Sure or keep the 265 in it. Mike

 

You may not want to go back to the six. Have fun. :anim_25: bowtie-trifive :gba:

 

Only reason to go back to the 6 is originality .You will love the 265 after driving that 6 Mike

 

Here is what I do: Take all the money I dont have. Stand back and throw it at the 235. They are cool with dual carbs, good ignition, headers, all the dress up stuff. Sound great too.

When you are done it will be underpowered, hard on gas, worth half of what you have into it, you will constantly be messing with it because nobody else will know how.

All of the above are the good points. I dont want to be a pessimist. check out my handle here....... I know from whence I speak and wouldnt change a thing!

 

My situation is a little different, as my original 235 is in great running condition. So I plan on a few well thought through hop ups. And in the meanwhile, I will build a V-8 and keep it in my garage until my 235 is in need of an overhaul.

That said...... Were I in your situation (235 needing an overhaul)...... If the 265 you have access to is really in great condition...... I would get it. Then inspect it thoroughly...... Probably pull it apart and freshen it up with new rings, bearings, gaskets, seals, and if it needs anything else (timing chain? valve job?) I would do that before going through all the work involved in changing engines.

Then set aside your 235 if it is original to your otherwise all original car and rebuild it at your leisure.

Just my opinion, but that is what I would do were I in your place. The main value of keeping your original 235 engine will be in order to enhance the originality (and value) of an otherwise 100% original car should you sell it one day.

On the other hand, if your car is a driver...... And drivability is your main concern...... You will never go back to a 235 after you have driven your car with a V-8 in great condition. Even if its a stock 265 rather than a larger V-8. The difference in how the car drives and how much more fun you will have driving it is like night and day. Especially if you make a few well thought out upgrades.

Happy Motoring,

Harry

 

Those six motors are boring.

 

:sign0020:

I enjoy the cruising power out of a 235 rather than the 265/283

 

Yep, they don't run well, not real rugged, profoundly unreliable, darn temperamental, really hard to work on, just all around boat anchors so everyone who removes one from their car should send it directly to me.

 

Yep, they don't run well, not real rugged, profoundly unreliable, darn temperamental, really hard to work on, just all around boat anchors so everyone who removes one from their car should send it directly to me.

View attachment 130384

Or to me if you are in the upper Midwest. I wont even charge you to send it to me. It will be free on my end

 

Take the 265 and don't look back.Have ya some fun. :shakehands: :anim_25: :tu :tu

 

You have a 235 in a Bel Air. That sounds unusual but not impossible. You have a 265 someone wants to unload on you, and you want to use it while you overhaul the six. That's cool. Drive it with the 265 until you can put the six back in it. My advise is don't keep the 265 in a 1957 Bel Air. It doesn't belong. If you want a V8 for your car, find a 283 which was the V8 for the '57 models. If you want performance out of your Bel Air go no less than a Power Packed 327. It'll make you wonder why you wanted the six back in it. JMO...:anim_25:

 

Just touching on what Bob mentioned, 283 would be period correct (unless you have a documented 265) V8 are fun to drive, but you`ll need a few extra items for the conversion, you need to upgrade the exhaust system, engine mounts changed to new position, radiator hoses re modelled to suit new engine as well as linkages changes to suit, just a couple of things to think about.

 

Good points Ang. The position of the radiator may be another key item. Location of the radiator should be changed from the outside of the cross brace to the inside. Otherwise a special shroud or a large spacer will be needed for the fan in order to eliminate engine overheating.
Bob

 

235 vs 265

Thanks everyone, I will put the 265 in it and rebuilt the 235 one day at a time. I forgot to tell you its a 210.

 

Thanks everyone, I will put the 265 in it and rebuilt the 235 one day at a time. I forgot to tell you its a 210.

It was more common in 150's and 210's, but there were Bel Airs with 6 cylinder engines back in the day. You don't see many today because it's like riding a mo-ped. It has been made into a shameful thing by peer pressure by "cool" people and that's a shame.

A local guy has a pristine 57 convertible with a 235 glide and says he has a lot more fun than the 427 4 speed 57 210 2 dr hdtp in the garage. He said he's never been outran in the convertible. :sign0020:

 

My 57 is a Belair 2-door sedan and has always been a 6. Not a single option on the car. I always wondered about that. My father bought the car from the original owner, an older woman, in 65 or so. She purchased the top of the line trim package and no options, not a one. You are all right, the Beliar 6 cars are unusual.

The others are right about the swap. You will need the correct motor mount brackets for a v8. The 6 brackets are not the same. You can use the radiator but will have to leave it in the 6 position and cobble up a hose set up and a fan spacer. Otherwise, if you move it to the v8 position, the hood may not close without hitting the hood brace, you will have to check. You will need either a transmission cross member if your bell housing is not set up for side mounts, or correct v8 side mounts if it is. The 6 and 8 are different. You will also have to cobble up something for fuel line to the pump, 6 is a direct hard line to the pump, v8 uses a hose. Firewall accelerator linkage is different but can be made to work. Not terrible but a few things to deal with.

 

Go with the 265. and instead of spending your money on the six. keep driving the six. bore the 265 to a 283. and put some better parts on it like a cam intake etc. the 6 radiator will cool the V8 ok. If you idle in traffic you might need a fan shroud . or mount a electric fan in front of the radiator. keep the six and store it in a corner for the day that usually never comes when you want to put it back original.

 

When I got to the nationals I had the car on a trailer. Not because its a show car, no way, not on its best day, lol. Its actually the car I took my driver's test in in 1977 when I was 16 and is just as I drove it, scrapes, scratches, dings, all sorts of stuff. I trailered it because my son and I had hung the last part we needed on the car on Tuesday night and we left for Kentucky late Wednesday afternoon after I got done work. I had built a brand new motor and rebuilt a Saginaw 4-speed (my first trans rebuild, usually sent them out) to make the show. All I could get done with the new motor before we left was to break it in. When I left, all I knew is that the motor would start, was not making any funny noises and that the trans would go into first and reverse. That was it. I had 0 miles on both. I was so concerned that the motor would puke the rods out of the pan, or the trans would simply scatter itself all over creation before I actually got the car into to show on Friday morning that I did not even take it off the trailer at the hotel. Trailered it to the show Friday morning, the guys at the gate let me park out front where I unloaded it and drove the car in. Was the first time I had driven the car in like 12 years. I will admit to having squealed like a little girl as my son and I drove in, lol. I had no intention of making a fun run, although I was convincing everyone around me to do it. I was happy just to have made the show. At the end of the day on Friday, I got brave and drove the car down to the track area, drove it around and got it through all four gears. By Saturday, I could not stand it any longer and decided to essentially just drive the car down the track. So with like three miles on the motor and trans, the 3:55 gears (I usually had 4:11 and they are going back in for this year), stock distributor (i usually have a magneto in it which I may put in for this years show), no wind up at the starting line, and keeping the rpms to under 4000 (usually 5700) the car had a nice easy brisk drive down the track at 19.2 around 72. It was so much fun after all these years! I ws going to make another but the little bit of rain we got that afternoon ended the fun run sessions. I now have a few more miles on the motor so this year I will step on the gas a little more and see if the the mighty frankensix stays together and whether I can get it into the high 15s or low 16s.