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Post Info TOPIC: Seeking Engine 1953 GMC 300


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Seeking Engine 1953 GMC 300


Looking for my brother in NB.  He has a 1953 GMC 300 series which requires an engine.  It appears that in 53, it would have been a 216CI.  Doing some online Sunday research, I've read a couple of blogs that recommend to replace them with a 253 or 261 due to notorious low oil pressure in the 216.

Any recommendations or knowledge of an engine for sale would be appreciated.  He is open to having it shipped across the country.

Thanks

 



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Pressure lube was extended to all 235s for 1954, prior to that it was for cars with Powerglides. 261s were introduced to the medium trucks for 1954 as well. Your friend may do well to consider a 270 or 302 GMC straight six. If he wants to reduce the weight on the front, swap in a later model 292 Chevy. He could run HEI and everything.

 

You know what's ironic? GMCs built in Canada had Chevy engines, plus  they built Chevrolet trucks with GMC engines and called them "Maple Leaf".



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67 Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe, Oshawa-built 250 PG never disturbed.

In garage, 296 cid inline six & TH350...

Cam, Toronto.


I don't judge a man by how far he's fallen, but by how far back he bounces - Patton



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I agree with Cam on the GMC 270 or better 302 in line six but good luck finding one. Very near impossible to find one. Vintage in line hot rodders that build these motors know they are the holy grail of vintage in line six hot rodding motors. When one comes up for sale it is gone gone gone. The 261 or 235 Chevrolet is a real solid motor to put in your car. 



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1957 Pontiac Pathfinder Deluxe sedan restored 261 six

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long stroke wrote:

I agree with Cam on the GMC 270 or better 302 in line six but good luck finding one. Very near impossible to find one. Vintage in line hot rodders that build these motors know they are the holy grail of vintage in line six hot rodding motors. When one comes up for sale it is gone gone gone. The 261 or 235 Chevrolet is a real solid motor to put in your car. 


 Are the 261 and 235 easier to find?

Thanks for the info



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Winnipeg wrote:
long stroke wrote:

I agree with Cam on the GMC 270 or better 302 in line six but good luck finding one. Very near impossible to find one. Vintage in line hot rodders that build these motors know they are the holy grail of vintage in line six hot rodding motors. When one comes up for sale it is gone gone gone. The 261 or 235 Chevrolet is a real solid motor to put in your car. 


 Are the 261 and 235 easier to find?

Thanks for the info


 Kim, lets put it this way. They are far easier to find but they are getting hard to find as well, especially in rebuild condition. The 235 is more common than the 261. The Canadian 261 that was put in 1955 to 1962 Canadian Pontiac's was not the same as the actual American Chevrolet truck 261's that were offered from 1954 to 1963. Our Canuk 261 had hydraulic camshafts and the American 261's were all solid lifter camshafts. You will probably end up with a 235 Chevy six, which is a million miles ahead of the 216. Good luck with your search. 



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1957 Pontiac Pathfinder Deluxe sedan restored 261 six

1974 Chevrolet Caprice Estate wagon low mileage original 400 V-8



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long stroke wrote:
Winnipeg wrote:
long stroke wrote:

I agree with Cam on the GMC 270 or better 302 in line six but good luck finding one. Very near impossible to find one. Vintage in line hot rodders that build these motors know they are the holy grail of vintage in line six hot rodding motors. When one comes up for sale it is gone gone gone. The 261 or 235 Chevrolet is a real solid motor to put in your car. 


 Are the 261 and 235 easier to find?

Thanks for the info


 Kim, lets put it this way. They are far easier to find but they are getting hard to find as well, especially in rebuild condition. The 235 is more common than the 261. The Canadian 261 that was put in 1955 to 1962 Canadian Pontiac's was not the same as the actual American Chevrolet truck 261's that were offered from 1954 to 1963. Our Canuk 261 had hydraulic camshafts and the American 261's were all solid lifter camshafts. You will probably end up with a 235 Chevy six, which is a million miles ahead of the 216. Good luck with your search. 


 Thanks again. Greatly appreciated



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You still see the occasional 292 truck six for sale, but if you are going for an older engine the 261 Pontiac 6 does a great job of moving a heavy vehicle down the road. 



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I'm not going to be of help but just have to say, I'm at my cottage and my cousin has a 53 pickup with a 216 in his garage just a few hundred feet from where I am now. it runs great and its got an original 4 speed in it, takes it out just about every day up here. Brought it up from Texas, last summer.

He's going to crate engine it in the near future and resto mod it. I like it original though.

 



-- Edited by 73SC on Sunday 2nd of August 2020 09:12:49 PM

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Winnipeg wrote:
 Are the 261 and 235 easier to find?

Thanks for the info


 Yes! I think the motor mounting system changed on the sixes for 1955, that may also be true of the 55 2nd series trucks (not certain). That may add to the task of dropping in a new engine, but it isn't a big deal.

I like the idea of a 292 but that is starting down the road of modifications and your friend may not want to go  there. It would be a good swap in the spirit of the torquey inline truck sixes though. Is the truck still running 6V?

 

Ha, I just remembered, an older friend had an uncle (now deceased as he would be 108+) up near Wiarton that had a couple of spare stovebolt sixes new in crates as spares for his WWII Chevy 1.5 ton. The bad news is they sat in crates outdoors at his cottage for decades and have likely been sold off or scrapped.



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67 Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe, Oshawa-built 250 PG never disturbed.

In garage, 296 cid inline six & TH350...

Cam, Toronto.


I don't judge a man by how far he's fallen, but by how far back he bounces - Patton

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