Reproduction Parts for 1916-1964 Chevrolet Passenger Cars & 1918-1987 Chevrolet & GMC Trucks
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1939 Business Coupe.
Recently built a 235 to take the place of my 216 due to a cracked head. I used the 216 timing cover, bellhousing and transmission. Issue I am having is that if I have the front motor mounts nested in their holes within the front crossmember, the bellhousing motor mounts and transmission mount holes(the engine/trans side of the equation is ~1" too far forward). I can lift the front of the motor, slide the entire assembly back ~1" and then the motor mounts on the bellhousing and the transmission mounts will line up.
Has anyone ran into this before? I am perplexed as the car does not appear to have been altered. The crossmembers appear to be in the correct place, ie: no holes drilled all over the frame, etc.
Did you use the old front mount brkt? Check out this: https://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/engine_swap_216.htm
7472 old site post
@steve-d sure did transfer the front timing cover with motor mounts to the 235. I recall when I pulled the 216 that the front motor mounts were not bolted through the crossmember but didn’t think anything more about it. I’m still too new here to post photos or I would share.
@bsdressen-2 The blocks as far as I know are the same length so by transferring the mounts should give you the same measurements. I put a 54 235 in my 51 which had a 216 with no issues. Rather than swap over the front mount I re-drilled the 235 as I wanted to keep the 216 intact. Are you sure the engine removed is a 216?
7472 old site post
What year 235 did you use? What is the casting number? (NOT the serial number stamped by the distributor). The 1962 & newer 7 main bearing engine is longer than than the 4 main engines. Is your ignition distributor between spark plugs #3 & #4 or #1 & #2?
I thought there was no such thing as a 7 main 235 cid Chev.
Or one newer than 1962.
And I thought the new for 1963 7 main engines were 194's, 230's, and 292's, with 250's coming later in 1966.
Was I wrong?
Ole S Olson
Saskatoon, Sask, Canada
1946 DR 3/4 ton stake
1139 old site posts
No
@lou-macmillan thanks for responding Lou. Casting number is 3837307, based on my understanding this corresponds with a 1958-1962 car. Distributor is between #s 3&4.
I’m told that there may be bellhousing length differences, I have two, a 838475 that I believe corresponds with a 1937 car and a 8837001 that corresponds with the 58-62 car that my engine is from. Both measure ~6 3/4” from engine flange to trans flange.
can anyone confirm the correct face to face measurement for a 838669 bellhousing that would be correct for my ’39?
Bell housing casting 838475 is correct for 1937 cars and 838669 is correct for 1938-39 cars. Both are the same length face to face (~6 3/4 ").
I don't know the application for the housing with casting number 8837001, but it must be newer than 1955.
Was the 216 in your '39 car installed and fitted to the stock transmission mount?
I think the 216 and 235 blocks are the same length, so I don't know why the mounts do not line up if you are using your 1939 bell housing and transmission. Although many years of bell housings will bolt to the 216 and 235 engine block, I expect you will need to use a '37-39 bell housing and transmission to fit the stock location for the transmission mount.
If the 216 engine in your '39 coupe was otherwise okay, it might be easier to find a replacement head for the original engine and stay with the 216. The cylinder head casting number is 838773 and was used from late 1937 through 1940 model years.
Hope this helps. Tom
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