235 or 261?

Hi All,
I have a 41 Chevy 2 door sedan, currently all stock.
I'm going to change to an open drivetrain.
I have an S10 rear end and am keeping an eye out for a T5.
I have purchased 2-235's off locally very reasonably and supposedly running. But now there is a 261 listed on Craigslist for $300 with no carb, begging me to buy it.
Is the 261 worth it, or should I just stick to using one of the 235's I already have?
Thanks.
Joe

 

If the 261 was in a farmers grain truck it's possible it only worked for a couple weeks a year. I took a chance on one for $150.00 and found it had the original bore with less than .005" of wear so anything's possible. I say grab it.

 

I should have mentioned that the seller states the 261 does run where it is sitting.

 

The 235s will need adapter plates to small block auto trans, a little milling and the t5 connects just fine to a 235. But for 300, I would buy that in a heart beat and never think twice about it. It has the bolt holes to mount any small block Chevy trans without useing an adapter. I have some real nice perfect running 235s and even a bullet proof 216 in my 39. But a 261, can't beat it. I would buy it and use it any day. Plus you can run a four barrel on it.

 

Hmmm. I thought the 261 had the same "bell housing" pattern as the 235.

 

The only external difference between 235's and 261's is the captain's bars. The Canadian Pontiac version of the 261 (with 848 head from factory) was rated at 148 hp. The Corvette version of the 235 with dual exhaust, 3 carbs, and 261 cam was rated at 150. You need a lot more than $300 worth of speed parts to catch a 261 IMO.

 

Go with the 261 , i beat one up ( out of a big truck) all the way through high school. Could be the best engine i ever had .......

 

I've owned a bunch of 225s over the years and loved 'me... Good engine but they don't care much for sustained highway rpm unless you've got the car geared right. I've blown up my share not paying attention to that rule.
I have a 261 in my currant driver... A '51 Chevy pickup... And I love it... It's a big improvement over the 235 . A ton of torque and power, runs all day at 65-70 with 3:54 rear end gears.

For 300.00 I'd snap it up. Even if you end up using the 235s it's still a deal and if it's a good basic engine you can alway build it over time and swap it out with the 235 later....

 

Just because the seller is asking $300 it doesn't mean you have to pay that much. Worth a look anyway.

The 261 is a good motor and will move your Chev along just fine. Here in Canada, they came standard in 1955 - 63 Pontiacs. They were strong competition for a 283, in street drags a stock 261 could beat the 283 up to 30 or 40 MPH, then they were neck and neck up to 50, then the 283 would pull away.

 

Take a look at the thread for my pickup- there's a great article link on putting a milled/massaged 235 head on a 261 and getting some great results.

Here's the thread:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=705376&highlight=mac+truck

 

Yep, same as a 235.

 

They do, but later bellhousings have the modern 4 speed trans bolt pattern... which means you can use a (gasp) T5, or the like

 

I am looking for a 235, let me know if you decide to get rid of one.

 

Thanks for all the comments. Im gonna make him an offer

 

They're a bitch to find, if it runs and has good compression $300 is very reasonable.

 

261 for 300 bucks???Grab it.If its a 58 0r later,It will have the full pressure oil filter.Now remember,with those years,you have to run that filter or you will seize it.Goog luck,,If you find another one for 300 bucks,let me know....Oh yea,S10 rearend is to narrow,But the T5 is a winner...Thats what I run,80 MPH with low RPMs all day long.

 

Buy the 261 now.....remember, there is no substitute for cubic inches.

 

A 261 for $300 is a good price. I've been running one in my '54, you won't be disappointed. Many parts from the 235 will bolt up to the 261. One of the advantages to a 261 is you can bore them up to .125", so there's a lot of life in them. I took mine out .080" (272 cid) and there's still a lot more to go. And they're torque monsters!

 

Get the casting numbers and confirm that it is indeed a 261. People get 235s and 261 (and 216s) confused all the time. You can get the numbers from Inliners.org. The captain's bars are a quick reference, but not always there.

A 261 will give you slightly more power and bragging rights, and most 235 parts will work with it. If any of your 235s are later ones, the head is likely an 848 head, and you can swap it onto the 261 (with minor modification) for a tiny boost in compression.

All the cool vintage intakes for 216s will fit with minor modifications, too.