The 261 was a good engine. Pulled very well. So was the replacement 230/250 from 63 onward. Lots of power in these engines for a full size Chevy or Pontiac in the 60s. 

If memory serves me right, even the 235 in Chev was replaced with the 230 in 1963. My Dad had a new 62 Biscayne with a 235, 3 on the tree. The biggest lemon he ever owned, had to rebuild it in less than 30K miles. He had a 57 Strato Chief with a 261 before that and he ever regret trading it in for the Chev. The 261 worked circles around the 235, pulled harder and better on gas. If you wanted to go by someone just throw it in 2nd gear and you were gone. If you wanted to pass with the Chev throw it in 2nd gear and it laughed at you unless you were going down a steep hill and that was the god's honest truth.

Remote oil filters were an accessory in the early years 55-57 and probably became standard later on. These filters did not make any difference except to lower oil pressure a little bit. It all comes down to regular oil changes and keeping the internal engine parts clean. A 235 six was a dog compared to a 261 as I had both 235 in a 55 Belair and my 261 in my 55 Pontiac. The 261 has torque and when you want to pass you can. I have taken guys for a ride in my 55 and they are all impressed with the pulling power of the big six. The rear 3:70 ratio helps to.

Al

Glenn Musgrave wrote:

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If memory serves me right, even the 235 in Chev was replaced with the 230 in 1963. My Dad had a new 62 Biscayne with a 235, 3 on the tree. The biggest lemon he ever owned, had to rebuild it in less than 30K miles. He had a 57 Strato Chief with a 261 before that and he ever regret trading it in for the Chev. The 261 worked circles around the 235, pulled harder and better on gas. If you wanted to go by someone just throw it in 2nd gear and you were gone. If you wanted to pass with the Chev throw it in 2nd gear and it laughed at you unless you were going down a steep hill and that was the god's honest truth.

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 I know the 261 was a great engine. I'm surprised the 235 was as poor as you describe as I believe it's the same basic engine as the 261. I wonder if the 235 had the remote oil filter that my 62 261 had. Perhaps they were standard on all the 6 cylinders by then but if not did this make a difference to longevity?

I don't remember the oil filter system in it.  Giving the 235's the benefit of the doubt, I think my Dad's was simply a dud.  I bought a 79 Delta 88 new from Saskatoon Motors, it had a 301 (4.9L) V8, that was another factory dud.  Had it to many dealer ships across Canada and no one could find why it had no power on hills and only gave me 14 mph when it was rated for 26 mpg EPA.  I solved the problem when the car was 1 year old by putting in a 403 (6.6L) and everything improved including my love the car.  The guy who bought the 301 tore it down and discovered the timing chain was off a tooth.  He corrected it and then put it in a taxi that he drove for several more years.

The 235 & 261 sixes evolved from the original stovebolt of 1929. A few displacement increases then a significant update in 1936 carried them through with minimal changes after. The 235 came out in U.S. big trucks in 1942 but didn't make it to passenger cars until 1950 on Powerglide cars.  Full pressure oiling was added to the design on the Powerglide versions, then on all version starting 1954. 1954 was the year Chevy introduced the 261 Jobmaster in big trucks. The hydraulic lifter 261 was a Canadian Pontiac exclusive from 1955-62. As you can see the design goes way back. Meanwhile foundry and thin-wall casting techniques evolved to the point where the V8 was significantly lighter than the old inline six. The redesign was rolled out in stages, first for '62 was the 153 L4 & 194 L6 in Chevy II's & Acadians. Combining the bore & pistons of the 153 onto the 194 produced the 230 starting in 1963. They had 7 main bearing, full pressure lubrication & full-flow oil filtration, improved port configuration, a common bellhousing pattern matching the V8s, plus they were a darn sight lighter. The 292 was a taller block version to accommodate the longer stroke without having rod angularity problems. It was never conceived to have hood clearance for passenger cars, just trucks.

 

So why not a 292 six in a Canadian Pontiac? It may have been a bit much and it may not have delivered the fuel economy cheapskate 6-cylinder buyers sought. Then there's the issue of block height, which will put your air-cleaner through the hood, at least using the cooking-pot type air cleaners used with downdraft carbs of their time.  Meanwhile at Ford a crank swap is all it takes to turn a 240 into a 300, but Chevrolet based the 292 on a taller block with the fuel pump & RHS motor mount relocated. Again the 300 was no fuel economy champ, but it was certainly a champ (like the 292).

You know those inline sixes with their natural power pulses coming in every 120 degrees of crank rotation, combined with mild camshaft timing makes them pull surprisingly strong off idle up to mid-range, where carburetor & manifold restrictions end the power there.

 

CdnGMfan wrote:

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So why not a 292 six in a Canadian Pontiac? It may have been a bit much and it may not have delivered the fuel economy cheapskate 6-cylinder buyers sought. Then there's the issue of block height, which will put your air-cleaner through the hood, at least using the cooking-pot type air cleaners used with downdraft carbs of their time .... You know those inline sixes with their natural power pulses coming in every 120 degrees of crank rotation, combined with mild camshaft timing makes them pull surprisingly strong off idle up to mid-range, where carburetor & manifold restrictions end the power there.

 

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Cam, now you are making me want to build up a 292. There's one for sale locally out of a late 60s Chev pickup. I'd like to get it, but what would I put it in? 

Truth is that I already have enough projects so this will have to remain nothing more than a thought. Otherwise it would be just another project that I'd never get to.