265 ci Chevy engine & 4 spd tranny

[tinknocker]

I've got a 265 cubic inch small block Chevy engine and 4 spd tranny out of a Monza. The previous owner had it in a T roadster. I don't know the mileage on it, but it is a strong runner.

All the original drivetrain is here, except the 3rd member. a Streetmaster manifold and Edelbrock valve covers are on the engine. The top end needs to be assembled but it's all there.

Need to clean up the garage so it's gotta go.

I am asking $275 cash I'm interested in trading, let me know what you have.

Thanks

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[Gunner3456]

OK, "out of a Monza." Do you mean they were swapped into a Monza first? ??

Does the 265 have the power pack heads?

What exactly is the four speed? A Monza 4 speed or a full sized Chevy 4 speed? Has anyone told you that it is a Muncie or a Saginaw or anything else?

Is it aluminum or steel housed? Can you post the casting numbers on it, including any casting info?

Do you see the casting numbers on the engine block (left driver's side, right behind the head but on the block?) What are they?

On the heads there will be a casting shape on the front. It might be a rectangle only, ground smooth, about 1 1/2 x 1/2" maybe. It might also be that rectangle with a triangle on top center of it. ?? It might be that same rectangle with two "camel humps" on top of it. ??

There is also a definitive part number and date code cast into the head but it is among the valves/valve springs, under the rocker arm covers. Those would be very nice to have...

Can you please post pics and numbers for those? Pics of the front of the heads and any numbers help too.

Thanks.

PS. If the heads have the two camel humps on top of the rectangle, close this ad. They are fairly rare and valuable heads for the not-so-common fuel injected engines, usually Corvettes.

 

[Gunner3456]

OK, here's a quickie sketch of what I described. Top: common 2 barrel low compression, smaller valve heads. Middle, higher compression, larger valve 4 barrel "power pack" heads. Bottom, rare hi performance FI heads, 1957 - ??. Some full sized Chevys beginning in '57 were FI but very rare.

 

[Gunner3456]

PS Obsessive-compulsive here.

A LOT of 50's and 60's and 70's street rods were built using Corvette engines and trannys because there were a lot of wrecked ones in wrecking yards. If not, the builder tried to find a power pack (higher compression, bigger valve, four barrel, etc.) engine. There are four common types of 4 speeds from the 50's - 70's. Muncies include basic M20 and M21 (close and wide ratio) and the M22 "rock crusher" found on big blocks. All will bolt to that 265 bell housing. Then there was the cast iron Saginaw in various ratios - not really preferred by most to the aluminum Muncies.

$.02

PS just because the engine has a 4 barrel doesn't mean squat. It's the heads that have to breath to accommodate that. Lot's of engines have 4 barrels which don't belong there. Lots of aftermarket intake manifolds and carbs out there - Lots. Doesn't mean diddly about what the engine is...

 

[Gunner3456]

One more time. Except for a failed try in 1918, Chevy didn't make a V8 until 1955. That was the 265 which they made in 55, 56 and very early 57. If you have a 265, you may have what someone badly needs to complete a numbers matching Chevy of those years. (In 57 they quickly changed to the 283 and most 57's have the 283)

The car's serial number is stamped into the head boss of the block but that can be faked. The casting numbers (year, month, date, engine type) can't be faked on either the block or the heads.

I'd sloooow down unless you really know what you have there.

 

[gunluvver]

If it is truly a 265 that was installed in a Monza, it will have side engine mounts, which makes it a 56 or 57 engine, If it originally started life in a Monza then it's a 262, or 4.3, not a 265. If in the back of the engine there is a hole for a draft tube next to the distributor, it's a 265. If not, probably something else.

 

[Unka-Boo]

265 won't have a boss for the oil filter either....and Monza would have a 262, or a 305.


...and ya, talk about ADD

Go here with your block and head casting numbers:

http://www.mortec.com/castnum.htm

 

[Gunner3456]

What was a Monza in 1955 - 56 other than a Ferrari? I know only of a Chev Monza that came out in the mid 70's.

??

 

[Gunner3456]

265 won't have a boss for the oil filter either....and Monza would have a 262, or a 305.


...and ya, talk about ADD

Go here with your block and head casting numbers:

http://www.mortec.com/castnum.htm

265 won't have side engine bosses for engine mounts either. They will be at the bottom of the front of the engine on either side...

 

[tinknocker]

Thanks for all the info guys, I'll check it all out.

I got the engine from a co-worker and I'm just parroting what he said as far as the cubic in. of the engine. And that it did start out life in a Monza.

I'll get all the info you described for me to check out. I didn't think to check out the heads to see if he swapped them out for some better ones.

I'll reply on Friday, my grand daughter is coming to town and everything else dims when she is around.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone.

 

[DALE]

Gunner, thanks for the trip down Memory Lane. All the things about early small blocks I learned as a teen-ager in 1961 started coming back from your posts!

 

[Gunner3456]

Welcome. That link to mortec.com is where I always go although I do also have the book, "Chevrolet by The Numbers."

