Wanted: search 261 ci chevy/pontiac engine

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Lang

Didier

Just a point on these GM engines.

I was rebuilding a 1942 Chevrolet ute (pick up) and had five 1938-47 GM engines collected from around the area.

It was a nightmare as GM seemed to change specifications every 5 minutes. They look, at first glance to be identical but once you try to use parts to build up one good motor you find flywheels have different numbers of holes and spacing for both crank and clutch mount, water pumps are different, heads have different water holes (can be blocked by putting on the wrong head gasket), different length valves, different sump shapes etc etc.

It took parts from all 5 engines to get a good working engine and a lot of pulling off things that did not fit properly.

Lang

You are not wrong re: the different 216 configurations. The first version was 1937.

They changed the push rod length in 1940 as well as the valve lifters. They also changed the valve length to make allowance for the fitting of valve caps . I think the post war version was different again.