VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 '32 Rocker arms and supports

In a previous post I reported that my search for a '32 or '33 head to use on my '32 engine yielded a '32 head. I have had a crack repaired and valve seat inserts installed in badly eroded exhaust valve seats and all was good. I have purchased new '32 valves and have reamed the new valve guides and lapped the new valves.

The head that I destroyed that was on this running engine was a '33. The rocker arms had a casting number of 837164. The '29 to '41 price list shows a number of 600873 for the rocker arm assembly including adjusting screw and nut, but (of course), no individual part numbers. In another thread Steve D said that he couldn't find the part number 837164, but that '32 and '33 Master were the same so I should be good. Can anyone confirm that rocker arm casting number 837164 is correct for '32?

If the arms are correct I'm guessing that the shaft and bushings are correct also. That leaves the rocker arm supports. I have checked all I have and have found supports for '29 to '31 and supports for '33 to'34. No supports for '32, which are part number 836813. What is the difference? Can I shim some of what I have to be correct?

Does anyone out there have part number 836813 rocker arm supports?

Is anyone here going to the Pate swap meet in Fort Worth this weekend? I'll be the old, fat, white-haired guy pulling a little-old-lady two wheeled shopping cart with a big "Wanted -- '32 Chevy engine -- complete or parts" sign on it.

Thanks for reading all this stuff. Tom

The 1933 Engineering states the new 1933 rocker arms measure 3 5/32" for the rocker armcenter distance where as the 1932 measures 3 3/16".This indicates they are different and would not have the same part number.......but the 1935 parts book shows part #600873 rocker arm as being for 1932 and 1933. The 600873 number is out of sequence for other 1932 or 1933 parts so my best educated guess is the 837164 casting number went with either a 1932 or 1933rocker arm, probably with that number leaning more toward the 1933 number series.
I can not find my 1934 parts book but it would probably help solve the number game. Chevrolet did not put the casting numbers in the parts book back then.

Another member who lives close by is also doing a 32 engine and his has a 33 head with a "mix" of parts. His rocker arms have the same casting number as ones I have from a 32 as well as the supports. He is also in need of supports due to cracked ones and I will be supplying him those . I can get the casting numbers tomorrow. I won't know if I will have any extras until Saturday. What is the height of the supports you have? Your supports may be what he could use . I'll check to see if he is interested in perhaps doing a swap if that would solve both your needs.

According to the 1933 edition of the Chevrolet parts book, the rocker arms for 1932 are a one year only application with the rocker arms for 1933 being different. The part number for the 1932 rocker arm is 836765 and the part number for the 1933 rocker arm is 836954. The rocker arm shafts for both 1932 and 1933 are the same.

Perhaps for the 1/32 difference the later replacements were the same as my 29-38 book and 29-42 book both list 600873 for 32-33.

A lot of the more recent Chevrolet parts books retro-fitted later manufactured parts to use as replacements for the original equipment parts even though the parts were not totally identical to the original part. And, usually the original part numbers were changed accordingly.

Steve D---I'm sorry for the delayed response to your request for heights of rocker arm supports that I have. I have one set that have a casting number of 835572 and a height of 2.34. The other set is casting number 836958 and a height of 2.42.

I have a line on another '32 engine that I hope is all original (I've seen the number on the block, and it is '32, but the owner hasn't pulled the rocker cover yet to see what the head casting number is). If it is all original and the rocker arm supports are what I need, the ones I have should be available.

Note that these are casting numbers, not part numbers.

Tom

I spoke with the other member and he is going to stay with the supports that came on his 33 engine unless he encounters a problem. The measurements are very close so I don't expect there will be a problem. Thanks for posting the measurements.