VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Mechanical - Engine, Trans, etc Intake/Exhaust Manifold for a 235

I have a '56 BelAir with a 235. I had it at my mechanic for the past 2 days to correct a vaccum leak. Come to find out the intake manifold had warped so badly the 3 ports were not lining up. Come to find out previous repair work had left out the 3 shims (or rings) which line up the intake. I hadn't realized the intake and exhaust manifolds are separate units on the 235. Now the question: anyone know where to obtain the intake/exhaust manifolds for a 235? Are there after-market avail. or is it all used and where can you get a good one that is not warped? Are all years of the 235 interchangable for this part? And where can you get these port shims? Any resources would be appreciated. CAB

I doubt very much if the intake manifold is warped.Its common to find the exhaust warped but not the intake.The two manifolds can be left bolted together and the area that contacts the head resurfaced.

My suggestion would be to disconnect the exhaust pipe.Loosen the intake to exhaust bolts (order a new gasket)(also order 3 of the intake manifold rings from Chevs of the '40's)-slp the new rings into the head and guide the manifold in place.The rings line-up the ports.Tighten bolts to head and the the 4 bolts holding the manifolds together.

If the exhaust maniflod is warped it will "bend " into place when bolts are tightened.

I believe that the manifold rings are available from the Filling Station in Lebanon, Oregon.

Thanks to both of you for your comments. I think because of the lack of the manifold rings guiding the intake over time both the intake and exhaust manifold sagged from the heat. I agree with care and rings in place tightening down the bolts to the head under heat the manifolds will be okay. My mechanic did this although because of the sag he had to use an extra amount of gasket material between the intake and exhaust manifold. What was happening the sag became so great that I was losing vacuum. By the way I found the rings at East Coast Chevy locally

Hi cab,

The preferred method is to bolt the two manifolds together after lining them up by eye. Tighten the 4 bolts in order to secure the two manifolds together. Take both manifolds to a machine shop that has the large water cooled belt grinder. The face of both manifolds are ground until all surfaces are touched. Now reinstall along with the required three rings. This procedure will give you a much better chance of not leaking than any other.

Thanks for the suggestions given. I do have a follow up question to my original one and that is does anyone know the interchangabililty of this intake/exhaust manifold combo? I have located one at East Coast Chevy that came off of a 6 cyl. 1962 Chevy vintage. They however don't know whether it will fit or not without installing it. I know when the 6 cyl was changed from a 216 CID to a 235 changes were made.

my interchange book shows 50 - 58 235 intakes will interchange and 49 - 62 235 exhaust manifolds will interchange..

If you do go the machin route and have the manifold resurfaced you will have to check the depth of the machining in the manifold and the fit of the new rings. One time had to modify the a ring as the face of the manifold had been machined and it was not possible to properly torque the manifolds to the head.