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I have a 50 3800 and a 48 thriftmaster. I am having a little trouble figuring out what engines they have in them. The 50 3800 engine has bolts down the center of the valve cover and an oil bath air cleaner. The 48 thriftmaster has 4 bolts holding the valve cover down around its lip. I do not know whether these are the original engines or not. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The 50 may have the correct engine, but engines and heads with the four bolt valve covers came out in 1954.

Thanks Baldy. Also, did the 47-53 1-tons have the same engines(216ci) as the 1/2 tons? What are some ways I can tell what year/displacement the 48's engine is? Are there any serial #'s on the engines that tell this information, and where are they located?

You need to check the casting numbers to know for sure what you have. Check inliners.org for casting numbers.

The engine serial number might tell you, but since these trucks were often titled using the engine number instead of the body serial number, sometimes the engine serial number has been changed to match the original when the motor is replaced.

High School Hauler.

You're about going to have to look at casting #'s and such to determine what you've got. Alot of the early 1+tons had a 235 that visually looked identical to the 216.

From what I understand, they shared all parts, valve and side covers etc, but had a different stroke, making it a 235 instead of a 216.

In my recently purchased 52, I'm running an early 235 out of a 48 2-ton truck. Again, visually, you'd never know a difference between it and the 216 that's in my 46.

By the way, the #'s you're looking for, should be on the pad behind the distributor, or cast into the block along the top of the starter. Hope that helps.

Jed is correct, 216 and EARLY 235s look exactly the same, heads even interchange. I'm running one of these early motors in a 47 coupe. Check the passenger side of the pan, mine had '235' stamped into the side. Only real trouble with the early 235 High Torques is that the compression was very low.

Also, the motor with the 4 bolts around the valve cover would be 54 or later.

Thanks for the help. The trucks are at our shop in town. I'm going down there today if I get a chance. I'll check for the serial #'s while I'm down there. Again, thank you.

I just got around to checking the numbers on the '48 thriftmaster. The pad behind the distributor has what I believe to be "FI2I6A" stamped into it. I checked inliners and couldn't where these numbers were listed.

I wouldn't get to concerned about the 'stamped' numbers, main thing is the block casting number which will give you the basic info. Stamped number will refer to externals like trany etc.

that isn't the type of number listed at inliners - they have casting numbers - cast right into the side of the block and top [usually] of the head - here\'s another site for some casting number info - you need to get the casting numbers to really identify it

like Jim sez, stamped/engraved numbers are sometimes meaningless - but the stamped numbers from the factory I think, for all the pre 54 engines had an identifier that started w/ 3 letters, then had the size #'s, later ones a single letter, then 2 numbers that indicated the year - that looks like some kinda combination of older and newer numbering, and I'd say the F= built at Flint plant, 216= a 216, the I or A would indicate the trans

Bill

For the serial F1216A:

F=Flint
1216=engine build date=December 16
A=regular production 235 passenger car engine (w/3 speed), '57-'62.

The A suffix was also used for the '63 & '64 230 car engines.
The year will have to be determined from the block casting date.

I found the number cast into the head. It is either "844845" or "B44845". I couldn't tell whether the first number was an 8 or a B because of the rust. The number "850" is cast on the head just below the number mentioned above. I can't tell what the number above the starter is, I'll have to pull the starter off to see it. Thanks for the help.

I assume that number (B44845) is on the right side of the head. That's probably two separate numbers cast close together. B44 would be the casting date code. The actual head casting number should be on top of the head on the left side, next to the valve cover flange.

I tried looking up your casting numbers. Most head casting numbers are seven digits. I know on my 261, the casting numbers are on top of the head,on the drivers side. Hope this helps !!!