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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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| | | | Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,377 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,377 | I think I can keep my 235 going for a couple more years while I hunt down a early 235 to do the conversion as it might take that long just to find one,its been making noises since I did the driveline swap in 08 and who knows how much longer it did before. I have another 235 but it will probably need to be gone through and if I build a motor I want it to be the earlier 235 so it looks like a 216 so I can quit trying to hide a 235 with 216 parts,if I cant make my 235 last long enough to build another motor I might keep the option open to use a 216 since I dont want to keep my truck down for years until I get a early 235 built. You guys dont know how much I am resisting the temptation to to stuff a mid 50s Olds rocket down in my 37 since they are my favorite GM motor and are much quicker then a stovebolt six,I am trying my best to keep it six powered. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,377 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,377 | I guess all through time alot of people did not take good care of their vehicles,I am fighting the same negative remarks with a Y block Ford I plan to build for one of my cars and lack of care was usually the culprit for their problems. I have been around Y blocks alot more then I have with the 216s so I am less leary of them. most of the bad things that have been said are pretty much unsubstantiated, and disbelief that a set up like this will actually work, but it does, and pretty well too. I converted mine to full pressure mostly as an exercise. I drove mine since 1984, the engine was rebuilt in 1979, and I just took it out last year, to put in the full flow version. It has a long way to go to out last the old one yet. Yes people lose them, but a lot of that has to do with maintenance (or more accurately lack of maintenance) running them out of water, etc. people have complained about the piece of junk, then it comes out that they have been running with no temp gauge or an oil pressure gauge or some nonsense like that. There is a lot of false perception about these engines. At least that is my take on it. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,847 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,847 | rickmg where did you get 3.33 gears? there isn't enough room for anything more than 3.55. I have the 3.55 set in the garage and I can't see where you would get room to make any higher ratios. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 583 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 583 | I got the gears from a guy in California that had 25 sets made. I believe he said they were 3.33. I may be mistaken. At any rate, they allow me to do highway speeds without the 216 screaming at me doing 45 mph. I replaced all the bearings and seals also.
1939 Chevrolet Stake Truck
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,377 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,377 | I was going to do a 3.55 gear swap in the original rear end but at around 700 plus dollars for the gears and installation kit I went with T-5 and modern rear end for less and that also included a dropped axle and disc brakes. | | |
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