VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1955-1957 what engine is this?

I've got a 235 engine (I believe) from a '55?
The valve cover is held on with four bolts and has the Chevrolet script stamped in it. Also it has no EGR system. Could anybody help me identify this?
The number stamped next to the distributer is 0506044155Y and the casting number is 3836233. Thank-You! (I'm guessing it was built May 6th, 1955 but I'm not sure)

JimK, the list of casting numbers that I have shows casting # 3836233 to be a 1955 There is a date of 04/01/56 I am assumeing that it was cast before then the next code for 1955 to 1957 is 3835004 .

According to a NADA used car price guide book the '55 car engines were as follows....motor number 55Z-0100 to 0905907.The only 6 with a Y in the number is a Corvette and it begins with 55YG its just too rare so don't even dream of this.Your number seems backward unless it was some rebuilt engine and the numbers were changed.Can't find my 55-57 ID book but will keep looking if a better reply doesn't come along. .....What do you mean by EGR? The modern EGR valve didn"t come along until the 70"s

Gene, maybe he means the Exhaust Gas Recovery which connects the Valve cover and crankcase blow by to the intake in the air cleaner. My 57 truck has that on it's 261 engine.

Guy, the block is a 55 engine the engine number can be stamped by anyone with a set of stamps, but they can't change the casting number.

The pipe to the valve cover is for positive crank case ventilation. (an early PCV valve) Was recommended for low speed operation because the standard road draft is not effective at low speed.

Thanks for all of your help everybody! I made a mistake, however, I wrote EGR and meant PCV. I was trying to date it a little closer. That Y does intrigue me a little bit - I too thought it was odd. That's why I left it for the expert opinions. Are there any more numbers eslewhere on the block that could help me make a positive identification? Thanks again!!

MrMack is correct The '55 block casting number is 3836233....The intake is 3835590 and head is 3835913.Book dooes not indicate a code nomber to see which trans. it had but if it has a pilot bearing in the back of the crank it should be safe to assume it was a stick. the stick would have solid lifters and the P.G. hydralics

Gene, I have a question, Did the passanger stick shift in 55 have solid or hydralic lifters? ... I believe all the truck 235 and 261 did have solids, right?

I double checked the engine number and I need to make a correction. The number is 0506044T55Y. I went to the libarary and found out that in'55 6 cylinder Corvette engines had the suffix YG and FG was used for V8's, but manual V8 engines used a GR. Now, based on what I found out I believe the engine was the 44 unit built on May 6th, 1955 in Tonawanda NY. Finally, the question is could it really have been a 'Vette engine with a stick transmission? The cylinder head casting number is 3835913 if that means anything, and if it really is a Vette engine it no longer has the 3 carb. setup on it. Thanks again!

Yes, MrMack, the '55 sticks had solid lifters as well as all of the trucks.The only difference in the engines was the oil feed to the hyd. lifters,the camshaft(higer lift in PG) and stronger valve springs in PG(due to the cam) 123 hp stick at 3800 rpm vs 136 hp in PG at 4200 rpm.All '56 cars had the hyd. lifters and trucks continued to use solids till the end of the235>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> My book shows Vett engine #prefix only 55YG.All '55 Vetts had Power Glide!!!! This just a guess as I didn"t take time to research as yet but I believe the '55
Vett engine would still use the 1954 engine which would mean it would have the 1954 style water pump with the two small water holes in the front of the block instead of the one large hole that the
'55's cars used.This is where the front motor mount bolted behind the water pump.From what I understand the '55 6 cyl's were just '54 stuff they were using up. :confused:

Wow Gene! that opens a new can of nightcrawlers for me! I did not know any of the 55 vettes had 235s
but they did some strange stuff in the 54 thru 56 years, I have a 56 manf. date engine block (the engine number was never stamped) that takes a 53-54 water pump in the 53, with a stick 53 head

Don't want anyone to get too excited here but even though the '55 Vette was advertised as being available with a six or V8
depending where you look it indicates less than 30 6 cyls. were made.The total production was down to only about 700 cars that year.As to a later production date the '53 engine your refer to,it may have been a new short block made on that date and installed in the car.The bare block I installed in my '39 has a 1946 Mfg. date on it......Also in doing my research the '55 6 Vette has the same style side mounted motor mounts as a '54 car and does use the old style '54 two hole water pump.

