New guy in So Cal

Morning all. I'm pretty sure I've been to this site before but I can't seem to find a way to search the posts to find any from me. I previously had a '46 Dodge pick up. It ended up being traded for a new wood floor before any work was done. I've now purchased a '46 Chevy 3/4 ton stake bed. This one has just about everything on it.

I'm thinking about replacing the 216 with a full pressure 235 and received some info from one of the long time members of the Stovebolt forum that someone on here knows about doing the switch and reusing the valve cover, side cover and where to get a shorter water pump so that it looks pretty much like the original 216. If anyone knows who this might be could you let me know.

I'm also looking at replacing the rear end with something that will let me drive on the freeway without having to wave people pasts me. Anyone know if there's a bolt up replacement rear end with a ratio that will allow speeds of at least 60 without throwing the pistons through the head?

Looking forward to working on this one and putting it back in prime condition.

Joe

 

Hi & welcome. I have a 46 Chevy coupe that I have made changes you mention on. It has a 57 Chevy 235 engine that is bored 0.060, Clifford 268 grind cam, dual 2 barrel Weber carbs, HEI distributor. It had 3 on the tree with original rear end. I had changed original 411 ring & pinion to a truck 355 and that made a huge difference. With this set up it cruises at 65 MPH at around 2600 RPM (about the same as a modern car with 3 speed & no OD) and gives a bit above 20 MPG. Recently my transmission cratered and I found a great deal on a just rebuilt T350 three speed automatic that a friend had. To use this I had to remove the closed driveline & rear end and to replace it with open drive line 57 Chevy truck rear end with a 307 ring & pinion. This rear end change allowed me to keep my original 6 lug wheels. It will be back on the road by this weekend from these changes. Should boost the MPG and lower the cruising RPM even more. I want a hwy. driver.
Does your pickup have the open or closed drive line? Do you know your rear end ratio? I "think" but am not positive that the pickups had choices of something like 378, 355, 328 ratios. Just going from memory on that.
What ever you do, do not order parts from Patricks in Arizona because they have gone rogue and screwing many buyers. You can order parts from www.chevsofthe40s.com or from www.fillingstation.com as well as many others. Go to these online and you can request a paper catalog from both. Chevs of the 40's have both a car or a truck catalog. It might surprise you what you can get from O'reillys.
I still have my torque tube closed drive line & rear end with the 355 but it would be expensive to ship.
On the valve & side cover the 216 has the 2 studs on top & so do the earlier 235's. later 235's have the 4 screws around the edge but I think you can take the studs of the 216 & install on the 235 and use same cover. On side covers I do not remember if all the 216's had the tall side cover that went around the spark plugs or not but the 235' had short side cover that stopped below the plugs. Just paint the 235 the 216 engine color and only serious experts will know the difference. I thing Grey.
If you have an open drive line just use a later Chevy pickup from a wrecking yard and there are MANY choices of ratios from 307 up thru the 440's. Just choose one that has same hub bolt pattern as what you have. You may have to move axel from bottom of strings to top or vice versa but that is minor.
Your truck looks nice and it will be much easier to work on compared to my coupe.
Jimmie