Any difference between a 235 truck or car motor?

I have been looking for a 235 6 banger for my 50 Fleetline. I found a 59 235 engine and saginaw trans out of a 59 truck. Are there any differences btween the car and truck engines? These engines have a fiber cam gear, correct? I think the cam gear in the 216 engine in my fleetline broke leaving lots of broken rockers and bent pushrods.

Justin

 

Make sure it's a truck engine before you get too far along, perhaps post the letters and numbers stamped on the pad just behind the distributor.

Truck motors had solid lifters and aluminum timing gears, the bellhousings and motor mounts are different (although you can put any of the bellhousings on any of the 216-235 blocks). All the 55-up engines have the long water pump so you'd need to adapt that. Look at the mounts in your car and see if the motor you want to buy has the bolt holes in the correct places, it might not! if so it would be a pain to mount. You may need to swap the front cam plate, which takes work.

 

I purchased a 1955 model 235 6 a while back. It came with a bell housing and transmission bolted on. The clutch is hydrolic and is on the passenger side. I have been told that makes it a truck set up. I really don't know...but that is what I have been told. Hopes this helps.

 

I'm pulling a 235 and tranny out of my '54 chevy panel this weekend.

PM me if you're interested.

 

The 55-62 Chev 235 bellhousings with the clutch fork on the right hand side are truck. The one's with the clutch fork on the left hand side are car and won't accept the 54 and earlier transmission.

But you can bolt the earlier bellhousing to the later 55-62 block.

As was mentioned, if you have to replace the front engine mount plate, you'll have to remove the balancer pulley, partially drop the front of the pan or remove the pan and remove the timing cover to swap this out.

You can get by with the longer water pump, if you move the radiator forward.

 

the hydraulic clutch was only used in 60-62 trucks, the 50s trucks are all mechanical.

 

Will the 3 sp Saginaw tranny work in the 50 Fleetline if I convert it to an open drive shaft setup? I don't mind changine the mount plates, etc. I really want to keep an Inline 6 in the car. I was wondering if the truck motor was a little more stout.
Justin

 

I've got a 261 in my 54 sedan. I had to fab new engine mounts because the 55 and newer engines use the front side mounts. Stock 54 used the mid mounts. Not a big deal. Nothing a couple of hockey pucks won't take care of. Check out inliners international for info on the long water pumps. There's a way you can shorten them. I think you have to press the impeller onto the shaft and then cut the shaft down. Mine still has the long pump on it. I moved the radiator forward, but now it's real close to the under hood brace, and the fan. The fan I'm using is an aftermarket flex job because the factory fan sticks out about a 1/2" further. As for the trans, I'm using the Sag. 4 speed, but I'd consider the t-5.

 

The earlier truck 4-speed bellhousing used the same bolt pattern as the 55 and later transmission. The pre 55, car bellhousing won't bolt up to the Saginaw trans.

 

The long water pump has a hub on it, which the fan bolts to. This hub needs to be pressed back, toward the engine. How far depends on what you can find for a fan belt pulley, you'll need to do some measuring and scrounging. This hub can only be moved back a little over and inch, so if you measure where the hub would be and then look at where the belt needs to be you'll have an idea what you'll need for a pulley (or how deep the pulley can be). I really can't remember what make/model pulley I've used in the past (I think that it was a Ford pulley), but I'll try to get some measurements off a couple of pulleys that I have. Anyway after pressing the hub back to where the pulley lines up with the crank pulley and generator/alternator, you'll need to cut the excess off of the water pump impeller shaft. Don't cut it off flush with the hub, you'll need to leave about 3/8" so the fan has something to align to. Also when you press the hub back, you might find that the impeller is now rubbing on the rear plate, so now you’ll have to pull the plate and press the impeller forward a little so it won’t rub.

 

Yea, just press the hub of the water pump & use a sbc pulley. Also you may be able to cheat by just drilling 2 holes in the 59 front plate to align with the front mounts on your 50. Convert to open driveline,use a 55-57 rear, redrill the perches so the rear is centered in the wheelwell & be done with it.

Billy

 

I have a 55-57 Chev rear end in my 47 Chev with 3.33's and a Saginaw 4-speed (with I think a 3.12 low). If I were going to do it again, I might put either a 8" or 9" Ford or even a later Chev rear end in it. The Ford rear ends are easier to find, than the 55-57 Chev's. The last wheel bearing that I had to replace cost me over $50 and that was over ten years ago. At that time the Ford wheel bearing was only $17, because there were a lot more of that type of bearing used. If I remember correctly, 55 and 56, used the same bearing and 57 was by its self.

 

If you do drop the pan, it would be a good time to tap the two bolt holes in the front main bearing cap to 3/8-16 and drill the threads out of the rectangular block on the bottom of the timing cover. This way, if you ever have reason to remove the timing cover again, you can just unbolt it from the outside and not have to remove the oil pan.

 

Like Heathen said, drill and tap the front main. It makes cam swaps go much faster.

 

Also check out Stovebolt.com, great site similar to Inliners International, but tuned to the truck guys.