For some reason I keep getting drawn back to building an inline six for my 62 Belair. It has a 235 and an old cast iron powerslide, found out that no real power to be made there. So... I thought a small block would do and it would, can't beat the bang for the buck. But that's not what I really want, like I said on a previous post... I want to build at least one inline before age catches me. So I'm going to pick this up Saturday morning! A 250 inline, if it's rebuildable, I've got something to work with. I'll roll the dice on a $100 what the hell, if nothing else it will be a good little road trip and some quality time with my dad to boot! Next on the list is figuring out what transmission to back it up with. Sent from my SM-J337P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Got a clutch and break pedal assembly on a shelf, considering all possibilities. Sent from my SM-J337P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I used a 10.5 flywheel and bell, hooked to an 86 IROC T5 Borg five speed, PM me if you want any details. I'm looking at a tic over 300 horse.
I ran a Vega Saginaw 4 speed with a 3.11 low behind one with out a problem. Fun to drive. There were a lot of 63-64 Bel-Aire- Biscaynes built with 3-sp sixes using 230" so y-not.....
I like the idea myself. A slightly warmed up six with duels sounds cool, and a 4 or 5 speed would just be fun.
Yes, and ditch the old powerglide too. I had a Chevelle with a 250 and a aluminum glide, I couldn't kill it. Finally rust did it in though.
You can bolt up a 200R4 to the 250 6 cyl and you will have a deeper first gear and overdrive for highway cruising.
T-5 behind my 235 is a bunch of fun to drive. It sounds great, moves along just fine and is an eye opener when I lift the hood to show her off. Anyone can have a small block. The six is full of kool in my book!
Hi. Both the 235 & 250 are great engines and you can about anything with either. My Avitar photo shows my 235 engine in my 46 chevy coupe. Bored 0.060 with a 268 grind Clifford cam with all engine internals new. Running Clifford water heated dual intake with two big 2 barrel Weber carbs along with the Clifford shorty tube headers. Had to run their headers as Fenton's are too big to fit behind that thick intake. Had stock 3 on tree & 355 ring & pinion. Tranny finally gave up the ghost and I got talked into a T350 with a 57 pickup rear end with 307 gears as my coupe is mostly a Hwy cruiser as I live way out in the country. Worst mistake I ever made on that tranny. T350 a total POS. When I get cash together I am going back to standard 3 or 4 speed tranny because with original tranny & 355 rear at 65 MPH I was getting 20+ MPG. With the T350 and 307 rear millage dropped to barely 10 MPG. Car ran great with both set ups, just lost too much gas millage with the supposed upgrade. I will never race it, just want a good cruiser. Clifford carries speed parts for both the 235 & 250 engines. Good luck, Jim
Thanks everyone for the good information, and advice! Got a lot of irons in the fire right now so it's going to be a slow build. That's good because it will give me time to gather parts, do plenty of brain picking, and research to get it right the first time! Thanks and I do welcome advise and research sources. If ya got pics of your inlines I'd love to see them! Sent from my SM-J337P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Nothing wrong with a 235, lots of performance parts to be had. I have one in my '46 coupe from a '61 Belair.
The great thing with the 250 is that all you have to do is find the mounts of a 63/64 full size Chevy with a 230 and it's a bolt in. I put a lot of mile on my 48 with a 250 in it so I'm rather partial to them although it is going back together with a 292 this time. 12 Bolt Tom is good for performance pieces and the cast headers that Tom Langdon sold plus some other pieces after Langdon downsized his operation. https://mrhotrod6.myshopify.com/pages/frontpage is another 194/230/250/292 performance parts purveyor with some nifty speed goodies.
How did you arrive at “a tic over 300 hp”? Is that calculated hp or measured on a dyno? Reason I ask, I recently built/had built a 250, .060 over, V8 flat top pistons, mild torque cam, full roller rockers, 12Bolt.com cast manifold/headers, full lump port mod, Aussiespeed manifold w/Edelbrock AVS2 500 cfm carb and few more minor goodies........on the dyno it pulled 258 lbs ft torque @ 3000 rpm and 228 hp on the @ 5200 rpm after break-in runs but no special tuning. (3000 to 5200 is the only recorded range on the dyno print out) I am fairly happy with that, but if there is more hp lurking in the engine I’d be interested in knowing where to look for it. Seventy or so hp seems like a lot of difference between two very similar builds. Ray
No to both questions. I have a couple 292 cores, but chose the 250 for several reasons, none monumental. Lighter weight, lower height, adequate for intended use( Street driving/‘37 Chevy Coupe) The 292 is a torque monster and would be terrific where that is of greater importance. Order a copy of Leo Santucci’s book on building the 194/230/250/292 engines. Covers all the how and why’s for whatever your purpose may be. Ray
I'm sure not getting rid of the 235 and powerglide by any means, I'm gonna save it back just in case I ever get to build a bobber truck. Sent from my SM-J337P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I'm going to save the 235 and powerglide for something down the road. Sent from my SM-J337P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I see why! My $200 Belair sitting where I found it. Sent from my SM-J337P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
There is not any difference between a chevy or a GMC 292 six cyl engine. Now the fifties and older GMC engines wher quite different from a chev 6. they came in 228 .248. 270 and 302 cubes.