So..... I have been working on the 52 chev 4 door(PG) and Grandpa swore up and down that the motor was original. I just took it out and set it on a pallet and dropped it off at grandpas(it is being dropped off at the rebuilder tomorrow). So I dont have the casting number avalable. The problem. I went and looked at another 52(3spd) today and noticed that the side plate was different on that motor(his had the tall cover and mine has the small cover). My 52 is a hydrolic lifter engine(right?) and the one I saw today would have been the solid lifter motor. Is that the reason for the different cover? Thanks for all of the endless knowledge! VVV--Dont you dare say search!!--VVV
you are correct about yours being hydraulic and the 3 speed being solids.im not sure about the other differences between the 235 and 216
216 has the tall cover, 235 has the short one. Powerglide cars had the 235 from 50-52, then in 53 they all had the 235
The short covers is hi oil pressure also and the tall is LOW, with splash rods. You got the good one. Ice man
Really? I thought the 216s all had the tall cover. Parts book shows the same block and head and side cover for all the 216s from the 1940s to 1952.
This is true. There were some early 235's that were babit bearing motors. Although I still don't know how to tell the difference from looking at the outside.
Hi Squirrel - it depends on whether its commercial or passenger. Except for 53 - that was a screwy year for chevy as they were changing all their 6 cylinders and hadn't quite done it as anticipated. nevertheless, yes, there were 235's with the tall side covers and 235's with the short side covers. The passenger 50-52's were 235's with hydraulics but babbit bearings and a short side cover. The commercial 50-52's were 216 and 235's with the tall side covers and babbit. the biggest distinction should be whether they were babbit or inserts not the CID. There were so many combinations between large commercial and small commercial and passenger from 50-53 that the CID is really moot - all that matters is whether it is babbit or inserts with full pressure.
I have the same car! 52 4 door deluxe. Only mine is a power glide with a 235. Yours is most likely the hydraulic lifter. Mine is most likely original also. Do you have a any pics of your car?
now you understand my confusion. So, tell me what my motor is without a casting number? I would like to know so that when grandpa drops the motor off at the builder he knows exactly what he has.
no pic's or casting numbers kinda looks like your screwed on the id without that info. that motor could have been changed any number of times.
As far as I can tell from what you've said, and assuming the engine is original, it would be a Powerglide (automatic transmission) car, and it's a 235. Everything that I've read and seen about these engines shows that the tall side cover engines were 216, the short side cover were 235, period. That includes the truck engines back to the 40s and early 50s powerglide car engines, etc. Full pressure came along in 53 on PG cars, and 54 for all engines. 53 had some 216s installed in pickups, all the 53 car engines were 235s. Then again, this all happened before I was born
This is why I'm lookin to get a 270 or 302 Jimmy. Anybody know of any in the L.A. area? Preferably not too expensive?
The car was bought brand new by my Great Grandfather. He sold the horse and buggy to buy the car and when he died my grandfather parked the car in the machine shed(never drove it). Now that my grandfather is having some health problems he asked me to get it running. He swears upa and down the motor is origonal. He however kinda just smiles when I ask him who put the bondo on the rear fender. He knows something about it but he's not talkin!
Without numbers of block and head you are lost. There where so many od combinations between 52 and 53, sometimes engines where converted to hydraulics and frankensteined pressure lubrication andwhatnot. I need numbers and pics to check it out for you. Frank
Related to this, did the 53's with a 3spd ever use the bolt through the valve cover? My casting number indicates I have a 235, but I have been told that the valve cover indicates its a 216. Anybody know? Possible that the head was changed over? Thanks. Ken
kb2tha - 53 was the last year for the 2 bolt valve cover. I have a 53 235 PG engine on my 51 feetline and it has a 2 bolt valve cover. Go by the casting number. yule16met - It sound's like the original motor, a 52 235 would be correct with hydraulic lifters and a short cover, the only way to be sure is to check the casting numbers on the boss just behind the distributor. Maybe call the machine shop and get them to read the numbers off before they start.
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