Thread: 216 or 400v8

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I am restoring a 1939 chevy truck 3/4 ton. I have pulled the original 216 out of it and it needs a complete overhaul. I figure it will cost at least a few thousand to get it all done. I also have a 400 small block engine that is sitting in the garage and is in running condition it just needs to be cleaned up. I know it will be cheaper for me to do this but than again I think I would have to change the rear end because its geared so low. I really do appreciate the old 216 engine I took out of it so Just looking at the advantages and disadvantages of each

Welcome to the forum, and looking forward to watching your project get done.

I'd say it depends on what your end goal is for the truck. If you really want a restored original, good for putting around town or running in on Saturday night for an ice cream, maybe making a run to the hardware store or lumber yard but limited to around 50 to 60mph on the highway then restore the 216. If you're wanting a hot rod, suitable for driving at modern highway speeds safely and going to distant cruises and shows then you're looking at the 400 engine, new tranny, driveshaft and rear end, along with upgrading the brakes as you go. The key to a good project is to go into it with a good, detailed plan; and the budget to support it, either doing the bulk of the work yourself or writing checks. Add to that the schedule to get it done and you're ready to rumble! Just my $0.02, in my second project now, slooooowly.

Welcome to the forum and we love pictures.
I'm assuming you have the transmission that was with the 400? If you're not going to keep the truck all original, the 400 is the way I'd go along with a later rear end.

for a rear end to mount under an early vehicle with parallel leaf springs-ford 9 inch from Lincoln Vercius or 8 3/4 from a mopar product late 60s early 70s.


If you keep the 216, good luck finding someplace to do the babbit in the rods------fiber board timing gears suck-but they do make need sounds with split exhaust manifold and dual pipes


Take a look at the straight 6 cyl in the Trail Blazer line-250 hp--------good economy

JMHO, as much as I love the old 6s, if you are not going for an original restoration I'd go with the 400...with a good used 700R4 and a new driveshaft. To begin with I'd leave the original axle alone until you've had enough miles on it to be sure it's necessary to change it out. By the time you get the tranny, bracketry, drive shaft, 6 to 12 volt conversion, etc. you probably will not be saving much if any $$$, but you will have a more useable vehicle.

New gearing will improve top end, and It's a cheap upgrade.

If expense is the only benchmark, then keep in mind that installing the 400 won't be cheaper. You'll need to upgrade transmission, brakes, new exhaust, radiator, gears, brackets, linkages.

Originally Posted by joebobunshop

I am restoring a 1939 chevy truck 3/4 ton. I have pulled the original 216 out of it and it needs a complete overhaul. I figure it will cost at least a few thousand to get it all done. I also have a 400 small block engine that is sitting in the garage and is in running condition it just needs to be cleaned up. I know it will be cheaper for me to do this but than again I think I would have to change the rear end because its geared so low. I really do appreciate the old 216 engine I took out of it so Just looking at the advantages and disadvantages of each

The first sentence of your post tells the tale.
Restoration: repair or renovate (a building, work of art, vehicle, etc.) so as to return it to its original condition.
If you had said that you wanted to hot rod an old '39 Chevy truck, I'd be all about suggesting ways to make that 400 work, but you didn't say that.

I strongly advise the rebuilding of the old 216 and keeping the truck original.

.

just wait til you get the oil pan off and see them little scoops that did into oil spray for the rods----------

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

just wait til you get the oil pan off and see them little scoops that did into oil spray for the rods----------

Yeah, It's an antiquated design, but nonetheless performed service in Chevrolets for 26 years, 1937 to 1963.

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Couple strips of bacon rhine and those babbitts will go a couple hundred more miles, lol!

Whichever way you decide to go with this project, welcome to the family here. And as mentioned, we love photo's so whether you decide to go the full restoration way or the Hot Rod way, please start a build thread for us to follow along with .

Yep---I have done the bacon rhine


however nowadays, I haven't seen any bacon slabs in stores for years---------


and you can change rods off the pistons from the bottom without removing the head or piston, and can't get the distributor out of the block unless the pistons are at the right spot-------

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

however nowadays, I haven't seen any bacon slabs in stores for years---------

LOL, you got me there.

Well it is a truck so he could haul a pig around with him just in case he needed some-----




all the crews in those engines was why chevys were called stove bolts

Those old 216's will not take much spirited driving as the dipper oil system is just not up to higher revs. If you want a restoration, however, you have no choice but to keep it and live with the limitations. If what you want is the "look" of a restoration, but with more modern capabilities, you might consider upgrading the 6 to a later 235 or 261 which will have a pressure oiling system, more useable power and yet will look (at least to the casual viewer) to be stock and will be a mostly bolt in swap.
Keep in mind that to use the 400 you will have to replace not only the transmission, but the entire drive-line since the original truck used a torque tube rear axle which is not compatible with a modern automatic. Also, with that increase in power you would need to upgrade the brakes and probably steering so it is not going to be a less expensive option. It would, though, be a much more exciting truck to drive.