All - I did a search but wasn't able to find what I'm looking for. I want to replace the 216, and prefer to stay with a six. I found a 250 from a van in a local wrecking yard. Is this a viable replacement? I know there may be better choices, and would appreciate your input/opinions about which are 'better'. Thank you!
a 250 is a good engine for your Chevy. You realize you have to swap to an open driveline to make it work? A 235 will work with your transmission and rear end.
If you can find maybe and old GMC they have bigger engine and will bolt up to your trans, they go as high as 300 cubics.Early 60s big trucks.
They don't fit as well as you would want to think they would. I put one in a 50 Chevy Hardtop way back in the 60's and had a hell of a time with it. The 250 will go in pretty easily BBYMR (think I got that right) I ran one in my 48 for over 100,000 ,miles including a triangle trip to Bonneville, Plesanton and back to Yakima in 1998. With the right rear end behind them you can cruise at highway speeds all day and still pull around 20 mpg. It would probably be best to use a later trans and swap to an open drive rear end rather than try to adapt that trans to the larger bolt pattern bellhousing. You will have to shorten the waterpump shaft and put a shorter pulley on it for fan clearance if memory serves right. I think I used a pulley off a V8 on mine and pressed the flange on the pump back the right amount to line up that pulley before cutting off the excess shaft. Side mounts will have to be built but that isn't too hard either.
A 250 is a couple inches longer than a 216. I put one in my 40. It fits, just something to be aware of.
Guys - my 216 has side mounts (1952), and I've already upgraded to an S-10 5sp and rearend. Sounds like this may be the way to go. Any other tips?
Thanks, but parts resources are a bit limited up here, and as I've stated, I already upgraded to 5sp and open driveline.
250 water pumps can't be shortened, that's the '55-62 235/261 pump.... You have an open driveline, but what are you currently using for a bellhousing? the '52 car with an adapter plate, or something else? reason I ask is the clutch linkage...
PM Bob K. He has a 292 in his early 50's Chevy convert. That baby has been from one end of this country to the other more times than I can count. They are one tough sumbitch as they were designed to power even the biggest trucks the Chevy/GM produced. Frank
The 250 will bolt up to your old transmission if you have the right transmission. There were 2 transmissions, with 2 different bolt patterns. One, made from 1941 up, will bolt up to the Chev V8 bellhousing 55 up which is the same bellhousing your 250 uses. For some reason the tranny you want was more common in pickup trucks. If you have the wrong tranny, the right one will bolt into your car and all your internal parts fit the other case. They made the newer (63 up) Chev six in 196, 230, and 250 sizes. They also made a 292 with a taller block for trucks. You can tell the 292 at a glance, the side covers are much taller than the small six. This is actually a better swap than the V8. Fits easier and will not blow your tranny or overstress your drive line. ................................................. Read the thread more closely and see you already have the open driveline and newer tranny. So the 250 should bolt right up.
A 250 or 292 is the way to go if you go standard trans i recommend 5 speed, if auto i like 200r4 or 700r4 trans. I have installed a 250 in 1952 chevy car, and truck, 2 54 chevy trucks, and will be installing one in a 54 chevy car. I have a 292, 5 speed in my 49 suburban, check out my website, i have motor mount brackets, 5 speed short throw adapters, rear axel spring pads, and trans adapters available
both 292 and 250 are good i ran a 62 235 in my 51 runs great but has front timing cover mounts i have a 292 in my 54 bought the mounts from langdons stovebolt work perfect they look easy enough to fab up
A lot of guys aren't reading. The only issue I see is you may have to shorten your input shaft on the trans about an inch to make it work with a stock type 250 bellhousing. As for the radiator, you can install it with the side fins forward of the cradle fins and gain some clearance there. It's a bit harder to bolt in, but it's an old school way to do it, that's how my '50 was set up so it could run a 235 with no mods to the water pump (in the late 60s no less). And I'd use the CE mounts, for like $100 they save you a bunch of fab work and make the install go pretty slick. You will need to pull the inner fenders, and clearance them a little where the mounts end up.
When you switch to the 250, you will need to use a typical 194-292 or V8 bellhousing, which will have a different fork angle than you currently have. I have a part that will correct this, should you want to stay with the stock pedal setup. Note that these bells are for either a 153 or 168 tooth flywheel, so make sure your bell, flywheel and starter are compatable. Make sure the bell you use has a 4 11/16" center hole, not the 5 1/8" or 4 1/4".
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