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I picked up a '55 Bel Air with a 235 in it.
I have plans to modernize the engine and the entire car.
It seems like most of the parts like turbo manifolds and such don't fit the 235
Is there perhaps something else that would be a drop in that has more support than the 235 that is an inline six?
I have already swapped in a T5 trans so if I swap engines it will need to work with my new T5.
Thanks for the help
Last edited by Larry Callahan; 05/19/17 11:37 PM.
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I have plans to modernize the engine and the entire car.
Well I guess it depends on just how "modern" you intend to build your mid fifties car. . . A 250 or 292 would get you into the '70s - whereas a Vortec 4200 would get you into this century . . . If the stock block matters to you then continuing to search for HP adders on the 235 is the way to go. Especially if you really mean "drop in". But if you are seriously considering an engine swap then you face mods like fabrication of engine mounts and more . . . leading to the question - what do you want from this build?
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I vote for a 250 or 292. They seem to be somewhat common in shoeboxes.
FORD 300 inline six - THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN DRAG RACING!
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I agree with Greg, you may still be disappointed with the limitations of power output with the Stovebolt even with the addition of a turbo. It will likely still fall short of what a mildly prepped 250 will achieve N/A. So add a turbo to a 250 or 292 and you will be well pleased.
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Larry what exactly are you trying to do with the car when you say modernize?
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I don't have any real goals like big HP or speed. I have a thing for modernizing older cars. I have a '68 Camaro with an old school small block that has twin turbos, ABS, A/C, power everything e.t.c.
Looks old but is nice a reliable and fun to drive.
I run autocross events and spend time at track days. Once complete it will be my daily driver and I plan to autocross it a lot full of people like an autocross taxi.
Are the mounts on a 252 and a 290 in different locations?
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Then I think you will likely be happier with a later model 250-292 or if you really want to do it, the Vortec 4200 as mentioned above. The 4200 is a tremendous motor but you will need to tinker quite a bit to sort out the install issues.
The 235, it's an old design, the head does not breath all that well, only four main bearings, cast steel crank but not all that strong, old style rocker shaft system. I love tinkering with the 235/261 motors but they are not for everyone. I don't think in this instance that you will be happy building one for what you want to do.
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For near equal dollars to build 250/292 that would make 275HP, a 4200 can be had and installed. It is more work to do the 4200, the flip side you end up with a relatively new engine design that is not to difficult to turbo later if you so desire.
A 4200 running 10# of boost can make 425/450hp with no internal changes other than a good tune in the PCM and bigger injectors.
Last edited by efi-diy; 05/23/17 11:06 PM.
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Can't solved today's problems using the same technology/thinking that created them
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If you're going to go modern just pick up a junkyard LS and do that.
If you're going to keep it old school go with a 292 and build that.
Either way EFI if you're going to daily drive it.
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It looks like I'm a glutton for punishment. Thanks everyone for the info.
I think I will stick with the 235 that is in the car and modernize it.
Here goes nothing! LOL!
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If I was going to delve into some modern updates to the 235, I think I would be tinkering with a turbo charger and efi. Yes, I think you are right, you will have to fab up an exhaust manifold set up. Just keep in mind that the connecting rods for a 235 are really only good to like 4800 rpm, maybe a speck more. The split small end and bolt arrangement is not all that strong and at near 7 inches, a pretty long rod. If you are going to do it, let me also advocate that you call smith brothers push rods in oregon. They can make you up a terrific set of chrome moly push rods, forged and polished cups, as well as forged adjusters with dimensionally matching adjuster balls, also polished, with a hex stud and 12 point adjuster lock nut that will allow the use of a more modern and convenient adjustment tool. A couple of dollars but you get what you pay for. I purchased some chrome moly push rods from another vendor a number of years ago for my 261 (just recently got around to using them), installed them and missed that they were not fully seated in the cup when I was assembling the motor, the balls were a speck larger then the cups, shattered a cup (luckily just one when I discovered the issue.) Smith Brothers figured out the problem and made me up some great parts to address the matter. Also, new cam cores are now somewhat hard to come by. Schneider cams has been the company that has done the last couple of my cams primarily because they will grind me a cam that is what I want/need as opposed to only what is available off the shelf. They are out of new cam blanks for the 235/261 so you will need an nos cam or a good used cam for regrinding. You may have better luck with them in that they will grind you a cam ground for your modern upgrades. Ross pistons will make you up some forged pistons if you need the strength of a forged unit. Just some random thoughts.
Last edited by mdonohue05; 05/30/17 06:48 PM.
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If I was going to delve into some modern updates to the 235, I think I would be tinkering with a turbo charger and efi. Yes, I think you are right, you will have to fab up an exhaust manifold set up. Just keep in mind that the connecting rods for a 235 are really only good to like 4800 rpm, maybe a speck more. The split small end and bolt arrangement is not all that strong and at near 7 inches, a pretty long rod. If you are going to do it, let me also advocate that you call smith brothers push rods in oregon. They can make you up a terrific set of chrome moly push rods, forged and polished cups, as well as forged adjusters with dimensionally matching adjuster balls, also polished, with a hex stud and 12 point adjuster lock nut that will allow the use of a more modern and convenient adjustment tool. A couple of dollars but you get what you pay for. I purchased some chrome moly push rods from another vendor a number of years ago for my 261 (just recently got around to using them), installed them and missed that they were not fully seated in the cup when I was assembling the motor, the balls were a speck larger then the cups, shattered a cup (luckily just one when I discovered the issue.) Smith Brothers figured out the problem and made me up some great parts to address the matter. Also, new cam cores are now somewhat hard to come by. Schneider cams has been the company that has done the last couple of my cams primarily because they will grind me a cam that is what I want/need as opposed to only what is available off the shelf. They are out of new cam blanks for the 235/261 so you will need an nos cam or a good used cam for regrinding. You may have better luck with them in that they will grind you a cam ground for your modern upgrades. Ross pistons will make you up some forged pistons if you need the strength of a forged unit. Just some random thoughts. Thank you! That's some great info there! I will look into the pushrods. I have a contact at Comp and they just ground and sent me a custom cam and I picked up a set of hyd lifters. The cam is a bit mild cam by today's standards but should work well if and when I install a turbo down the road.
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