow filtered engine. These old trucks ran fine with the 216 but were built to work locally and not for the long haul that I hope to do some day before I wear out my own bearings.

A 235 can be camouflaged fairly well to look like a 216 and in my humble opinion will serve you well--unless you are looking more points than miles.

Good luck no matter which fork in the road you take.

Don

When I bought my '46 in 1985, its original 216 was cracked. I had an opportunity to get a '54 235, so I jumped on it. The rebuilt engine went in in 1986. It's still going strong. As far as originality goes, I'm told that when the babbit pounders went, they were replaced with full pressure engines as a matter of some routine back in the late 50's and early 60's.

My engine has no oil filtration system on it. I drive it about 2000-2500 miles per year and change the oil about every 700-1000 miles. The engine doesn't burn oil and has plenty of power. I suppose if I drove it more frequently I'd have to incorporate some type of filtration, but for occasional use, frequent oil changes are working fine after 23 years. Then again, maybe I'm just lazy.


My 2 cents? - unless you want a numbers-matching show restoration, go with the 235.

David B