VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 1936 Master Deluxe engine replacement

Hello, My 36 has been sitting for about 24 years. Yesterday I removed the starter motor thinking I would send it out to be bench tested along with the generator. I noticed the ring gear teeth are all damaged. Then today I found my hand crank and tried to turn the engine but had no luck. It would not turn.
I removed the spark plugs and looked inside the cylinders and could see a bit of rust and other gritty looking material.
The first cylinder was full of antifreeze. So now I think I need to consider removing the engine.

My questions:

I have a 235 Chevy engine that I believe is in decent shape. Would this engine bolt in to take the place of the 207?

What other items might I need to be concerned with
if I use the 235?

Would the 235 be a more desirable motor with regard to performance?

Regards,
Ken

Ken,
The 235 can be installed but it is not a "bolt in" job. The 235 replaces the 216 with relative ease. There were significant changes from the 207 to the 216. I'm not sure any bolt pattern or mount location is the same. I think you should consider finding a replacement 36 engine (one year only) or rebuilding yours. Good luck. There is one on ebay at the present time.

Mike

Mike, Thanks for the insight. I did see the engine on ebay.

Tough part is getting it back to Mass. I need to give this

engine some serious consideration though.

I would prefer to keep the engine original as the rest of the

car is original.

Regards,
Ken

Ken
If you are intending to keep the car my suggestion would be to pull the 207 out and do a full rebuild. That way you wont need to worry about it later with the added advantage of it being very close to original.
Tony

Tony, I am working on trying to secure the engine that Mike pointed out that is available on ebay. I hope the seller will decide to work with me to ship it. If not I am definately pulling this motor and moving forward with rebuilding it.

I will of course be looking for information on finding the rebuild kit/items that I will need. When I pull my engine I will let you know what I find with regard to its condition.

Regards,
Ken

Hello, Today I pulled the head off the engine. 4 cylinders were filled with radiator fluid. It looked like the Titanic in there. I will need to find a good rebuiler who can say if this engine is still rebuildable. It doesn't look good.

The rocker assembly looked like it was in decent shape. The push rods looked OK as well.

Regards,
Ken

I have a couple 36 blocks if you find that you need one. bwbugay@aol.com

Ken
Your thoughts are the best option now, on top of the pistons is not a good place for coolant.
Going by previous posting in other threads in your situation I would have the head fully checked for cracks as this apparently is a fairly common fault.
Tony

Wondering if you added coolant to the engine with hopes of getting it started? You may just have a leaking head gasket, or if the car was parked without enough anti-freeze in it the cylinder head could be cracked. I'd look things over real good before I started cleaning things up and wiping away any traces where the coolant actually came from.
Good Luck Don

Don, I didn't add any antifreeze to try to get it started. What I found in the cylinders had been there for some time.
I am going to have the head checked for cracks and then repaired unless I can find a new one. I am concerned about keeping the original block because my Vin number is from the block. I need to proceed with patience. I am especially grateful to all of you who have given me some great advice and direction from this site. When I googled 1936 Chevy I never expected to find such a great site. I would not be as far along with my restoration if it weren't for all of you.

I will post my progress with the engine.

The car is getting brakes this week, fuel tank is being removed, exhaust is being removed and all new exhaust should be in it by next week.

Rims are getting sand blasted and powder coated. New tires should be on by next week.

The car rolls very nicely for now on the old tires and rims.

I have til Mid march to work on this car every day. Then landscaping starts again and my time to work on it gets narrowed down dramatically.

Ken

Ken,
I agree with others about using the original engine if at all possible. If the engine swap becomes necessary you can register the car using the Serial number that is located on a tag on the floor between the passenger's seat and the door. Look carefully...should be there.

Thanks for the advice about using the serial number. My tag is there and it is readable. I find out sometime next week if the head is good and repairable and also have someone coming to look at the block. Regards,
Ken

I found out yesterday that apparently my head is not repairable. I was told that it had been repaired once already.

Now I'll need to find another head. The block is being looked at next week to see if that is salvageable.

The carberator has been rebuilt and the generator and starter motor are being rebuilt. I should have them back next week.
The brakes will be completed early next week and i have ordered a new fuel tank and straps.

I'll post my progress with the block and finding a new head.

Hello, My block cast number is 836010-7 Under this is G-20-6

Also in this area is CONV-1

I have located another block with cast number 836010-7 Under

this is A-16-6

Also in this area is CONV-4

I will be matching the cast numbers for thwe heads by the end of the day and compare them as well.

Does it appear that these two blocks are the same? Do some of the cast numbers indicate where and when they were made?

I think the block I am considering came out of a 36 two door sedan. My car is a 4 door sedan. Does the two different models have any significance?

Regards,
Ken

The most important number is the 836010 casting number. This number was used in 1936 only and all 1936 engines were the same.
The G 20 6 is the casting date , G=July, 20=day, 6=the year it was cast (1936). The remainder of the numbers/letters are of no importance. In 1936 all blocks/engines were made in Flint.

The A 16-6 engine would have been a block cast in Jan.
Date of castings is of no importance in VCCA judging, I wouldn't worry about it for that reason.

Gene, Thank you. I had an engine rebuilder here today. He didn't think my engine was too bad. I am going to take my time getting it unstuck and disassembled. Then he will take it from there.
My head cast number is 837-68-2

It has been looked at and will need alot of repair work. I am hoping to find another 207 that I might be able to use the head from.

Regards,
Ken

If you find the cylinder walls are too rusty for just a rebore, they can be sleeved quite successfully back to standard bore size which makes for easy purchase of new rings etc.
Chris

Hello, Is there any relationship with the casting numbers on the connecting rods (837684) and
the head cast number(837682)?

These are cast numbers from my 36 207 engine.

I am looking at another 207 engine and am waiting to get the head cast number.

Do the head cast numbers need to match?

Regards,
Ken

The casting numbers will NOT match. Best you get the casting date for both and see how close they are.

Ray, So the head cast numbers will all be different. I need to see that the head cast dates are close to each other. Do I have this correct?

Ken

Hello, Will a head that is on a 207 and having a cast number of 1/17/41 be the correct head for my 207?

Ken

The 1936 head will have casting # 837981. This will be the number under the valve cover. The "book" part # was 601988 and was not on the head. If you are looking at an engine and the condition of the head is unknown there is a 50/50 chance the the head is cracked. If it were mine I would be more concerned about finding a "good" head and less concerned about the date which can not be seen when the valve cover is installed. There just are not too many good 1936 heads to be had.
If the head has a 1941 casting number it would indiacte the head was a replacement sold through the parts department at some time after the date you have posted. The date really has nothing to do about the year the head fits.

Gene, Thanks for the reply. Sounds like I need to be more concerned with the block casting to be an exact match and therefore the head that is on the engine should be correct.

I have found two engines both with the same cast numbers

as my block. I am waiting for the owner to send me the head cast numbers this eve.

It will still remain to be seen if either head is good.

Thanks
Ken

Gene, I also found another 207 that is supposedly from a 1935.

It has block cast number 837591 and is the motor with the head cast date of 1/41. (a replacement head as you mentioned).

My question- is this a motor that would fit my bell housing?

Or is it necessary to stay with the 36 block with cast number

836010?

Yes, the casting date on the head and the date from the block. They should be relatively close to indicate and initial wedding.