Technical Waking up a sleeping 51 Chevy 235

216's were center bolt VC's, and 235's perimeter bolt, right?...Least I always thought so.

Edit:

First pic in the thread shows a CB valve cover....

 

The pre 53 235s were splash oilers like the 216s but with the smaller side cover.

 

pre '53 2 bolt on top. '54 up, 4 screws.
'41 - '53 235s are 2 bolt ..

 

It's got hydraulic lifters so that pretty much tells the story. I guess I will wipe the plate off by the distributor and get the numbers off the block some day soon.

 

I seriously doubt it has hydraulic lifters. They "noise" you heard (like a sewing machine, right?) is normal for solid lifter chevy inline 6's. "A noisy valve is a happy valve" The fact that it went away or got better as it ran showed that the low pressure oiling system finally got some oil through the galleries. The early 235's (and that one would be an early one) were all solid lifter. I would still run the numbers off the block to see if it's a 216 or a 235.

Andy

 

The 235s got hydraulic lifters when hooked to a powerglide around 50 and then the car versions had them up to the end.

 

Great project and I like the way your going thru it, system by system, getting it healthy.

For that rust, pull the trim and get the rust neutralized, I bet you can get away with gray primer for a blend. Grey and green mixed and brushed would be fine too. Most if it will cover back up with the trim.

Looks like a stock color, you can get rattle cans loaded with matched paint as well.

 

The 53 powerglides had a pressure system with hydraulic lifters. The 53 stick shift cars had the splash systems. The oil pressure gage on the 53 powerglides had a 0 to 30 PSI range. The stick shift cars had a 0 to 15 range.

 

This^^^ When I got the engine fired up it rattled like a tin lizzy and as the lifters pumped up it quieted down...maybe 3 or 4 minutes. Haven't heard a lifter tick since....it's got hydraulic lifters in it.

 

One thing about these old rides, unless you know the history, ya just dont know ...

When I got my 49 dodge, one thing I was excited about was it was all original.
Not one that someone had cut up the wiring and hacked in a different motor, it was a virgin.

Then I ran the numbers on the block, my 1949 truck has a 1937 motor.
The front axle has been swapped from original 3/4 ton axle to a 1/2 ton with different bolt pattern.
I believe it has the original 3 speed top loader, but I aint swearing to nothin at this point.

 

Well another old car goes down the road. I listed the car on Craigslist and a nice gentleman from Ft. Worth came over to look at it this morning, fell in love with it, loaded it up on his trailer, and drove away with it. He was buying it for his 70 year old father's birthday which is next Friday. He wanted the Powerglide car as his father had one just like it "back in the day" and is a diabetic amputee. So it went to a really good home I believe.

Don't know if it's proper to post the selling cost but let's just say it sold for what the owner wanted for it. It wasn't my car, I was just handling the fix-up part and the sale for the owner. I got a 1951 Chevy 2 door parts car out of the deal that will be used on my Sedan Delivery project, so all is well in North Texas Car Land today.

 

Good Job!!

 

I wanted to post a small update on this old thread. I received a text message from the gentleman that bought this old car last year. Even though the style in which he fixed it up isnt H.A.M.B. style, he did a really respectable job. I just thought it was great to hear back from him. Here are a couple of pictures. Hopefully they dont get the thread deleted!

 

RMONTY, good luck with getting the old girl running again. Its nice to see another one saved again.Me and my wife hate the new cars, we both say they are starting to look like bugs.LOL.Bruce.

 

That boy moves fast!

 

Dick, I was amazed at how quick he got that car polished up. He must have spent a ton of money just on the chrome, bumpers and stainless trim. And the engine compartment took a minute to clean up and get to looking that good for sure.

 

Now, there's a Happy ending! Another one saved, great work.