Technical Possible issues with putting '57 235 into '50?

I'm having some difficulty finding definitive answers in the search, so I'm looking for some input.

Currently have a 4 door '50 style line with a 235 and powerglide. My engine has a bad headgasket at a minimum (rear cylinder was full of coolant when I pulled the head to diagnose coolant in the oil) and a ton of oil leaks. Found a 235 out of a '57 bel-air for sale mated to a 3 speed manual gearbox for sale. (Engine was fully rebuilt from rotating assembly to valve train, has a "custom" cam, plus Fenton dual carb setup and split exhaust. Less than 5k miles since rebuild, is asking $1500)

So my questions are:

* Will the 235 out of the '57 bolt to my '50 powerglide?

* Are the engine mounts the same? Someone mentioned about having to drill holes in the '57 timing cover for the pre-'53 style mounts.

* Would I be better off using the 3 speed manual gearbox that comes with the engine instead of my powerglide? Just not sure how much work it will be to add a clutch pedal and shifter to an auto car.

*Or take my head to a machine shop, have it machined true and flat, reinstall head, and be done?

Thanks for the help, I'm sort of lost right now.

New guy

 

the engine should bolt to your powerglide.

The 3 speed that is with the later engine won't work with your torque tube rear end.

The block is different where the water pump bolts to it, also. There are ways to deal with it.

The mounts are different, look at your car, see how the engine is mounted...do you think you can mount the later engine the same way?

If you can figure out the source of the water leak in the existing engine, it might or might not be easier to fix that, than to install a later engine.

 

Easiest but most $$$ would be rebuilding your '50 engine. If you freshen the cyl. head without doing the rings at the same time, you'll have serious oil consumption trouble.
The '57 engine mount bosses are in the wrong spot for easy adapting to '50 frame, but not impossible if you use '52 - '54 side frame mounts.
The '57 front plate may or may not have the flange for the '50 front mounts. If there, drilling it for '50 mounts is the easiest method. Shortening the water pump will be required in any case ...
The '57 3 speed will only work if changing to open driveshaft.
The '50 - '52 PG is very close to the worst trans ever used in a Chevrolet …

 

On the pickup and truck swaps from a high mount water pump to the lower pump, yours is up high in front of the head and the later is in the block, there is an adapter plate that changes the pump position to fit in the earlier vehicles,Chevs of the 40's has it.

 

Check on the Inliners International site, I believe in the Tech section there is an article addressing details of this style swap.

 

While the cast iron Powerglides (‘50 thru ‘62) were not world beating performance trannies, they were pretty durable.....I had a ‘51 back in the day and had it been a weak design, my teenage dumbass would have broken it. But it outlasted the engine. The primary difference between cast iron PG trannies is that ‘50/‘51 started off in Hi.......if you wanted Lo you had to select it. In ‘52 models the trans began in Lo and self shift to Hi.

The motor mounts present another issue. As I recall, it was also in ‘52 that side mounts were introduced. That was a major improvement in controlling engine torque reaction. However, I also think there were some changes in the engine block mounting ‘bosses’ along the way.

‘52 thru ‘54 mounts are the same. I think the mounting bosses were moved forward for ‘55 thru ‘57 and then changed again, moved rearward (more centrally located) for ‘58 thru ‘62.
All of that can be dealt with one way or another, but side mounts would be my recommendation.

There are solutions for the water pump changes as well, but I am not familiar enough to comment on a specific solution. The info is out there.

Ray

 

This info is from deep in my memory so may not be totally correct but when I first swapped my 1959 235 into my car (in the mid 70's) I seem to recall that the front saddle mount fit fine but I do recall having to drill some holes. I did not modify it to use side mounts. I also remember being advised I would have to change water pump but the one on the 59 engine fit fine. Good luck.

 

As mentioned above, Inliners details this swap. Carefully drill 2 holes in the front cover lower flange to use the front cross member mounts. Get the adapter to use the 216 style water pump. The stock 235 water pump sits too low.


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