The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Is a Chevy 230 a good engine swap in a 1940 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup?

Hey guys, I’m new to the forum and need some good input.

I have a 1940 Chevy truck and would like to swap out the 217 for a better engine. I found a 1967, 230, but I’m wondering if doing that swap will take to many conversions to make it cost effective. I wan’t to keep it an inline 6 truck.
This 230 is complete with alternator, starter, Carb, manifolds, and 3 speed transmission. I know that the engine mounts are different and I don’t know if I need to make modifications to the crossmember and such. What about the master cylinder bracket for the break peddle?

Has anyone done this swap successfully and is it worth it or just waiting for a 1955-1960, 235 and better recommendation.

Thanks,

You'd need to either switch to an open driveshaft rear end or adapt the three speed from your 216 to the 230 clutch housing. I'm sure it can be done and someone here has probably put a 230/250 Chevy engine in a truck similar to your.

John

You will need to install side motor mounts. Another issue you will want to look at is fan to radiator clearance issues.

Lots of modifications needed- - - -basically change everything from the engine to the rear end, and the 230 had a nasty habit of getting cracks in the block along the valve lifter bores. 250's fit the same spot as a 194/230, and don't seem to have the block-cracking problem. A 235 or 261 is a much easier swap.
Jerry

Thanks guys! Looks like I will wait for a 235 or 261. If anyone knows were I can find one in the Colorado or west area, let me know.
Jayde

My buddy just installed a 250/TH350 in a 37, fits well but new side mounts must be engineered, a trans crossmember engineered, and he added a Nova rear axle assembly. He could not run a mechanical fan, no room. Looks almost original at first glance, esp with the oil bath breather.

The 235 is a easier swap, but the 230/250 is a much better engine.The 3 speed you have may very well bolt up to the bellhousing on the 230. The problem will be the crossmember mounts ( unless you use a 55-65 v8 bellhousing - and I still hade to mill the feet some when we put one in a 46. The side mounts are as simple as speedway/ or a little square tubing and a tape measure. Pick your poison.
Do the clutch pedals and all that bolt to the side of the bellhousing?? I was thinking that somewhere in there that they did.I put one in my46 from years back and my now 51 with a 2004r and would never go back.
If you cant use the tans etc- you will have to go to an open style rear as well. LMD

Thanks Imdangerous!
Yes the clutch and break peddle does fasten to the bellhousing, so I’m sure I would have to fabricate something there as well.
The original transmission I have is a four speed. the transmission that comes with the 230 has a 3 speed on the column.

There is an article on welding the clutch pedal ear( cut from the original bellhousing where the clutch petals etc attach) on to a later bellhousing . Trying to remeber if it was a late 235 /261 or a late six / v8 bellhousing.May have been another site but that has been done also -
also - the 4 speed MAY bolt up to the later housing - Is the clutch a 10 spline??
All that being said - the 235/261 is more than likely the easy road. BUT - I do love my late 250. Can usually be had for a song from the local pick your part cuase everyone thinks they must have a v8.
LMD

imdangerous is right...everybody thinks they need the v8 in they're truck, but what they dont know is when you put a v8 in one of those old trucks, it drops the value of it,I swapped out my old 216 in my 46 1/2 ton for a 235, kept the inline 6 kept the value of the truck.....BUT, I built my 235 up to have 350 hp and backed it with a T-5 5 speed and a s-10 posi from a 4wd truck, I also kept the torque tube rear/driveshaft and 3 spd trans setup which I could easily reinstall on a saturday if I was to sell it,my truck is super quick and puts alot of those talkers to shame....just my thoughts on the subject

hoozat, how did you get 350hp from a 235 engine?? Supercharger or turbo? I always heard around 175-200 was doing good on a 235 engine.

John

The 1940 transmission will not bolt up to the the later style bellhousing. The transmission mounting pattern changed in 1948 to the "Modern Muncie Pattern".

The bellhousings will interchange between the chevy 216, 235, 261, and gmc 228 to 302 engines. That will give you a few more engine choices with little to no fabrication skills required.

Some of the suppliers sell an adapter plate that will bolt the early chevy/gmc 6 cylinder motors to an automatic transmission like the th350 and 700R4. The rear of the 230 motor would look exactly like the rear of the adapter plate. It might be possible to turn the TH350 to stovebolt adapter plate around to bolt up the 1940 chevy bellhousing to the 230 motor. This approach would keep your clutch housing and linkage in the exact same spot so the 1940 driveline would require zero modification. I havent't heard of anybody using this meathod to bolt up a later 6 in an earlier truck. It may or may not be possible to do. I haven't seen the plate up close. I can't think of any reason it coudn't work with little to no modification.

For what its worth, I have a 1940 gmc project that will be running 1957 gmc 302 in place of the original gmc 228. I am familiar with the clutch linkage/ brake pedal mount on the early bellhousings. My 302 engine and bellhousing will bolt right up to the truck with zero fabrication involved, however I will be running a more modern transmission and open driveline behind the motor. I will also be converting to disc brakes, so I will need to replace the Master cylinder and locate it to the frame.

I don't see anything where he alluded to the V8 dropping the value. I understand the reasoning behind wanting to keep it a 6, but it's not true that putting a V8 in your truck drops the value. It all depends what else you do. If the truck is completely original you're right, but if there are other modifications, then the value goes above what it would be for a stock truck. Mine is appraised well above what it would be if stock, and it would be even higher if it were painted and everything. It's all in what you do to it...

Hoozat-
Do you have a blog post on your build of you or could you share with us what you did to build up that power train setup? I’m really intrigued!

I fully agree with you on keeping the inline six’s. I’ve got nothing against what power trains people put in their trucks, to each their own, but I really get tire of seeing these trucks with SB V8’s. There just a dime a dozen. Personally I like the old school way of doing things.
I have a 1951 Plymouth CranBrook with the stock 218 Flathead. Though it’s not as fast as everyone else's led sled. It’s been back and forth from Viva, Wichita and now I’m planning a trip to Lake Havasu. Last fall I slammed a Borge & Warner Overdrive to her and she drives at Hwy speeds just fine. The old engine is simply impressive in its durability and simplicity. Soon I will be doing some more customizations to the engine, but it will stay a flathead.

Jay, in keeping with the "There's no replacement for displacement" theory, keep an eye peeled for a 52-53 Chrysler 265 cubic inch flathead six. It requires a little massaging to fit it into the Plymouth, but most people won't be able to tell the difference, and the ones who recognize the swap will understand what you're doing and smile. The old Hudson flatheads gave the Oldsmobiles and Cadillacs a run for their money back when the forerunner to NASCAR was sponsored by AAA. Have fun!
Jerry