Ok I got a question, I bought a valve cover cause it was a finned cool looking one, paid the guy, then realized it was a 216 valve cover with the two holes to mount on top, I have a 235 with the four holes to mount it to the head. So my question now is, can I make it work or do I need to sell it and try to find one for a 235?
Check one of the parts suppliers that sells parts for these motors. All you need are the 2 valve rod supports that have the studs for a 216. No problem.
The 235 4 hole came out in 1954. before that they had the two holes on top like a 216. Did you know they made a 235 with the tall side cover like a 216.
All you do is put some threaded rod and a nut in two of the rocker hold-down holes, and leave enough sticking up to hold the cover. George Miller...Have you actually seen a tall cover 235? I have seen literally hundreds of Stovebolts, and all 235's were short covers.
"George Miller...Have you actually seen a tall cover 235? I have seen literally hundreds of Stovebolts, and all 235's were short covers" I've never seen one either.
To answer the original question, all you need to do to use the 2 bolt vavle cover on the 54-62 head is to replace 2 of the rocker shaft bolts with studs. Getting a pair of studs off a '53-earlier engine wouldbe the easiest solution. The 235 came out in 1941 in the larger trucks. '41-49 vintage 235's look just like 216's...
Yes I have seen them. My Dad and Uncles had a Block and gravel Business when I was growing up. They used that engine in there trucks. It was called a hi torque 235 . I used one in my 39 chev dirt track car. If I remember correctly it was 3 9/16 bore with a differn't cam.
Keep in mind that the 235 they are speaking of is a 216 with a larger bore. It is not the same engine as a 54 and later 235. Things like this should be clarified.
one more time.... take the valve cover off the '54. see those 6 bolts holding the rocker arm assembly on? replace the second and fifth bolts with either studs from a '53-older engine, or make some from threaded rod, etc... the head is 3/8-16UNC thread. Or find someone who sells Offy valve covers and see if they will sell you some studs for use on the 54-62 engines...
For the record, my '53 Bel Air powerglide car with the full pressure motor had a 216 type tall valve cover from the factory. I happen to like the 216 style better than the 235 style. And like everybody already said, it's no big deal to add the studs to swap covers. I did it yesterday on my 261. One issue to watch out for...the thermostat housing. On my 261, I had to grind off some of the thermostat housing as it would not allow the 216 style top bolt valve cover or gasket to sit forward enough. If you buy a cover from Patrick's Antique Auto, he mentions this in his instructions. It says you may or may not have to grind along with may or may not need to use an extra gasket on the thermostat housing to move it forward. For me, grinding was enough. Here's a pic of where I had to grind...
The 50 through 53 is not the same as the 54 through 62 there are two 235 with the short side cover. early had babbitt rods and no pressure to the rods. Later ones had inserts in the rods and pressure oiling to rods. It has been a long time since I worked on them but I think the 53 Power Glide had inserts in the rods with the two bolt valve cover.
This is a '59 235 converted with '47 tin and the road draft tube is also the oil fill on '37-'47 and in '48 up they put it in the valve cover.
Nice looking engine! I had no idea the road draft tube once was used for oil fill. Thanks for sharing!
Just to clarify, "tall" is in reference to the side cover not the valve cover. all '53 and older engines were 2 bolt valve covers.
Just for the record there are two differn't 261 also. 1954 model had a 4 bolt water pump, the 1955 and up had 3 bolt water pump.
The '54 and '55 first series 261 is like the 235 with the water pump sitting higher than the deck of the block. Both this water pump and the later type are held on with 4 bolts.
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