The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop to keep orig. 235 or change to 350

I have the original 235 motor in my 54 chevy 3600. It is out of the truck right now while resto. work is being done to the body. the motor appears not to be seized as I can turn it over with a strong arm and socket. The carb and a few other parts will need to be changed though. My son wants to change the motor to a 350 or higher. I like the simplicity of the straightline 6, as it was the first motor i rebuilt in shop class in the early 70,s. What is your opinion on which way to go, turn this 3600 into a street rod or keep it as original as possible?
Pat from Eastern KY.

I usually think the owner should get to make these decisions, but since you asked and its your truck I say keep the six. If it were my truck I'd probably be thinking V-8.

I'm putting a 500 Cadillac in mine.

Like OLdsub say's it's all what you want to do with it. On the 55-II up i always change to a v-8. It was an option & it is real easy to do. The earlier trucks are harder to change over. The steering box is in the way of the ex. manifold. The 54 is easier then the earlier models because the later bell houseing will fit.

Yup, depends on your preference. I'd stick with the six. How 'bout building another "street rod" truck with your son after this one is on the road?

Hey Pat, I'd keep the 6-banger.Show us some photo's as the build progresses. Hey, there's Tim Horton's in WV.

First choice would be a diesel, a Cummins 4BT is worth looking onto.
My personal choice would be a Detroit 3-53T, that's what goes in my 52 1 ton.

Of the two choices you presented It'd stick with the 6, either the 235 or preferably a 261.
Went to a good truck show yeasterday, lots of V8 AD trucks and not much at all interesting there, but several interesting 6 cylinders to look at, most with "speed parts".

Grigg

Be realistic: is it going to be fun to drive with 150 hp? If not, keeping the 235 and pouring money into it on speed equipment "to keep it original" is not cost-effective.
There's nothing you can do to the original engine to keep up with a stock 350.

I'm sticking a 235 in my '53. I went to a car show to see if I could talk to people who had done the same thing so I could take some pictures and talk to some experienced people. Almost every truck I looked at had a 350 in it, and most of the owners didn’t even do the work themselves. I could always tell which truck had a six in it because there was always a small crowd around them, whereas the trucks with the v8 gathered little interest.
V8s are fun, they are fast and easy to work on, but if you put a strong fast engine in your truck, you will have to really upgrade your brakes and suspension far more than if you went with a strait six(in my opinion), because you will be tempted to push that truck as fast as the v8 will take it. But that’s just me. I don’t like power windows, power seats, loud stereos, funky paint jobs with graphics or crushed velvet dash covers in these trucks either
And yes, I do think it's fun to drive with only 150 hp.

???????
My 235 keeps up with stock, and even modified, 350s just fine.

Small block Chevies are like belly buttons. Everyone has them! I like my 235 the way it is but it would look cool with a 3 carb manifold and split exhaust.

If I had a dime for every time I saw a 350 in a chevy truck.....

Keep the six.

keep the 235

Keep the six and put a T-5 behind it along with a rear end with better gears and you will be happy,I got a 235/T-5 in my 37 and it keeps up with traffic just fine.

Theres more involved with switching to an 8 in a 54, than retaining the six. 55 is plenty fast in an AD to still have fun. When you go to an 8 you have to consider the brake upgrade, and possible cooling issues.