Technical V8/powerglide/torquetube

My 51 Chevrolet is a orginal powerglide car with a 1950 235 badly in need of a engine swap. I have a 1954 235 that needs service but now Im thinkin maybe i should go for a early v8. I have a lead on a 265 with powerglide bellhousing. This will be a way cheaper option as doing a rebuild on the 235 will cost a bunch to Get it where i want it to be with carbs and rebuild kits and such.
Im not looking for a race car but a dependable cruiser. Im not a led foot with this car and Im positive that the torquetube rear will hold up. This must have been a normal swap back in the day also, as i dont believe every v8 swap had open rear Axle. So question is, with the powerglide bellhousing, is this just a bolt on swap? I know i need motor mounts and such. Thanks!

 

I cant understand this. The 265 comes with a powerglide bellhousing. Theres a powerglide in my car now.

 

So you are saying that the powerglide bellhousing for the 265 dont fit the powerglide in my car because theres a powerglide for inline 6 AND a powerglide for v8? Shurely the powerglide boltpattern is the same? Is there a bearing issue then?

 

I dont know. Im not that into what part goes with what. But its strange if powerglides have different boltpatterns. But stranger things have happened.

 

The powerglide bellhousing thats with the 265 v8 has starter mount and such.

 

more info https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/i-need-help-fast-v8-to-6-cyl-powereglide.25085/

 

Lars. Believe the Hambers. The guys responding grew up with this stuff.
The best thing you can do is take the 235 out of your car leaving the Powerglide in the car. Then look at the 265 with the Powerglide plate it has attached. Each engine block has a plate mounted to it that the cast iron Powerglide bolts too and that’s the plate that you need to see if it’s the same bolt transmission pattern. I do not know or at least remember the transmission pattern. I do know each plate to the engine block was different and that’s wherever here one is saying.
If I’m not mistaken the stock 51 Powerglide had to be shifted from low to high manually and if it doesn’t you have a 53-54 transmission.
If by chance they are the same…. It will not be a bolt in; the V8 will hit the firewall braces, the e-brake will be gone and the foot feed will need a 55-57 V8 to work.

With that said… I grew up with these parts too and I know of NO ONE, ZERO guys who ever did this. Good luck.

 

And, FWIW, the firewall braces are NOT NEEDED for the V8 swap. Remove them completely or notch them for the valve covers. Most folks don't realize that all they are is vestiges from the assembly line. The body was held by the braces as it went down the line. Upon mating to the frame they were kept and just used as another mounting location. Truth.

 

Ohh. Its not like i dont believe you guys. Sorry if it came across like that. I Ask here because i really like the advice and everybodys input. Hell, this is by far the best way to use time on internet.

And now i understand it better. I didnt know about the plate you talk about here.

The only thing i was thinkin about is a way to use the powerglide and torquetube for now and doing the best engine swap for now.

 

Yeah but then i need some kind of rear Axle mount instead of the torquetube?

 

Here's one I Brazed back together for a guy who was impatient

 

As already mentioned, it would probably be easier to swap in a 55 - 57 Chevy rear axle and open driveshaft, than keep the torquetube.

The following is just a guess since I've never used PowerGlides for anything other than door stops... It might be possible to swap the V8 PowerGlide bellhousing, (and bellhousing adapter), onto the 6 cylinder trans. I've been told that this can be done with the 55 - 57 PowerGlides to change an open driveline 235 Glide into a V8 Glide. However, the earlier torquetube Glides might be internally different than the 55 and newer Glides.

 

Thanks. Funny thing now is that i found a complete running gear consist of a 307, alu powerglide, 56 rear Axle and radiator. Maybe Thats the way to go. Right Axle, dont know anything about the 307 engines tho.

 

1st and 2nd gen camaro is a bolt in for third member .
Tri5 Chevy diff is a bolt in

nova , 4x4 s10 amd many more fit with moving the spring perches around .

you need to drill the leaf spring Center bolt slightly off Center to use the stock leaves .

or just find a newer 235 / 261 and bolt it in and be done .

nothing finer then a multi carb inliner

 

That sounds like a good plan. Especially being in Norway where it must be a bit tough to find parts.

A 307 is a good engine. After all, it's a small block Chevy. It's just a 283 with a 327 crankshaft. When they were new, they were not considered to be a performance engine. Seems like all 307's had 2 barrel carbs.

The 55 - 64 Chevy rear axles are good, too. I still have the 55 axle in my 55. It's held up quite well with running slicks at the drag strip. However, my 55 is only a low 14 / high 13 second car.

 

I could do that but Im not interrested in buying the 265 if it will be more trouble than fun. If i need to go open drive anyway i would find a different gear/engine combo.

 

The 307 is a good engine. I had a 70 Chevy pickup that I drove for years with one. With the right exhaust and cam you can tell folks it is anything from a 265 to a 427!

 

The repaired ring is a 6 cylinder easily seen by the engine block side. The cast iron V8 Powerglide also bolted to a mounting ring and not the block as I remember them not like any modern transmission.

Lars stated in the first post his 265 had a Powerglide bell housing. I’m thinking it has the ring needed to bolt to the circular torque converter bellhousing of a Powerglide. What he has may work which is his original question.

As for a 307”… it’s a 283”with a factory installed 327” crankshaft. An engine built to have reasonable power with the air pollution control devices of that era. If bored an 1/8” it’s a 327. But to me it will always be a “stroker” 283.

 

The 265 on hand has a powerglide bellhousing. But what the seller calls a bellhousing is most likely that ring Thats been talked about here. He tells me that the bellhousing has mount for starter. So he must be talking about that ring.

 

Just so we Get this strait, and its all me being a Norwegian and my english writing skills is so so.
I have: a 51 coupe, 235, powerglide, torquetube.
I can buy a 265 from a friend, with a powerglide bellhousing(probably the mentioned ring)

i also just found the 307 kit, with Axle, alu glide and so on.

 

The 307's had one major flaw and that was that fiber timing gear they had in them. I remember blowing up three of these engines because the fiber timing gear shattered and most of it ended up in the oil pan in my 1968 El Camino. We just kept putting in another 307 because at that time they were cheap, they were available almost everywhere, and relatively easy to install.

 

Lars you will definitely need the starter ring gear or “pressed steel flywheel” from the V8 Powerglide as the 6 cylinder flange on the cranks are different so the one on your engine will not work. I believe these are solid and not like the ones today. Without it don’t even think of doing this job. One up to 1962 6 cylinder only should work.

I need to say even with the knowledge I have this is all speculation. The last Chevrolet to share case iron powerglides were 1962 Chevrolets with the 235 and 283. The 327’s received the new aluminum powerglides.

I’m guessing the 55-61 cast iron powerglides were common to all Chevrolets and can’t imagine the change from the last torque tube after 54 that Chevrolet changed the front of the trans bolt pattern for any engine. To use the first powerglides in 1951 Chevrolet HAD TO manufacture this plate for the 6 and it stayed thru 1962. It stands to reason in 55 for the new V8 an adapter plate would be made along with a new starter gear and continue to use what they had. Chevrolets were cheap ass cars…bottom of the market at that time like Fords and Plymouths of the big 3.

Personally I would lean to a complete engine/transmission/rear end change to something more modern where parts are available. Good luck with your project.

 

The Blueflame 6 and V8 Powerglides have different bolt patterns, V8 adopter does not interchange with the Blueflame Powerglide.

 

I learned that lesson the hard way. I bought a TransDapt Chevrolet to early Ford transmission by using the Chevrolet Power Glide adapter, to go from a Blueflame to a 39 Ford transmission, and wouldn't work.