Am I nuts to go back to a 216

I have a 57 235 in my 37 Chevy p/u that has some internal noises that is being hidden with thicker oil,I did pick up another 235 that is supposed to have low miles but there is a voice in my head telling me to get a 216 and learn about them instead of bashing them. I have spent the last two years trying to make the 235 look like a 216 so instead of trying to fake it just use one,those motors were made for many years so they cant be all that bad if taken care of and learn about the splash oil system or is it time to seek mental help to get rid of that voice telling me to find a 216.

 

Yep, seek professional help I say.. Look in the yellow pages under "Medical Marijuana"

 

Some weed sounds good as it will help with my back pain too,for years I have been bashing this motor but as I get older I have found myself wanting to learn about things I did not care about when younger which includes the 216 splash oiler.

 

IMO time and money would be better spent working with the 235. Since you have access to another one go for it. I've got a babbet 235 in my 53 which is good for moving it around while a project, but once it ready for the road Ill be switching it out for a non babbeted 6. Out of courosity why are you trying to make the 235 look like a 216? They both look cool. The 235 is easier to get power out of also. Just do the search thing here. Lots of info.

 

Just a little fun with ya Jeff.. I too would say go with the 235. My 52 is running a 54. She's a lot of fun and as the old cliche goes, it turns heads where ever it goes. Man I hate the line. Most inliners eventually get the larger motor. You already got two. I say do one up while you baby the other. You won't be disappointed.
Dom

 

In today's world a good 216 is great if you don't really plan on driving the car any distance or on the freeways. If "a long distance" is 50 miles and you don't get in a hurry it will be fine but you won't be happy with it for very long if you plan on 60/70 on the freeways and want to make some serious road trips.
On the other hand a well built 235 with a bit of a cam and goodies can get out and run at highway speeds and be reliable.

 

im getting older too and im finding out i dont want to fix stuff all the time i say go with something reliable (235)

 

I like the look of the 216 better with the tall side cover and wanting it to look like it still has the original motor in it,maybe I just need to stay off the restoration forums so the voices will stay away. It has 3.55 gears and a T-5 which should keep a 216 from exploding but wondering if a 216 has enough torque to go down the highway in 5th.

 

If you have upgraded to a T-5 and 3:55 gears WHY would you consider keeping a 216 for the original aspect?

 

Hey junkyard, my 52 has 373s in the rear and a T-5. I've had her to 75 no trouble. just takes a little longer to get there that's all. She's got two Carters, Fentons, mild cam and an HEI. It pulls fine in fifth.
Dom

 

I dont want a streetrod and then I dont want it completely original but just a old truck with some of its original charm that is able to go handle todays traffic,I have never driven a 216 on the road and kind of curious if I can drive it like I do with the 235. This week I went and took off the car starter with a solenoid and installed the foot stomp starter for that old feel while keeping it 12 volts so I can have a stereo and bright lights,maybe I need to have someone let me drive a 216 powered vehicle on the road before I even think about going back to one.

 

Old timer, who worked as a Mechanic back in the 40's-60's, told me a long time ago that quite a bit of his business was repairing babit bearings in those old Chevy 216's after they opened the NYS Thruway in 1955. He said the 216's would run all day at speeds under 50-55 mph, but at sustained speeds over 60, they'd throw a bearing.

I forgot about that conversation when I bought my first '37 Chevy with a 216 and took it on a trip. Blew the rear main bearing about 600 miles from home. I towed it home and put a 235 in it and it's run for 20 years on alot of trips with no problems.

Just saying.....................

 

Not full pressure, babbit pounder, and dipper oiling for the 216; have you looked into getting the babbited rods repoured and machined? That alone will seal the deal; go with your full pressure 235, or step up to a 261. Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Depends what type of driving you plan to do. I debated about swaping my 216 for a newer 6 or 8 cylinder, but one thing leads to another new transmission and rear diff. etc. I only use my truck around town for a Sunday rides, local cruise events and going out for breakfast now and then. So I decided to keep it original and save myself alot of money and down time.

