Hot Rods 57 chevy 235 head

Way back in 1977 , One of the first engines I ever worked on was a 235 chevy 6 . I still own it , a 57 150 2 dr I was 14 at the time. When I pulled the engine and took it to the machine shop they found the head was cracked " a common problem on a 235" And after buying another head at a boneyard ...it too was cracked But the machine shop owner said no problem.. I can buy a brand new one from south America. So low and behold I had a brand new head from Brazil! I drove that 235 for a couple of years ,and of course started to modify the 57 ...It now has a blown 355 ,turbo 400 etc. This all comes to Fruition now cause im helping a bud with a 235 for his 53 pick up , and looking for a decent head. Cant find anything on line about the Brazilian head ,and the 848 head I have is junk. Just wondering has anyone else come across a brazilian head ,and what were the specs on it? By the way ..my original 235 in the 57 had the word SPECIAL cast in the side of the block by the fuel pump . tried several times to figure that out no luck.

 

sounds like we need some pictures!

 

Wish I could Squirrel, but I sold the 235 back in the 80s . The head had "made in Brazil" cast into it on top by the temp sender.

 

I have a cherry done head for a 53 that was in a 2 ton till some **** wrapped a con rod around the crank, block is junk but I kept all the other parts to sell, shoot me a PM

 

never heard that it was common for 235 heads to crack

 

The first one I did had a cracked head. The second one didn't. But the third one did.

 

Hi. I cannot help find one but the engine in my Avitar is a 57 engine in my 46 Chevy Coupe. Many consider 57 235 engines to be a prime casting year for blocks & heads.
Before I purchased the engine and did an overhaul some one had run a bolt that was too long down in the left front valve cover hold down and cracked into a water jacket. Just had a seep. I fixed that by draining down the water and cleaning the threads real good with a gun cleaning round wire brush in my battery drill and epoxied in a stainless socket head set screw. I am about to take off that cheap import chrome cover and replace it with a Thikstun cast alum finned cover and when I do this I am going to install set screws in the 3 other holes and use a stainless washers and acorn nuts to hold it down. I have had this Thikstun cover for a bit over a year but have had more pressing issues on wiring & such that I had to work out first.
Chevrolet actually had a manufacturing plant in Argentina and I understand it still made items there after Chevy shut down production. You might try a Google search for Argentine Chevrolet parts.
Good luck finding a head.
Jimmie

 

1968 - when I started in general auto & truck repair, the first week I learned how to paint walls, how to change oil & filter on Toroflow GMCs, and that finding a 216 or 235 Chev head that wasn't broke was a rare occurance.

 

Thanks guys , and yes to the best of my knowledge they crack pretty often still looking for an 848 head ,hopefully in so cal. Anybody else ever seen a chevy block with " SPECIAL " cast in it? Tried several times to find an answer to no avail