VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 '52 Low engine side covers

(1952 model reference)

Chevgene,

I have made reference to any earlier posting.

However, I just got back from Hershey, PA. Went down there with early '50's education in mind and I took photos of a few early '50's 216 and 235. Some with and some without low side covers.

Which early '50s 216 and 235 had low side covers (US or Canadian models)?

For US cars-
All 216's had the tall side covers. For passenger cars that would be all standard transmission cars through 1952.
The Power Glide cars, wwhich would be from 1950 and up, had a 235 with a low side cover engine. The 1953-54 Power Glides and 1954 sticks had the 235 with full pressure oiling (no dippers).
1953 sticks had a low side cover 235 with dipers.

For Canadian cars-
The 216 through 1950 had the tall side cover. There were no 1950 Power Glide cars in Canada.
In 1951 the Canadian cars all had a low side cover engine, 216 and 235. The 235 version was in the Power Glides and the 216 in sticks.. Same for 1952. In 1953 ALL Canadian cars had the full pressure oiling , low side cover 235 engine. For the stick this was a year ahead of the US cars (to have full pressure).
Here in the US its common to find a later 235 transplanted into to a stick that originally had a 216. This adds more confusion.
In the US the full pressure engines were blue (from the factory)...not sure about Canada. That means that the 235 sticks in 1953 were the old gray and the Power Glides were blue and all 1954 engines were blue.
Did you see anything intresting for sale?

Chevgene,

Thank you. This will help me sort out transplants from original equipment when reviewing early '50s prospects. Right now I have this fixation on engines with full pressure oiling and main bearing inserts as opposed to babbitted bearings and dippers.

This was our second trip to Hershey, PA. We always see plenty of interesting things (and cars too!) for sale. Personally, I do not have enough experience to evaluation a '50s car for purchase on the spot and would not make a purchase there with confidence. There didn't seem to be any middle ground at Hershey, it was either low end project cars or high priced show pieces.

That would be a 1953 or 1954 car, either tranmission. (Canadian)....to confirm its a full pressure engine it should NOT have the little tin plate on the left side of the block down behind the exhaust pipe-retained with three screws....and the oil pressure gauge shoud top out at 60 pounds rather than 30 pounds (if numbered).All in all the 1953-54 has a much more solid, leak proof body than a 1949-52 + some other improvements.

I guess the follow photos would show an example of a 2 dr. 210 US '54, 235, 3-spd. as you described ('54 engine painted blue 115hp 235 - 3 spd., full pressure oiling).






Where these photos suggest a 4 dr. Bel Air US '53 painted gray, 235, 3-spd. with low side covers (with drippers)???




On closer inspection of the oil pressure gauge on the '53 it shows 30 psi max. However, the owner claims the engine is a '54 withe bearing inserts (note the gauge registers 30 psi when idling).

Would a casting number help clarify if the '53 has a transplanted engine?

It is also not too rare to find a 1950, 51, 52 or 53 and 54 to have the original 235 Powerglide engine and the Powerglide transmission changed out to a 3 speed manual transmission. A car of this modification would have the clutch peddle hole cut either with a cutting torch or some other method and the master cylinder changed to accomadate the extra peddle, and the ball joint slip cover changed to 4 bolts and the 3.55 to 1 ratio rearend, the oil pressure gauge would read 60 PSI.

I have a 1951 Belair that was modified that way, before I bought it.