P.S.the new short blocks did not have a serial number stamped on them.The mechanics would stamp the number from the old block,As this was the cars ID number in Wisconsin at this time.If you bought a new complete engine it had a serial number stamped .These were taken off the line and put in stock.Once they were out of production and the inventory used up they were gone. You would always get the currant latest version that would retro fit back to your year.They came with the engine paint on the valve cover gasket,overspray on the spark plugs and oil in the pan as they were factory tested same as what would have been in a new car.

evidently that is what my engine is since the head has the correct casting number for a 53 it must be an NOS short block. It had solid lifters and full pressure system. any way the oil pressure gauge I used to check it with went to almost 60 psi on startup and then holds around 30- 35 psi after warm up. Compression is more than a 53 stick normally is and it has good power, now if when I have to pull the head and I find it was a 261 short block I won't be surprised because of the extra good low speed torque the engine has. none of the casting numbers on the block are found in my list. The front mount plate like on a truck is still mounted on the front of the engine in addition to the 53 side mounts.

I believe the "913" head is a high torque truck head. Just heard this in passing and have no reference info on this. I have seen the vent in the valve cover on GMC 270 and 302 from the mid-late fifties.
MrMack, do you want me to check your block casting with my lists to what I come up with?

BG 48, I will try to retreive the numbers next week, I have done this several times and everyone says I didn't get all the numbers the only number that seems legit is the date code which is 1956

According to the parts book the '53 Power Glide block casting number is 3701481.The 54 casting numbers are 3835911 or 3733949 for any car (either trans.) and all the 235 trucks.The 261 head is different, and if I remember correctly it has different water holes because I believe the cylinders were siamised (don't know how to spell that but there joined) .The 261 head is cast 3836850.All 235's used the same head they jusy called the truck engine High Torque from the216-235 days.It can't be a '55 engine because it would have no side motor mount bracket bolt holes.And all of these replacement short blocks came with the studs on the front plate and the instructions were to cut them off if not needed.I have some where a description as how to indenify a 261 but do not rember what it was in.

Mack, Gene,
My references indicate a bit different casting numbers
'53 216 = 3835849, 235 ex PG = 3701946, 235 w/PG = 3701481

'54 235 ex/PG = 3701481, w/PG = 3835911, no trans listed = 3702436, 261 = 3703414

'55 235 ex/PG = 3733949, no trans listed = 3702436 or 3835911. w/PG = 3836233
265 = 3703524

I don't remember where all of these numbers came from but most came from parts books.

Hey Mr. Mack,
According to my 1964 parts book the 261cu. in.
can be distinguished from the 235 by the engine serial# suffix as follows:
1954-5000 series F54Q, T54N
1954-6000 series F54N, T54N
1955-5000 1st. series F55Q or F54Q55
1955-6000 " " F55N or F54N55

Also the 261 had two vertical bars cast in the block just above the starter, in my racing days back in the sixtys I raced several of these engines and all of them had the bars cast in the block.

How was the trip to Tyler this weekend?

Dandyd

Gene you are correct as to the difference in the water passages in the 261 engine siamiesed means some of and maybe all of the cylinders are cast where the walls between the cylinders are solid, no water passages between them , however the 235 head will work useing the correct head gasket, Chevrolet does not say so but hot rodders have done it since 1954 the 235 head known as a 848 head is their choice, it has a higher compression ratio combustion chamber and it was on a 1955 235 engine I believe.
Chip I got all of this information from between my ears, so it isn't that well documented, scary ,right?

I sure appricate all of the responses this has gotten. Now the next thing is what would be a fair price for this as I really have no use for it. I was told it runs good - the guy I bought it from just pulled it out of a restoration project (1952 1/2 ton) and is building a hot rod. The flywheel has been resurfaced, but other than that I don't know if it was overhauled or anything else. Thanks again guys!

I might add a short note to MrMacks statement
about using a 235 cyl head on a 261 block. If you do this you need to take a 261 head gasket and use it for a template on the 235 cyl head and drill the steam holes that are required for the siamiesed cylinders. Failure to do this is going to cause problems. Now if you are using a 261 cyl head on a 235 you have no problem just use a 235 head gasket and it will cover the unneeded steam holes in the 261 head.

WDofof Texas,
I have been told this is what should be done, I neglected to do this on my first 261, I only had money to buy the new 54 short block at the time and used a head off of a 52 PG 235

*** (I later edited this it actually was a 53 or 54 PG engine)

engine that I replaced with the 261, and I did not know about drilling the holes, I never had a heating problem, I only drove the car for 15000 miles back and forth to work from Iowa Park to a Road job near Quanah. before I traded it for a 59 Pontiac.