It's very possible for the heads and engine block to be from entirely different cars and years. If it's a 55 out of a 55 Monza (started life in a Monza) it's a Ferrari engine, I would think.

If it's a 265 Chevy V8 it's by far most likely a 55 or 56 with a tiny possibility of being a very early 57. (Also rare.)

The block, heads and tranny will have date codes and part numbers which will match something. Again, hot rods were often built with the (now) valuable factory go-fast parts so it's worth having a look.

Again, if someone is restoring a high dollar 55-56 Chevy convertible to original and you have his engine #'s, who knows what he'd pay for it? If either the block or heads are from a Corvette, especially a fuelie, look out.

Either way if it's gennie 55-56 Chevy.... ???

Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving.

Cliff

 

[Gunner3456]

Gunner, thanks for the trip down Memory Lane. All the things about early small blocks I learned as a teen-ager in 1961 started coming back from your posts!

1961? You're dating yourself.

OK here's your personal trivia. 1961 was the last year that small block Chevys (283 at that time even in Corvettes) had front engine mounts.

In 1962 they kept the 283 but introduced the venerable 327 (a bored and stroked 283.) Both now had the side engine mounts and a single point mount on the transmission - a three point instead of 4 point mount.

The prior 4 point mount wasn't strong enough for the higher horse (eventually 375 hp for the Fuelie and 365 hp for the highest hp carbed) 327 engines.

All of these engines were just bored and stroked versions of that original 265, as was the later 350. Amazing engine.

Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[DALE]

1961? You're dating yourself.

OK here's your personal trivia. 1961 was the last year that small block Chevys (283 at that time even in Corvettes) had front engine mounts.

In 1962 they kept the 283 but introduced the venerable 327 (a bored and stroked 283.) Both now had the side engine mounts and a single point mount on the transmission - a three point instead of 4 point mount.

The prior 4 point mount wasn't strong enough for the higher horse (eventually 375 hp for the Fuelie and 365 hp for the highest hp carbed) 327 engines.

All of these engines were just bored and stroked versions of that original 265, as was the later 350. Amazing engine.

Happy Thanksgiving.

It was nice that the 327 also retained the front threaded mount bosses, making the swaps into '55-57's easy peasy. HAPPY T-DAY!

 

[Gunner3456]

It was nice that the 327 also retained the front threaded mount bosses, making the swaps into '55-57's easy peasy. HAPPY T-DAY!

Yep. Had a 62 340hp Vette engine and Saginaw 4 speed tranny in a 57 hardtop. Simple bolt in using the 57 bell housing and original rear mounts.

The only thing that didn't interchange was the throttle linkage and drive line. A little fabbing and parts swapping and that was good to go.

Anyone else remember the Ansen brand floor shifters before Hurst took over the whole world? Handle had to be special - had to have a big U bend forward to come out from under the bench seat with a 4 speed.

 

[gunluvver]

265 won't have a boss for the oil filter either....and Monza would have a 262, or a 305.


...and ya, talk about ADD

Go here with your block and head casting numbers:

http://www.mortec.com/castnum.htm

55 won't have the filter boss, 56 and 57 will. I was wrong about the side mounts, they weren't available until 1958 on a 283. 55-57 engines only had front mounts. If it was in a Monza and it is a 265, somebody made up some kind of front mount for it. Side mounts= not a 265.

 

[Gunner3456]

55 won't have the filter boss, 56 and 57 will. I was wrong about the side mounts, they weren't available until 1958 on a 283. 55-57 engines only had front mounts. If it was in a Monza and it is a 265, somebody made up some kind of front mount for it. Side mounts= not a 265.

Dang. I'm getting old. Did they change to side mounts in 58 and then add the 327 in 62? Somehow that rings a bell although my first reaction was different. Things get fuzzy but I'm now thinking you're right...

 

[Unka-Boo]

The other give away would be starter mounting .....

 

[orygun]

1958 was the first year that the Chevrolet engine blocks had side mounts, although not all frames utilized them. Passenger cars did, trucks didn't for a few years.

Factory V8 Monza? That would have been a 262 V8 and it would have had small valve "smogger" heads. Any big valve would be shrouded by the small bore of the cylinders and would not be a performance bonus on that engine.

The Monza also would have come with a Saginaw 4 speed. The best distinguishing feature of the Saginaw is the fact that all three of the shift shafts (where the arms bolt onto) are in the removable side cover. A Muncie and the Borg Warner T10 have two of them in the side cover and one (for reverse) in the front portion of the tail housing. While the Muncies are always aluminum case and tail, the T10 can have an iron case depending on the application. Saginaws are always completely cast iron case and tail. This trans is nearly identical to the base 4 speed that would have come in Firebirds, Camaros, ElCaminos, Chevelles, etc. that had the base 4 speed and no real performance options.

Anyway, if you are looking for a V8-4 speed package for a small car or truck this is a decent deal.

 

[gunluvver]

You can convert the Saginaw 4 speed to an overdrive trans by using the overdrive from a Saginaw 3 speed w/overdrive. Parts bolt right on.