Technical Chevy straight-six folks: 261 or 292?

My brain said 250, but my heart voted 261.

 

Depends on what you want. I voted for the 261 because a 302 GMC was not an option. I mean look at the 261. It is heavy. Parts are expensive. Its hard on gas. it doesnt produce that much power. Ill quit talking now. I only want to talk about its good points and dont want to talk it down

 

261 looks cooler
292 is a better set up
Use whatever junk you have

 

You been snortin' sawdust again?

 

One thing that many missed with this truck is that it gets driven all over the country to swap meets and shows every year and has since they have owned it. That old 230 most likely got more miles in a year than a lot of the 235/261 owners on here put on their rig in five or ten years.
It shows up in show coverage and swap meet coverage all the time. They load it full of magazines, load their stuff they need at the event in and head out. It needs to be dead nuts reliable and good for a lot of miles.

 

No worries, we agree! It currently has the original Huck brakes on the front, but we're in talks with Wilwood about updating to six-lug discs.

 

That was true from when they built it in the '70s until about a two decades ago, when a management change relegated all museum vehicles to sitting. We're going back to that, however, minus the hauling magazines around, since we're the editorial crew.

 

350 Chevy V8... Now before I get blown-up here let me explain. Parts are easier to find, It can be a bolt in swap, it can have more power, this engine can Look Vintage. With an Automatic/w overdrive it can be more user friendly. Bolt-on Disc Brakes can also make it safer, more user friendly at today's speeds, much like a "Leno's Garage" built, Vintage looks, modern power and safety ..... after all why not?? I see you guys have added some additional lighting to the schweet Panel ?? Isn't that and "upgrade" as I am describing ?? I can help with this build -2

 

292 .
Chevy Six’s run on forever. Only things that give up are starters , alternators and the water pump .

 

Having a 250 in my '37, it runs best at 2400-2500 rpm at highway speeds with a 3.08 gear and 28" tall tires. Head winds take a lot of power from the engine. At 3400 lbs, it will get around 21 mpg, I would be surprised if a 292 would get half that mileage. A 292 should be able to pull an overdrive transmission, a 250 won't unless you have a really high axle ratio. A 300 Ford would be a good choice.

 

I did a 6 lug conversion on a 46 Chevy truck using a Toyota rotor and a GM caliper. I think the owner removed the straight axle and installed a Mustang clone front end. If you are interested I can find out. Or I could build another one for you.

There were a lot of 292 engines used in Gleaner Combines. A Combine salvage yard would be a good place to look for one.

 

The Gleaner combine engine is an industrial unit . Externally it looks like the truck engine. Not sure what differences are inside .

 

Massey Ferguson used them also.

 

Since you already have a 230 in there I vote for the 292. Nearly a bolt in swap, and a more modern and larger engine. The long stroke high torque design good for a truck type application.

But if you just want a cool engine to run around with, that is dead reliable and gets good mileage, how about a 250 six?

If you need significantly more power I would go to the V8.

PS In case you think I don't like the 261 - I went to a lot of trouble to get one for a forties Chev sedan I am working on. I just don't think it's ideal for your application.

 

You’ve never asked how the truck will be used. A 292 is great bu milage sucks.. really sucks. I like a 250 with a 200r trans and 4.11 gears. Best of all worlds.

 

Is this HAMB or not?

 

The 292 came out in 1963 and is very HAMB applicable.

 

I used to pull a 30’ trailer hauling 16 round bales with a 65 C60 292 , 4 speed with a 2 speed rear axle . Ran all day long at 40-45 mph on a tank and a half full of gas . I never put a pencil to paper but I thought it was very fuel efficient.

 

Yabbut the TH200-4R was introduced for the 1981 model year. Can't have it both ways.

jack vines

 

I sold the 292 out of my T roadster to my brother in law. He rebuilt it and installed it into his 70' c-20. He just did swap out of the sm 465 for a tremec 5sp overdrive. He is very happy with the results. Lots of low end torque yet runs on the highway just fine with 3:55 rear gear.

 

I know a couple people who replaced the stock intake on their 292 six with an aftermarket four barrel manifold and a 450 cfm Holley Economaster 4 bbl carburetor, and both power and fuel mileage improved.

 

Ford 300. Symbolic Revenge for all those "Chevy-in-a-Ford" Swaps.
Anvil tough. Gets 13 MPG City, Highway or parked in the garage.
OHC Pontiac would be fun to see...

 

As far as this 261 being hard to find business goes I have found several in the last ten years without looking that hard. All allocated for projects. All less than a 45 minute drive from home and one was less than five miles from home.
I know where there is another one about 15 miles from home however the owner won't sell the truck or engine.

The last one I picked up last summer was even the Holy Grail 58-62 full flow oil filter, was about 45 miles away, however I have know the man who had it for years, he is a flathead guy with a junkyard and had stashed 261 away because he knew it was something special.

In the next week or two I need to go pick-up another late one I just made I deal on. That one I do have to drive to get but it is within 100 miles of home, again it is someone I know,

I will admit 261 are imposable to find on Amazon or Walmart.com but if get out and look in junkyards and make contacts 261s aren't as hard to find as people make them out to be.

 

I found mine within 2 miles of my house, in back of a farm. 62 Pontiac taken off the road in 1982 with 50,000 miles on it due to a dented fender. They are not as common as a 350 Chev but not impossible to find if you look.

 

Think I paid $120 for mine a couple years ago. Full pressure 261. Scrap yard a mile from work had it.

 

There must be a bunch of 261s in Canada out of Pontiacs.

 

You said it. Most common source in Canada. Pontiac was the best selling make in the fifties and sixties and most had six cylinder engines, all 261s 1955 - 62.

 

I've done over 200k in my grandads '39 Chevy with a 216. I've always been amazed by how much more power it has with 14 cubic inches more than a Model A.
That said, there isn't much love here for the 235....especially after '53 when it got full pressure and inserts. There are still a boatload of them out there. There is a fair amount if speed equipment or dress up parts available. I just picked up a 'fresh' complete, fan thru flywheel, for $200.00 ...even has powder coated valve and side cover. It is the replacement for the 216 when it craps out.
I'm changing my vote from the 261 (dyslexic 216) to the 235 because it will haul that Panel around just fine...and think if it was a Blue Flame....you could say "it has a Corvette engine"

 

292