Inliners International Forums General Discussion Hi Performance early 235

I stumbled across the proverbial "it was an old race car engine 50 years ago" 235. The casting numbers indicate '47 - 235. Had a fenton dual carb that the owner kept. Inside it looks like inserts, no dippers, aluminum cam gear, performance cam and lifters, modifled pan for lots of oil. might be a true story!! I know more about the 54-62 235, but not much on these. how do I find out how to identify whats in it and how to rebuild it for the street? Mostly interested in info for bearings, rods, crank info, oil pumps, oil filters etc. Might be a cool nostalgia piece.

If you post the block and head casting numbers then we can pin it down. Also get the stamped number next to the dist. If it's a pre 1954 (or 53 powerglide) motor it would have been a splash oiler, they used to drill those cranks back then and make full flow oiling. Also look in the spark plug hole and see if you have pop up pistons, these motors were very low compression. My old early 235 has been modified to accept a later 235 crank, but suffers from low compression. These old motors needed lots of head/valve work to bring up compression or use pop ups.

Hi,
thanks much for the help. Block:835309, head is 838355. I could not find any numbers behind the distributor. The pan has the troughs for the oilers. I'm sure from the numbers its a 48 most likely. I'll pull the head tomorrow and look at the pistons. I couldn't see much through the spark plug hole. It is a 15 bolter but has bigger prots than the 216 - its like the later 235.
I assume from your note either the crank was drilled or swapped for a later one. Is the only way to tell to check casting numbers of the crank (are there casting numbers on it?). its probably not worth much, but its cool and I'd like to rebuild it

Hi SixInaRow . . .

The block casting numbers started to get longer in '48. The number for 48-49 235 block is 3835309. That head casting number is unusual. My '49 Chevy Master Parts catalog doesn't list it. I read some where that 838355 casting was used for the earliest '37 216 engines (which was a brand new design) and then was replaced by casting 838773 which was used through '40.

The 37-40 engines used domed pistons into a domed combustion chamber. In California Bill's book he indicates that the '37 to '40 head is useful on later blocks (with flat top pistons) because it will take an extreme mill job .187". On a 235 he indicates 8.4:1 compression with such treatment. But with such a heavy mill one needs to extensively re-work the side cover to get things to fit back together.

Your crank should have a casting number on the center weight. My Master Catalog lists the numbers as:
1933-36 837631
1937-39 838281 or 838877
1940-41 w/216 839111
1941 Y w/235 3660435
1942-47 w/216 839775
1942-47 w/235 839750
1948-49 w/216 3835271
1948-49 w/235 3835311

And my '52 Hollander Interchange shows:
1948-51 w/235 3835501
1950-51 w/235 Power Glide 3835513

Like HiTork says, there should be an engine serial number on a pad behind the dizzy:
it may be obscured by grease.

Keep us posted as you tear down. Great find!

regards,
stock49

I took the head and pan off. It has flat top pistons. Crank casting number is on each end, not the center weight. dont know if thant means anything. Crankshaft casting Number is 3701488. It has a GMC oil pump. Looks like the engine serial number by the distributor has been ground or milled off. I goofed earlier: the oil pan is bare inside - all the guts have been taken out. Any idea what I have? Thanks HiTork and Stock49 - I know nothing about these engines

The crank part number, per my Chevy book fits 54-62 235s. I think you have a motor much like my OLD hi torque and had been fitted with this drilled crank. The GMC oil pump was the hot set up per the old how to books. Can you tell what pistons you have, should have oversize stamped on the tops? I'd just check this stuff out very carefully for thin cyl walls and cracks before building. It may be just an interesting door stop.

I scraped and scraped and could not find any overbore number stamped on the top of the piston. Is it possible it is a standard bore with performance parts??? I'm also trying to pinpoint the year. Could this be a '53 or '54 (ie pre bent 8? dirt tracker???) I have enough door stops that I dont need another, but if I have a rare find - what the hell, lets rebuild it and get it on the street and in Hop Up Annual - it belongs there!! So I ask you HiTork, is this junk? Any other thoughts, anyone?

You will have to 'mike' the cylinders to see what the overbore (if any) is etc.

Most Hot Rod engines of that era used "pop up" aluminum pistons and still do today. The cast iron (flat top) ones had the size painted on & that goes as soon as the engine is started.

Casting #s are listed in left margin.

If It's an early block with a 54-62 (drilled) crank, that's what was done back then and it will be ok if all else is good, but not "a rare find".

Good luck.

What ever floats your boat may apply here, build it if you have the vehicle for it. IMHO there are no 'Rare' Chev inlines except one with a rare head, ie. Wayne or Nicson or maybe a Corvette.

I built one of these OLD 235s because I had the old Nicson tall side and valve covers, wanted a period motor for my old coupe. Also I had a friend/engine builder that helped with the difficult stuff. He machined the block for the later crank, modified the oiling system for full flow filtering & full pressure (lots of work). And the motor in my old 47 coupe was really tired so I had a need. This motor is fine for a driver but really suffers from very low compression, 6 or 7 to 1. Takes lots of milling and sinking intake valves to bring it to 8:1, or pop up pistons. The head proved to be the real snag, uses the 216 head which good ones are getting hard to find.

When this OLD 235 craps out, I have a 55 first series 261 that's going in. If that fails, next will be a 292.

Hi SixInaRow . . .

I am with HiTork on this one "What ever floats your boat may apply here". Some guys will have you believe that anything that isn't a V8 crate motor is a boat anchor.

For me your find is interesting because it's period correct for an early 50's hot rod.

In terms of economics, the engine has already had quite a bit invested in it to convert it to full pressure oiling. I'd be interested in seeing some pics of the head to see if there has been some investments there as well.

Like John says, it all needs to measured and checked. In the end if the engine is still serviceable you could rebuild it without facing the expense of do these mods yourself.

regards,
Keith

Thanks for the input you 3. I suppose this 235 really is just a bit different, but nothing special. I'll check overbore etc and see if its "worth" rebuilding. But now I know what I have. As I get further along, I'll post a photo or 2.