VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION What did you do with your vehicle today? 1938 car and 1947 truck

Friend and I found out my '38 Master Deluxe has a 1947 CID truck block with a matching '40s era cylinder head. Two push rods bent (both intake valve rods on #1 and #3). We removed rocker arms, rocker shaft, and cylinder head. Set parts aside so I could clean them later this week. Phew, what a job! Pistons look clean. Found out #3 intake valve was STUCK. I mean STUCK in capital letters. Friend brought valve removal tool and we were able to wrestle it out of the shaft. Also looks like lifters are incorrect for the block, and the pushrods are about 1" longer than they should be. Ordered another $400 or so of parts, looking forward to packages coming in the mail! I know it is overkill but I bought a little space heater and I am keeping the block dry and free of moisture until the gaskets arrive. Don't want any of my oiled parts getting any moisture on them! One fellow who happened to be driving by saw my friend and I in the carport working on the car and asked if he could visit. He stayed a good hour or two and we had great fun. Come to find out he has a '39 Chevrolet and is trying to get his running now. Small world! Overall a GREAT day.

The 1938 push rods were 12 7/64 long and sat at the bottom of the lifter.
The 1940-1953 216 push rod is 10 7/16" long and sits on top of the lifter.

It would be advised to find out exactly what you have. The block casting numbrt (6 or 7 numbers and the head casting number (top of head left side) will help to ID so if and valves, etc. are required you get the correct ones.

It's possible that the lifters were changed with other than NOS OEM requiring different push rods.

Yuo can use the 1937-1939 deep lifters and longer push rods in a 1940-1953 216 and the short push rods and tall ifters in a 1937-1939 engines.

When we pulled the lifters out, they look like they are actually hydraulic lifters, which would be incorrect for our 1947 truck engine. We ordered correct lifters and correct push rods so we can get the engine back to 1947 specifications. We could tell that the previous mechanic had adjusted the rocker arm adjustments as far as they would go to "force" the longer push rods to work! It is kinda fun pulling the parts apart and seeing what you truly have.

You say that you have a 1947 truck engine. Do you know if it is a 216 or 235 as the push rods are of a different length.
Small trucks had a 216 and large trucks and school buses could have a 235.

Chev Nut, yes sir, the block casting ID identifies it as a 216, so I feel confident we have a 216 and not a 235.