Hi fellow HAMBers ! I have a -52 Chevrolet pickup and I need to buy an engine that I need to use for a limited time to p*** the truck thru inspection and possibly use for a couple of years before I will start the full project of the rebuild / customizing ! I got two engines for sale , one 1949 Chevrolet 216CI running not smoking but used (came out of a car) , the other one is a ?1949 GMC 236CI possibly low milage but not currently running (came from norweegan military = truck origin) . Ofcause more exotic to pick the GMC 236CI engine but will it fit my 3speed and enginebay and if I understand right Chevy 216CI came in the pickups up til -53 . The owner of the GMC engine says it didnt fit his -53 Chevy car since it needed engine mount on the side while the GMC have frontmounted like my pickup have . My plan are to eventually mount a 1951 Oldsmobile 303CI with Hydramatic and possibly do this within two years so my question are is it a big difference between the GMC 236CI and Chevy 216CI engines . The 216 seems a safer bet but the GMC is more exotic ?! Help me out , Im lost !
If you're only gonna keep the engine for a little while, go with what is easiest and cheapest. As long as you don't beat on it, the 216 should be fine.
216 do not take higher speeds well , poor oiling, keep the speeds down. Do some measureing on the 236 to see if mounts will be the same and see if your bellhousing has same bolt pattern as yours. Should fit fine if the measurements are all the same.
GMC engines came with 228-248-270 and 302 cu inch . Never heard of a norwegan236? Not saying they dont exist just never heard of one.Anyhow the gmc engine is 1and 1/2 inches longer than the chev 216-235 or 261. The GMC,s have a four bolt flywheel. Go with the 216 . OldWolf
Later GMC engines, 248, 270 & 302 are about 2 1/2 inches longer than Chevy 6's....I DO NOT know if that applies to the earlier 236 as well, but if it does, it needs to be accommodated in your planning. The 236 should accept the bellhousing from your '49 although I have no idea about flywheel, clutch and pressure plate. A thorough investigation of these issues before you commit to purchase would be best. I do think the 236 GMC is likely more durable in stock form than the Chev 216, ***uming both are in good condition at this time. Best wishes........... Ray
If I were in your possition I would look for a used 160 Mercruiser engine. They are a 250ci chevy engine that puts out 160 torque Hp. They are available for a couple of hundred dollars and are usually in good shape. The reason that they are available cheep is because the boats that they came in have had the bottom or transom go bad. I would put a world cl*** T5 transmission behind it with a S-10 tailshaft and a S-10 rear end. This combination could be put together for about dollars. The engine might include the boat and trailer for 2 to 3 hundred dollars. I recently bought a nice looking mercruiser 3.0 4 cylinder chevy in a boat with a nice trailer for $200.00. I might be able to sell the stearn drive and marine peripherals off of the engine and recoup that price on Ebay. I will convert the trailer to haul My Model A Fords around when needed. A friend wants the boat. He will replace the bad transom to use with a big outboard motor. Initially you could use a non world cl*** S-10 transmission. They are suposed to be good for that much Hp but later I would use a Camaro or other chevy WC T5 for reliability. I have bought several S-10 T5's for $150 at Pick-A-Parts and the S-10 rear ends go for about the same. As I posted this reply I figured out that you are in Sweden and aren't able to access the parts as easily as we are here. I decided to leave this post for other HAMBers here who might be able to do this cheep reliable conversion. In your case the running 216 might be easier to run temporarily. And if you do need parts in the meantime the 216 should be easier to find. ****
GMC also made a 228 ,the 236 was a few year only deal. But all the GMC 6s are longer than the Chevy's , different front mount location and radiator needs to be moved forward several inches. Make life simple use the 216 Chevy, 236 only bits will be hard to find.
That what I thought too when I heard 236CI GMC (its not Norweegan 236 but came out of the Norweegan military storage surplus material) , why would GMC make a 236 when Chevrolet made a 235 ? well I found this comprehencive link : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Straight-6_engine that a**** all other GM straigh sixes tells about the 236CI GMC engine that it came in -39 and was made til -55 . The 216CI Chevy engine came in -37 and was made til -62 and didnt use a fully pressurized oiling system . The -49 model 216 was 92 hp Still this doesnt tell me if the blocks have the same mating surfaces or same length engineblocks . The 216 is about to be benchstarted at my request but is about three hours (one way) drive from my home while the 236 is one hours drive and will not start but sold as is . GMC engines are 1 1/2" longer ? does that mean it not possible to fit a GMC engine in a Chevrolet pickup with stock position on the radiator ? Wolf
Hi John ! That does it , I go with the 216 since I need a runner and are only going to use it for a shorter period (possibly 2 years) before replacing it with a -51 Olds 303 , thanks for the help ! Anyone that has tried to put a -51 Olds 303CI with a hydramatic in a -52 Chevy pickup ? The original steeringbox needs to be moved or replaced ? Here are some pictures of my pickup : http://public.fotki.com/TinWolf/my-cars-/my-current-cars/ Scroll down to "The Gardena Truck" Wolf
There was an adapter available years ago which moved the starter on a Olds to the other side to give clearance to a Ford steering.
If you have read Henry Greggor Felson's book "Hot Rod" you will know that the kid (the hero) dumped a 236 GMC, referred to as a "Jimmy", into his chevy, complete with the matching transmission. Just an idle throught.
I suggest you forget about the 216 and the 236, and find a good-running 235/261 Chevy from '54 through '62. It'll be a bolt-in deal.
Years ago, I put a 303 in a 52 Chev 2 ton truck. Had to move the steering gear out and cut the brake pedal shorter to miss the Olds block. With the automatic, you could probably move the engine ahead to miss the brake pedal, and maybe even the steering. Makes a nice swap tho. Good Luck
The Jalopy Journal