 

,maybe I need to have someone let me drive a 216 powered vehicle on the road before I even think about going back to one.
^^^^^
^^^^
there's the best idea I've heard yet,

just pulled the 216 babbit beater out of my 40 runs great but what a go cart motor , put down the wrench and step away from the stove bolt .... this is the HAMB after all,
235 full pressure my vote

 

I want a original looking motor which I have almost done with making the 235 look like a 216 but since it has to be pulled in the future I am tossing around a few ideas,what I would really like to do is find a 41 to 48 splash oiler 235 with the full side cover and convert to full oil pressure but I dont think there is anyone around where I live that could help me out. Here is what I have done to the 235 so far and you can tell the side cover is cut out around the plugs to fit the 235.

 

I run a 216 in my 1947 truck. Still 6v and 1 taillight. I have driven it on long trips with increasing elevation (from 1153' to over 7000'). I recently pulled an old grapefruit tree stump out of the ground and i pulled my new 1949 chevy truck out of the previous owners backyard. While the whole time having a cracked water jacket. Sure its slow and i need to leave early if i am trying to get somewhere. But i love it when i leave a stop light and i look in my rear view mirror before i am half way across the intersection as i am shifting into second only to see the driver behind me switching lanes to get around me.


Maybe you are meaning to install a 261 not a 216. They both have the same numbers. Simple mistake.

 

I have thought about a 261 and in the end might just look for one,with the 235 its no rocket but can cruise 65 with the upgraded rear end and trans. Most of the time I take the two lane roads since its not really designed to be flying down the highway at 70,right now I have picked up another 216 side cover to see if I can get it to go around the plugs a little more and install it on the other 235 and paint it the original color and be done.

 

Join the 216 group. Maybe there will be one for sale there sometime.

The 1949 i bought had a 216 in it and i pulled it to replace my leaking one i have now.

 

I think I have chased the voices from my head for now and will use the other 235 until I can find me a 41 to 48 235 that I can convert to full pressure. I want a motor that looks like a 216 but is going to handle speeds over 60 without the fear of it coming apart,taking more time with the other side cover maybe I can do a better job and get it to look like its not been modified too much. I am still going to see if I can find someone to let me drive a 216 powered car on the road to see how they are since all I ever drove them were around farm fields and then it might silence the voice to put one in permanently.

 

Good choice in my opinion, but if you change your mind I have some rebabbitted rods and likely some other NOS and NORS stuff. I have not dug deeply into figuring out the aplications of all of the GM stuff to this point. The GM part numbering system sucks but with the GM database posted awhile back it is atleast now doable, just time consuming. Rod

 

For a change I have no opinion but I would run the 216 and change rear ends.

 

Why not a small block chevy????....

 

if money is a factor stay 235.

if not, build a full pressure 216 or 235(early).

want to go all out, put a jimmy in it. nuff said.

 

That is the motor the the people who have no brains and cant think outside the box use,I dont want to be like every moron who uses that motor and want to be the moron who is different.

 

I just junked a 216 in favor of a 292 for my 1950 chevy wagon. This wagon will be driven on family trips (freeway) and I want it to be reliable.

 

I could get by with a 216 since my cab is so small I dont take it on long trips,it would cripple me if I took it on a few hundred mile trip so it stays local but it needs to be able to be driven at highway speeds if I need to get somewhere in a reasonable time. I am doing some checking to see if I can install the crank from the extra 56 235 in a early 235 block that has the tall side cover,if it can be done I am going to build me a new motor and hope it has no issues like the present 235 does.

 

Wow, you hate those that much huh????..

 

You are not alone in being tired of seeing a sbc in everything. If buying a ride anything with a sbc would not even be considered. Rod

 

So i guess my 283 with cal custom finned covers and 3x2's makes me a moron?