Technical It’s got captains bars 261 scrap yard purchase

been looking for one and the scrap yard came through. It even has an HEI. Going to look up the numbers on the distributor.
looks like the starter has been rebuilt. I needed another foot pedal gm starter. This one should be 12 volt. The engine was in a 58/9 bus

 

That's cool, they're hard to find. Is the deck height higher on a 261? Or are the outside dimensions identical?

 

Distributor pic

never had one of these on a 6.
Not the biggest fan of the looks but wasn’t going to pass it up.

 

Don’t know.
I’m just looking into these.
I have 235s but this is the first 261 I messed with

 

This was/is a common/cheap upgrade that was/is used by racers, especially land speed.
They fit and work great, the other electrical is the small cap HEI found on V-6 small Chevy trucks

 

good find! I just drug home another 235 today! Never seen a 261 over here yet. What are your plans for the 261?

 

@Robert J. Palmer should be able to answer many questions on this

 

I used a Delco HEI on my AMC six-cylinder....ugly but damn they work well!

 

Deck's the same. Good score, let's see the code behind dist. & head casting #.

 

The captains bars are on 261's above the stater and a second set on the left side just below the deck.

261's were used in 2 ton trucks 54-62 in the U.S.

However, the 261 going in my Model A only has one bar above the starter, Only a Lieutenant?

I have read in 63 Chevrolet used the left over 261's up in four wheel drive trucks.

I have never be able to confirm this as a fact.

58-62 used a full flow full pressure oil filter. Using remote filter.

261's were also used in Canadian Pontiacs 55-57(?). I just picked one of these engines

235's and 261's are the same stroke.

235 bore 3 9/16"

261 bore 3 3/4"

261's use a heaver rod with a larger piston pin.

261 also has steam holes in the head and block.

The following photos are of my late (58-62) 261 in my 1953 150 car.

The Captain's bars on the 261 in my 53


Steam holes in the head


Side by side, 235 on left 261 on right. 235 bore 3 9/16" 261 bore 3 3/4"


235 no steam holes

261 steam holes

58-62 1/2" N.P.T. oil lines in and out of the block. The engine in my 53


The stock Chevrolet remote oil filter

 

Second set of Captains bars on the left side this is a Canadian 261 they have an M cast in the side

The single Lieutenant's bar(?) on the 261 for my Model A stock car project

 

A later distributer like from a 250 is easily modified to fit the early motors. Like grinder easy.

 

I sent one of those to the scrapyard several years ago. Had a long crack on the driver side, unfortunately.

 

Plans are to toss it in the shop for now.
It may end up in my sons 61 Chevy.
Stock rebuild, split exhaust and maybe mill the head some.

 

I’ll take a chance on this one.
Haven’t got it in the shop yet but at around 15 to 20 cents a pound I’ll take it.

 

Great engines I had a bunch when I built my 50 fleetline.
Somewhat common up here as they where used in Pontiac’s with part flow oil filters.

I built one that was in a late 50’s dump truck with full flow oil filter and factory PC Valve.

triple zenith carbs on a offey intake split exhaust offey side and valve cover and a fuel point distributor solid lifter cam with a corvette grind cam and a “848” 235 head with the steam hole drilled and the crank drilled for a sbc crank bolt.
Killer engine !!! you scored !!!

 

I’m gonna check the casting numbers when I get it home. I have a 61, 59 and 57 235s I need to check those numbers.
The 59 is .060 over with a milled head. It was fun in my 49. Will probably be used in its rebuild. Along with a dual intake

 

My 848 head ported and polished by B & G engine service-

With a .052 mill the chambers are 74.7cc

 

Here are the head numbers from the 61 and 59 235s. The 57 is at work

 

The 60 degree v6 or the 90 degree like a 4.3?

 

I have to check my notes and get back to you

 

Your bottom pic is the 848 head.

I’ve seen the 4.3 distributors used with some slight machining
Patrick’s or Langdons makes an hei kit for these

 

I thought "Patrick's" was "tapioca"?

 

I have a 4.3 distributor
Gonna check that out.

 

FWIW I have 3 of those 261's tucked away in my shop, in case anyone is looking.

 

Sweet score. Im running a 61 261 with a 848 head, pertronix, correct "b" carb, splits and duals in my 51 Chevy 2dr sdn. 3 tree and 3.55s. Congrats.

 

The 261 block is still the same height as the 235 block they use the same crank the bore is just bigger and the 261 rods are different from 235 bigger wristpins,also the 261 block has larger fittings for oil filter.261 cam is the same hi lift as used in the corvette 235,and there is something different about the rockers too can't remember if it was the shaft diameter or if the ratio was different.

 

I need to look up if the starters swap. I have a 59 235 but it was in my 49.
The 49 still has its 6 volt starter. I slung it apart one time fixing an issue with it once. Would like to use this 12 volt.
Both are manual bells, but is the 261 bell set up larger/has a larger diameter flywheel than the 49 1/2 ton bell?
Guess I will measure the flywheels when I get the 261 drug home. Or match up the starters

 

That's a nice Christmas present to yourself!

 

Heads up. If you have a good 6 volt starter, flywheel, clutch set up, it will work with 12 volts. In fact 6v starters love 12 volts. Also, you have to keep a 6v starter with a 6v flywheel, and a 12v starter w a 12v flywheel. Different teeth count and they DONT interchange. Id have to check, but there were only 2 different teeth count. Cant remember off hand, but it was something like 139 6v and 168 12v.