Technical Has anyone heard of 1954 235 Chevy blocks having Main Bearing dowels (or mainline pins) and where do

Has anyone heard of 1954 235 Chevy blocks having Main Bearing dowels (or mainline pins) and where do I find them?

Context:
My 235 Chevy straight Six in my 1954 Chevy Bel Air had a crack. Still usable but I need to replace it soon. I bought a new used numbers correct 235 (with hydraulic lifters). I pulled the new 235 block apart and sent to the machine shop. The machinist was about to order new main bearings but stopped short because the new used block I gave him didn't have main bearing dowels in it. He thinks the block had them at one time but they were removed when the engine was rebuilt prior to me owning it. I guess they are supposed to help keep the bearings from spinning. He says I need to find a set before we continue with the rebuild. Has anyone heard of 235 Chevy's having main bearing dowels? I'll pulled a few of these blocks apart and I haven't seen them before. If this sounds legit, do I really need them? Any idea where I can find a set? I've searched everywhere.

 

Maybe this are also called main bearing "locators". I found a thread on another site using this term. Pins, dowels, locators, seems like the forums use several terms.

 

Do the caps and block have the notches which keep them from turning? 54's are shimed mains as I remenber so they would not have the notches. 54's always leaked from my experience so I upgraded to a newer block.

 

Thanks for your response Jimmy Six! When I took the block apart it did have main cap shims. The block is at the shop at the moment but I am fairly sure it won't have the notches. I think they were found on later models. It seems impossible to locate a set of main bearing dowels to install into my block so unless someone comes through with some, or I can find some, I have to do decide if I should build the engine without them, or find a new block. I already machined the crank on the one I have, and hot tanked the block, so I'll lose some money if I have to start all over.

 

Yes, my 1954 261 has dowels. The dowels are in the bearings.
I can take photos latter.

 

You need a different machine shop ....

 

OK, that's super helpful. This all came up when my machinist went to order the bearings and was told the block should have dowels along the main line. Maybe my machine shop just got confused. I'll go back to my machine shop and see what they have to say.

 

You can get them from Summit-
Link-
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...L0LywjHXqAsHr-a_hHJfzrSeiknCobBhoCKwQQAvD_BwE

 

Ahhhhh.........not a separate part, but a stamped in deformation to act as a locating 'pin'...etc.

 

Im willing to bet your machinist doesnt have gray hair.

 

Hey, I don't have gray hair but I knew the answer.

 

You've just earned some gray hair.