Thread: What Kind Of Motor Was In A Stock 1948 Chevy Stylemaster?

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I was hoping someone could help me out. If you know what was in it please let me know.
Zak

If i'm not mistaken the 48 had a 216 chevy 6.

Thanks, that's what I was thinking but there isn't a whole lot of information on these cars. (At least not any that I could find.)
Zak

Does anyone have any idea how much one of the 48 chevy 216 engines costs?

According to this rebuilder, $1,649.95 for a long block (long block means the cylinder head is included in the build).
http://www.precisionengine.com/g_engines_d_chevy.html

I did this in about 30 seconds and you can do the same thing. Just enter "Chevy 216 motor rebuilt" into Google or any other search engine.

Thanks, Zak.

That stinks though. I'm going to have to pay for the rebuilt motor and the core charge because the original engine is long gone.

It sucks to be you....

Is there some reason you have to go back stock with it?

Oh well I got the car for free!!

Thanks, Zak.

I figured if I'm going to rebuild it I might as well do it the right way. All the way back to original. I don't mind putting aftermarket parts on it as long as they look the same.

Thanks again, Zak.

Zak here's a page w/1948 CHEVY PASSENGER CAR SPECIFICATIONS it will tell u lots of the specs & info about ur car. thought u may like to have this page......joe

Well Zak, just a few biased comments. I am a confused old Ford fan who recently switched to the SBC way of thinking. First if you just like to work on mechanical things and bring back the old '48 that's one thing and the current price of gas is another factor. But ( ! ) reviving old attitudes from the '50s, the 216 OHV inline six was merely transportation at a time when flathead V8s were 239 cu in and so most of the youth market shunned the Chevies of that time. The neat thing about the rodding scene of today is that old Chevies can be upgraded substantially with a Chevie V8. That is the sweet development for old Cheivies, that they can be upgraded with a V8 and actually be the best in many ways instead of the old slow poke autos of the '50s. I owned a '54 Chevie convert. for several years and it had the Blue Flame 235 which was an improvement over the 216, but not much. In the '50s the neat trick was to replace the 216 or 235 with a GMC 292 truck engine which was/is only slightly longer. So my resonse is that if you want to restore a 216 OK, have fun but since you don't have a core to trade in anyway take a look at a rebuilt GMC 292 or an inexpensive 350 V8. Just my opinion, and admittedly I am still reeling from the continued success of the small block Chevie consistently over the last 50 years while Ford sputtered with the 221, and 260 before finally improving their small block to the modern 351 series. Just my confused opinion.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Unless you are just going 100% restore why not use a 235 instead. Has inserts instead of babbit bearings.