Our '52 has what I am pretty sure a 216 (never checked the numbers) but one of the studs in the exhasut manifold is broken - I have a couple extra intake/exhaust manifold combos that I think came off of 235's - would be pretty simple to clean one of those up and just swamp them out, do they interchange?? thanks-
The heat riser surface on a 216 exhaust manifold, where it seals to the intake, was milled level. On a 235 manifold, it's milled at an angle. Since a few companies now sell stepped adapter rings that allow you to run one style intake on another style head, it would probably work if you ran both the intake, carb and exhaust from the 235 on your 216, aligned to the ports with the adapter rings.