Looking at this motor as a replacement for the 235 in my 56 210. Came from a 58 Apache. Mine is a 'glide equipped car. Will I my trans bolt to this motor? Thanks in advance.
Yes, it should bolt right in. If the 58 motor out of the truck was a stick, you probably should remove the pilot bushing in the crank.
"Looking at this motor as a replacement for the 235 in my 56 210. Came from a 58 Apache." Did 261's come in Apaches? Maybe not but if so I would check into that, unless you already did?
In '58, the 235 was the six cylinder engine on Chevrolet pickups (through '62). The 261 was an option in '61-'62.
In 1954, a 261 truck engine was introduced as an optional Jobmaster engine for heavy-duty trucks. This engine was very similar to the 235 engine, except for a larger piston bore, two extra coolant holes (in the block and head) between three paired (siamesed) cylinders, and a higher-lift camshaft. The 261 USA truck engine had mechanical lifters and was available from 1954-62. In 1963, the 261 truck engines was available in 4x4 Chevrolet trucks (until the engines sold out). The 235 and 261 truck engines were also used by GMC Truck of Canada (GMC truck 6-cylinder engines were also used in Canada). The 1955-1962 Canadian full-size Pontiac car had an optional 261 cubic inch engine that had hydraulic lifters. This engine was not sold in the USA but was very similar to the USA truck 261. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Straight-6_engine#261
If your swaping motors, I'd put a V8 in. I had a 56 with a 235, didn't like it a bit. Valve train was noisy and ticked all the time (common problem). I got quite good and pulling the valve cover and adjusting the valves on a regular basis trying to quiet it down.
What I'd do is stick with the six, but might change it over to a T5 5-speed. Everyone has a SBC in their car.
as far as i know & correct me if i'm wrong but all gm motors (excluding maybe some late model stuff we don't give a crap about anyways) have the same bell housing to block blot pattern.
If you are talking about sixes and V8's, I think that this would be true for six cylinder Chevy motors 1963 and newer and 1955 and newer Chev V8's. Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick and Cadilac could fit into this picture, but I'm not what or when.
What are the odds it has an 848 head? Queried the owner on the head casting # but he is out of town at the moment.
an easy way to tell a 235 from a 261 is a 261 has two captains bars cast in the block near the starter. OldWolf
I don't disagree with the info you provided, but my post refers to pickups (or other light duty trucks), not the heavy duty trucks. The OP said the engine was out of an Apache, not a heavy duty truck. And the source of my info is the Standard Catalog of American Light Duty Trucks, edited by John Gunnel and published by Krause Publications, publishers of Old Cars Weekly, the Old Cars Price Guide, et al. The 261, according the the book above, was not offered in GMC pickups. '54-'55 had a 248.5 CID inline six, '56-'62 GMCs could be had with the 269.5 (270) CID inline six, with the 305 inch V-6 introduced in '61 as an optional engine.
If you go back and read the post again, it said GMC's made in Canada. I didn't know that, but could see how it did happen. They were using the 261's in Pontiac's. The GMC motors that you mentioned were US made GMC six cylinder engines, not Chev six engines.
Arkie, READ the quote. The trucks in question were built in Canada. GMC's built in Canada more often than not had a 261 from the factory. Around here 70-80% of all full size 55-62 Pontiacs had a 261. Hell, the original engine in my 57 Chevy truck is an optional 261. Not that uncommon.
Gosh, fellas, I'm not trying to get in a pissin' contest with ya. I did read the posts...but I also consulted the above-referenced book, written by a recognized authority on automotive history (John Gunnel)...referenced to the Standard Catalog of American Light Duty Trucks...especially since OP is in Houston, Texas, and no where near Canada. I'm not disagreeing with anything you wrote, as I said in my previous post, but I just wonder what is the probability of a HAMBer in Houston, Texas having a Canadian-built 261 out of a Canadian-built '58 Chevy pickup.
If the valve seats are done by someone who knows the correct seat width and cam lobes/lifters are unworn, the valve clearance should remain where it belongs once it's reset at 500-600 miles.
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