Inline guys: 235 woes and questions

Glad you found the problem! I don't know what year Chevy began using self-adjusting brakes, but the retrofit kit I got from Danchuk for my '7 was nothing more than a COMBI-KIT for a latter year car - had return and hold-down springs, pins, the works!!! Might be Chevy used the same backing plate until the mid-60's. If someone here has a factory parts book, they could check for you. Impalla Bob's might have answer.

Check the contact points for grooves, try to blend them smooth. Lube with a LIGHT swipe of white grease. My dad taught me to adjust drums by snugging them until the wheel was HAND TIGHT, then backing them off 13 CLICKS.

HA!!! This FNG nailed it... Mucho Luck, Tim

 

Bone stock 216 rebuilt with insert bearings, 3 speed stock rear end.. hope that helps.

 

Interesting to hear some complaining about the driving characteristics of your Chevy 235. I have a 51 Plymouth econobeast with a 218, 3 speed stock stick, and a 3.9 rearend. My stock wornout car drives great is reponsive and is very torquey. My goal in my current 230 flathead engine upgrade was to provide more competion for the Chevy and hudson inline 6s. Since I have been blown away several times by Chevy sizes at the drags, and my car is running good, strong at all rpm levels, I venture to say your rig needs some fine tuning engine wise and maybe a different driveline ratio in the rearend.. next time I go drag racing, I hope I line up next to you w your current setup!

Good luck, but don't give up. Mike

 

Back in the mid 60's a friend of mine had a 55 Chevy with a 235 Fentons, tri-power, and a cam out of a Corvette, backed by a 4 speed. Can't remember what else [getting real close to hiding my own Easter eggs]. Anyway we lived in a resort town and got alot of out of towners that wanted to run em.Their jaws really dropped when they seen what just beat them. He could beat all 283's and alot of 327's.

 

As mentioned by those who have built 235's,170 hp is a lot,185 the limit for a non streetable 235 .Sounds like a hit load of 283's and 327's shorted out sparkplugs in that town.

 

Uhh, he found the problem.

It was dragging brakes, posted a couple posts up.

Shawn

 

there was a 37 chev fordor over here that had a very hot 235 in it ,,, triples, 4 speed big cam ., guy ran a 9' ford rear ,, and he managed to bust that ,, for real that car could fly ,,so it can be done ,,,
yet a stock motor in a 55 chevy i drove 20 years ago was slower than a car full of Grandmas on a sunday outing ..