Quoting Bob Chansler <bobchansler@yahoo.com>:
> I found the pumps still listed at autozone.com. If you go there you
> can see the differences between the shorter and longer versions. For
> the long version, look for a water pump for a 56 truck. For the
> short version look for a pump for a 53 Chevy Belair. The 53 car had
> a 235 with a short pump on it.
That's all true, but the pump from a '54 or older will not bolt to a
'55 or newer 235. The 848 head is indicative of a newer engine, although
a newer head could be bolted to a older block and the 848 head is a
popular performance mod for the earlier 235 and 261. In all likelihood,
this is a '55 or newer block, but one shouldn't rely on the cylinder head
to determine what year it is.
If this is a '55 or newer block, the four water pump mounting bolts will
be spaced radially about 90 degrees apart and the original long shaft
pump will not fit in an AD body unless the radiator has been moved
forward or the engine aft. In this case a special short-shaft pump is
needed and, AFAIK, is available only through speciality vendors. If
however, this is a full-pressure '53-54 block, the two upper water pump
retaining bolts will be further apart than the bottom two and the stock
pump will leave sufficient clearance between the fan and the radiator.
If you're neither a purist nor trying to look like one, your water pump's
seals and bearings can last considerably longer if you don't hang a fan
on it and use an electric fan instead, or at least use a lighter aluminium
fan. If you are keeping the stock fan, it's a good idea to have it
magnafluxed to be sure there aren't any cracks in it. These do fatigue
over time and shooting a fan blade through the hood won't preserve the
originality of the vehicle either.
Andrew Roberts
1949 3600
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