I picked up the fully rebuilt engine last week, now looking at it and online sources to get to know the differences between the 216 and the 235 cu.in. engines, mostly to determine what needs to be converted to fit it in my C15 4x2. The previous owner rebuilt this 235 c.i. with a SM420 4-speed transmission/ gearbox with crawler 1st gear and synchro on 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear. He was planning to fit this in his 1932 Packard 900 Coupe Roadster. He had sent away the Packard engine to be rebuilt with cast white metal bearings etc. As this was taking a very long time, he decided to rebuild a Chevrolet engine as he has the skills and spares to work on these. Of course, as things go, by the time he had the Chevrolet engine done, the rebuilt 320 c.i. 8-cylinder Packard engine showed up in his workshop after four years at the rebuilder.
I reckon the overall length of the SM420 gearbox is pretty much the same as the wartime non-synchro one in the C15. If it is longer, that's no problem as I can shorten the drive shaft (I have a spare somewhere).
Still need to figure out if the rear engine mounts are compatible to the setup in the C15. Front engine mount is the center one. Not sure if I need/ want to convert the water pump. RHD gas pedal linkage to be swapped over from spare.
Plus I need to figure out if I fit the RHD bell housing off a CMP - would it swap over using this gearbox? Else I have to convert the current one to a right hand clutch fork
as per Phil's instructions.
