In an age where it's almost too easy to put a crate motor (I know, it's "engine," but motor just sounds better!) in an old car or truck, it can be a nice change-up when the opportunity arises to work with an antique mill such as the venerable Chevy straight-six. Not only can the early inliners be considerably reliable little engines, but they can also be made to look cooler than any V-8. More importantly, they'll always emit that unique sound you can't find in any other means of motorvation.
Nicknamed the Stovebolt due to the automobile's use of hardware found on stoves of the era (not necessarily on the engine itself, though), the first-generation 235ci I-6 was used in Chevrolet trucks from 1941-53; the original "Cast-Iron Wonders" debuted in '29, much to the displeasure of Ford's meager four-banger. However, it's the early engine's predecessor that you want to focus your attention on (unless you're going for a full restoration on a pre-'54 Chevy truck).
In '53, the "full-pressure" 235 debuted in Powerglide-equipped Bel Airs, replacing the old babbit or splash-oiler 235 and 216s. The following year, all vehicles featured the improved engine, including pickups. So if you're planning to build a straight-six or are looking for something to upgrade your old engine, find yourself a '55-64 truck or passenger-car 235 or 261 (the larger, more desirable of the I-6s). According to Inliners.org, the late-'53 and '54 235s are getting harder and harder to come by, so you may have better luck starting with the '55s and working your way up through the '64 versions (after that, Chevrolet went to the 230/250 inline design-a great little motor, but an entirely different animal).
The trick to identifying your potential prey for a build-unless you're plucking the engine straight from its virgin lair-is done with simple visuals. For the most part, the fact that the engine has a four-bolt rocker cover usually determines the 235's genre, but to play it safe and be 100 percent sure, verify the age by the casting numbers below the pushrod cover toward the rear (behind the oil dipstick). For a full list of casting numbers, we again found way more info than needed at www.inliners.org. Pinpointing your engine by the casting number will help ensure you get the right one to start with.
Ironically, my '53 Chevy 3100 had already experienced the "full-flow swap" some time ago. Until Jim Carter pointed it out for me, I'd always assumed it was a stock 235 for that year. Nonetheless, I came upon a well-maintained 235 from a '59 passenger car via a wanted ad posted on The Stovebolt Page (www.stovebolt.com), so I figured why not go through it instead of putting the truck down for however long to rebuild the running motor. Obviously, I'll need to address the water pump's location with the later block, but thanks to Patrick's Antique Cars & Trucks, that won't be a problem. Patrick's also supplied the mandatory motor mount plate that goes behind the timing cover, so I can just drop the 235 in when I'm good and ready.
Nowadays, most engine/machine shops that have been in business since at least the Bush administration-the first one-can take care of early mills, especially Chevy inlines, since they're still relatively common among the antiques. For me, I like to trust my mechanic, or machinist in this case, so I went with a good friend of mine who just happens to operate an old-time shop right down the street from my house-Magnolia Center Machine. Normally, engine builders and machinists don't care much for people looking over their shoulder whilst plying their craft, but in this case, I wasn't much of a pest while my 235 was torn down, cleaned, machined, and assembled. Fortunately, I remembered to photo-document the process to illustrate what should happen to your engine during a rebuild. If you have any doubts about the shop you intend on having redo your 235, find another-with a good rep.
When it comes to parts, most shops have their own sources, be it one or multiple distributors or manufacturers. Oftentimes, though, the average enthusiast only has his local auto parts store, and that usually won't cut it when it comes to internals such as rocker assemblies, pistons, and whatnot-that is, unless they're familiar with Egge Obsolete Engine Parts (also known simply as Egge Machine). Along with Patrick's, Egge offers a complete rebuild package for Stovebolts, as well as many other antique engines, which they have been doing since 1915. Today, they also offer a large variety of vintage speed equipment. For our rebuild, we were able to acquire everything from Egge-pistons, rings, rod and main bearings, lifters, pushrods, a complete valvetrain (including an Isky C-4 cam from Patrick's), and a full gasket set. We just needed to recon the rods and grind and polish the crank, along with the typical machinework.
In this first installment, we'll get the long-block handled, leaving the external assembly-including the installation of the new Fenton 2x1 intake from Patrick's-to next month, so stick around for the full six fix.
