The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop I need an edu-ma-cation

I have a Chevy 235 Casting # 3769716, according to all the sites I've visited so far it was built between 1958 and 1962. I am trying to put a turbo 350 behind it. (i know there are some purists out there that are cringing at the thought ), but the truck (59 Chevy Apache 3200) is for my 16 yo daughter and she will have enough on her plate without power steering and drum brakes all the way around without trying to figure out what gear she needs while texting on her way to school, but I digress. I am keeping the three speed to put in later, for now auto it is. I understand an adapter plate is necessary to do the install and I can fabricate one without any trouble, but i cannot find a flex plate. Am i overthinking this? Can I just get one that is close and drill it out to the correct pattern or do i need to keep looking for one. I did fire off an e-mail to the Stovebolt Engine Co. to see if he'd sell me just the flexplate , but haven't heard anything yet. If there were auto trans as an option for this motor why no flexplates to be had? Has any one done this swap successfully on this forum? Perhaps you could share your experience with me, sadly my screen name fits when it comes to engines and transmissions. Also i thought i read somewhere that after 1960 the flexplate for this motor was the same as all small block Chevy's. Now for the torque converter are there any modifications necessary to get it to mate with the motor? Some say I need to machine the end so it fits in the centering bushing. And there is a brass doodly in the end of the crank where the torque converter mates, does this need to be removed or can it just stay for the ride. I would appreciate any info you can pass along to me I know it has been discussed a million times before, but the info (at least some of it) seems conflicting (at least to me.)

Some pics of the truck and progress.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessicas-59-Apache-Page/130140737020875?v=photos&ref=ts

Hi Village,
The brass doodly is the pilot bushing, that is where the mainshaft for the manual transmission slides into.
It needs to come out for an automatic.. Be careful on the flexplate, not all smallblock chevys used the same flexplate. Some used a different one due to balancing. If you use the wrong one you will get an awefull vibration.
Id go with one from a 6 cylinder.

I was saving that question for later. Balanced or neutral?

Hy Village_Idiot, the automatic options [factory] for that engine were the Powerglide [car], or the Hydramatic [truck] I am only familiar with the early 50s Powerglides, and they had a bolt together torque converter, and the flywheel for that may be totally inappropriate for a 350 transmission, maybe a later Powerglide flywheel could work. The Hydramatic was a fluid coupling rather than a torque converter, so the fly wheel is one side of the fluid coupling, and is therefore totally inappropriate for bolting a torque converter to. As far as I know, at no time were the 1962 an older six cylinder flywheel bolt patterns the same as a small block Chev V8, hope that helps.

A Powerglide transmission was available on 1959 Chevrolet trucks.

The statement above is not correct - I cannot find a document that supports the use of a 2-speed Powerglide in a 1959 truck. Thanks, Bobb for the heads-up.

It looks like the 1960 C10 and C20 did have a 2-speed Powerglide option.

Ok, but what type of flexplate do I need and is it as simple as drilling one out to the bolt pattern I need

Well Village, I don't have so many answers concerning the automatic stuff but I do have a few thoughts from my experience.
1) The Cast iron powerglides used through 62 on 6's had a flex plate but called a flywheel will fit your crank bolt pattern.
2) Starters for these plates bolted to the transmission housing not to the block like your proposed 350.
3) These starter ring gears were larger in diameter than a gear for the transmissions with the starter bolted to the block.
4) A good machinist could graft the 350 type plate in the center of the powerglide plate and the adapter plate you must make to mate the transmission pattern to the block pattern could get a window properly positioned for a powerglide type starter.
5) none of these engines were externally balanced so no need for weight addition unless dictated by a complete balancing of rotating assembly.
I keep waiting for someone to refer to a supplier of ready made componants to make this adaptation.Surely this must be a popular swap.

Hy Village_Idiot, I went up to the links, clicked on parts, then transmission, and a link to Bendtsen's transmission adapters came up. If you scroll down to the bottom of his list, he makes the kit you are asking about, hope that helps.

Buffalo Enterprises makes steel adapters and flexplates to order.

(360) 652-7684

He's a one man operation and usually doesn't answer the phone. Leave a number and he'll call you.

Here's pictures of one being installed in a '54 GMC.

Just got a reply from Stovebolt Engine Co. they will build me one for $45. which is a very reasonable price. so that will get ordered today. Man this would be ALOT easier if i had spent less time smoking in auto-shop 8-)

Thanks for all your help.......Stay tuned I'll be back when it comes to dropping the engine into the truck.

Some pics if yer interested.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessicas-59-Apache-Page/130140737020875?v=photos&ref=ts

Great work-in-progress photos, You must be so pleased that your daughter is working on the truck too.

Stuart.

Yes I am very happy that she has chosen to help with the truck. As a matter of fact it was all her idea to do this project from the start. She had a vision of the type and style of trucks (50-ish round body) and she would not compromise. we looked at dozens of trucks, early 60's to mid 70's that ran and drove and she was not interested in the least, until we found this one and she knew it was the one she wanted. I believe it will have more value to her if the truck is built from her sweat. Perhaps she will not neglect it if she understands the work involved in restoring something like that herself. And hopefully with help from good folks on these boards we will have her on the road in a couple months.....stay tuned