Reproduction Parts for 1916-1964 Chevrolet Passenger Cars & 1918-1987 Chevrolet & GMC Trucks


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#467982 03/18/22 01:42 AM
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Did all 216’s have the tall side cover on the right side of the block?

Today I was wandering around the Mecum auction in Glendale. One the feature cars is a 1951 Styleline Deluxe convertible that at one time belonged to Steve McQueen.

The display poster stated that the car has the original 216 engine. When I looked at the engine I saw an engine with a “short” side over over the lifter galley. It did not extend up to the valve cover. The car has a standard column shift manual transmission.

I thought the short side cover was used on the 235 engine that was introduced for Powerglide cars beginning in 1950. Those engines used a different head design than the 216.

Looking for the experts to keep me straight!


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I thought all 216s had the tall cover but I'm sure no expert.
According to this we are correct.

Last edited by Tiny; 03/18/22 07:35 AM.

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In Canada we had a 216 that was used, not exclusively, from 1950 to 1952, with a short side cover. Although it looks like the later 235, it has bulges in the head casting between cylinders 1&2, 3&4 and 5&6. The head and block are not compatible with the later 235. There was a US 235 version with that setup. I have the Canadian 216 in my 51 1 Ton. My replacement head has the US casting number but it was removed from another Canadian 216.


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In mid 1951 the Canadian 216 had an "engine change".
Yes, it had the low side cover.
Used the 235 block casting but height of the block was reduced by.135" due to the shorter stroke, The head was (more or less) the same except it used the smaller 1 11/32" intake valves.
Had the same 3 1/2" by 3 3/4" bore and stroke so was still a 216 cubic inch engine.

There was a great artcle in the Jan. 1988 listing the parts and part numbers of what all were used comparing the 216 and 235..

Would be nice to have the article rerun in the G&D again.

Also NO convertibles were made in Canada in 1951 but were imported from the US so I would suspect any convertible would have had a US 216 engine.

The other Canadian spcial engine was in 1953 when all Canadian 235 engines had full pressue oiling and aluminum pistons while the stick shift US 235 enines still had dippers and iron pistons.


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I did not look at the body and vehicle tags on the car. I am assuming that it is a US built vehicle.

I just looked at the photos on the Mecum website. It is definitely a 235. It has a valve cover with the 4 screws around the perimeter, not the 2 studs down the center. Other modifications include 12 volt electrical with an alternator and what appears to be a vinyl or leather pleated interior.

This is a perfect example of “buyer beware” at these big auctions. Sellers will state anything to make a deal.


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I have a couple questions. Not being picky, just for my information and curiosity. Should the firewall be the same color as the car? I saw a chip that looks like the car might have been green. What is the extra vacuum line from the manifold?

I still like the car and would not mind owning it. Curious to see what it brings/


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The bare body extterior was painted as a unit including the firewall,
Guess the vacuum line was for the Power Glide vacuum modulator. Difficult to guess with no picture.


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Gene, going by the pictures the car has a standard transmission.

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Vacuum line could be some type PCV setup but I see that road draft tube is still in place.


1951 styline deluxe sport coupe w/54 engine and power glide
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The pictures will not open up for me.

The car could have been a Power Glide originally or at least the engine.


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As Rusty said the car is not as advertised. Buyer beware. I sold a car through Mecum. They say up front when you register to buy or sell that they make no guarantee. They are there only to bring buyer and seller together.


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Tiny is so correct. Maybe I am just too conservative. I would never spend the money these buyers do at an auction.

You are completely at the seller’s mercy if you can even find the seller to talk to them. In rare cases you might be able to hear the car start and run while it so driven to the auction block. You cannot drive the car. How much of the underside you can see is strictly a function of how high the car sits and your flexibility.

In addition to claims like those about this 1951 convertible, my friend and I laughed when we saw 2 1967 Nova’s with the L79 engine. There were display posters with both of them. Both posters stated that there were only 6 of these cars produced in 1967. One car was supposed to be 1 of the only 3 remaining documented examples, The other poster stated that car was the only documented example known to exist. Both cars were sitting only 50’ apart on the main floor.

Buyer beware!!! The auction house always wins! At Mecum the buyer pays a 10% premium over the hammer price. The seller pays 10% of the hammer price for a reserve car plus the entry fee which can be as high as $1500 for prime time slots.


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Whether it is a "correct' car or not probably won't affect its value perhaps as much as its history if properly documented.


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I agree that documentation of authenticity is a real factor when promoting a special car.

As a side note and to get us back to the original topic, Steve McQueen’s car was a no sale yesterday at $170,000.

The car has quite an interesting history with respect to ownership after he died in 1980. It was sold by his estate 4 years later at an auction in Las Vegas. The next sale I could find was in 2012 when Rick of Pawn Starts bought it for $37,000. He sold it in the spring of 2013 at a Florida auction for $88,000. It next sold at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2018 for $126,500. When Rick at Pawn Stars bought it you can see it has a 235 in it even after his “expert” checked the car.

Proven provenance has value!.


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It went for well over 100k, I think maybe 130 or more.


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There is a 1938 Master Deluxe Coupe on EBay. It is blue with red trimmed wheels. If you look at the engine photos, you will see it is that 235 that was used in 1951 and 52. You can see the bulges that I mentioned, on the head casting.


My 1951 1 Ton is now on the road! My 38 Master 4 Door is also now on the road .

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