The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline 56 235 INTO A 51 GMC 1/2 TON

SO If dickson and my self were gonna pull my 235 and drop it in his 51, the front plate/ motor mount is the only part correct?

GMC's use a different exhaust head pipe.
I don't believe GMC throttle linkage will work without modifying.

There is no exhaust on my GMC, so no compatibility issue there.

Not sure about the throttle linkage... Dickson

The bellhousing wont mate up to the 51 crossmember. A 1948-1953 bellhousing will need to be sourced. 1954 and later bellhousings have "angled mounts". 1953 and earlier bellhousings use a different rear motor mount. The bellhousings will interchange from chevy to gmc, but will not interchange into the chassis from 1956 to 1951.

Next problem to solve would be the 6 volt/12 volt problem.

After that it is just the long motor envy.

There are plenty of chevy 6 powered gmc trucks out there. I personally would never buy one as it seems even more sacreligious than dropping in a sbc motor. Sure it could be done. The question is "Should it be done?"

Its got a 53 bellhousing. its currently in my 53 1/2ton burb. its converted to 12v already.

he just needs a ballast resistor correct? and of course 12v lights, volt reducer for heater blower,ect?.


so theres the front mount, and the linkage, right? can we just use a Chevy linkage? oldblue here in our town part out a.d. trucks so if its just a matter of a new gas pedal and the front bracket which is just a piece of steel with four holes right? my 235 already has a short pulley/pump and clears my stock radiator. his radiator should sit back a lil further then correct?


Dickson wants to buy my 235 and have me help him drop it in his. I just want to be sure we know what were gonna run into.

are the rear ends the same? i mean, his torque tube is going to bolt up to the 53 4 speed, correct?

will the 56 third member swap work with the 51 gmc rear,if he wants to do that?

i posted a add on craigs for a 235 i have that dosent run, then dickson and I have been talking and hes interested in having me and him pull my running 235 from my burm and droping it in his.

with 2 or three guys how long do you guy think it should take? I guessed a day to pull it, then clean it up, paint on a day off, lower it in and torque tube on day 2, fuel,vac,add all the add ons, electic,time on day 3?
sound about right?
Thanks again for all your guys input

"its converted to 12v already.

he just needs a ballast resistor correct? and of course 12v lights, volt reducer for heater blower,ect?."

Assuming he wants to convert his 6 volt truck to 12 volts that should work. However he could get a 6 volt coil and a 6 volt 235 flywheel and 6 volt starter and retain the original 6 volt configuration. Of course a ballast resistor would not be necessary if the ignition was upgraded to a pertronics electronic ignition. IMHO the pertronics is the way to go because the new point sets are garbage.

"are the rear ends the same? i mean, his torque tube is going to bolt up to the 53 4 speed, correct?"

That depends on weather or not his truck had a 3 speed or 4 speed.

"will the 56 third member swap work with the 51 gmc rear,if he wants to do that?"

Yes, however the pivot mounts on the axle will need to be welded solid, or better yet cut off and replaced with new spring perches. That is assuming the axle in the truck is the original 1951 1/2 ton axle.

I am not sure I understand your response, 3 and 4 speed trucks use the same rear end.

i knew about welding the axle pivots solid, I just wanted to know if the gmc rears were the same as the chevy.

Dicksons truck currently has the 4 speed that looks like a sm420 with the torque tube, the engine he would be putting in has the same 4 speed.

so much simpler to find a gmc engine.

I agree with 51 Ashton. I picked up two running GMC 270s for cheap, one of which is going in my '53 GMC. I have a Chevy six in there now and it works, but it's not "right".

Chev and GMC rear ends are the same.

I was pointing out the differnce in length in the torque tubes.

I thought that was what you were saying but there is no difference in length between a 3 and 4 speed truck.
The only torque tube with a different length from 1948-54 is one with a automatic transmission.

Shows my ignorance of torque tube trucks. Is it fair to answer the original poster's question by saying there is no difference between the torque tube bells between a 3 speed and a 4 speed? I thought the torque tube bells had different lengths or bolt patterns. Again I do not personally have a lot of experience with the torque tubes, or trasmissions that mate to the torque tubes.

i just meant if the gmc and chevy had a difference in torque tube .
and if the 56 chevy third will fit the gmc
thanks guys

I'd hold out for a GMC engine.

It's funny how different everyone's opinion is.
I never liked GMC engines except for the truck that is going to be loaded heavy, then they can not be beat.
The GMC engine has everything so heavy duty that they are very hard on gas mileage and not as quick revving as the Chev.
The GMC's I have pulled and replaced with Chev engines the customers have loved the change.
Just my 2 cents.

if it was me, and I had a gmc,id still go with the 235 cause you can find them easier , and find speed parts. Im my mind i see the 235 as kind like a 350 in that its available, not like say hemi stuff. so you can drive one and build one swap em out.

I had a 53 dodge with a 241 hemi that moved! But I sold her cause I knew how hard it was to find parts for my 241 red ram., and wanted a chevy 235 again ( I had a 53 chevy 3100 before the dodge, but I had twins, so i got the sedan, then found the burb.) because I knew it was so easy to find most of the parts

anyone know how to get ahold of grizzly? Id like to ask if he has a template for the front braket.

so the 235 has a short pully on it. the gmc radiator will be further away from the fan then it was it the chevy correct?

should we use the wider pully I have on my other 56 235? because if his radiators almost two inches wider then hes gonna be about 2.5 away from fan. right?

There is no shortage of gmc speed parts. GMC motors fit GMC trucks better than Chevy motors. GMC motors were allegedly cast with a higher nickle content in the blocks to make them stand up to more abuse.

Again the gmc to chevy swap is not brain surgery. If you are going to put a chebby motor in the jimmy... take some measurements and do it.

Though I have no experience with this particular subject, my only comment is if you are a GMC purest and have problems sleeping because of what you are doing to the rig, then stay with a GMC motor.

But if you like modifying your truck and plan to be buried with it, then do what you want. If a Chevy motor is infact a lighter motor and will make your rig shoot down the road with less effort, then that is something to consider.

Thank goodness I don't need worry about this type of decision.