The Long Story - and the Short Question

[kinyodas]

Good Morning,

This is a relatively long story with a short question at the end.

After hurricane Betsy in 1965, my grandfather needed a pickup truck to get to work and run odd jobs, so he went to Mike Persia Chevrolet in downtown New Orleans and from the story my pop tells me, he ordered a bare-bones Chevrolet C10 in Madeira Maroon with a drivers-side mounted spare. While the truck was completely no frills (no power steering, power brakes, AC, Heat, nothing) - the salesman threw in two chrome roof-mounted clearance lights and he was sold. The bench seat was enough for the whole family as my pops was an only child. Fifteen years later, the little pickup that could became the single fleet truck in the family business (until a second C10 Custom Deluxe was added in 1982, at least): hauling lumber and delivering furniture with the business name and number on the doors. It was probably a staple and daily icon for some in New Orleans - it was for me growing up, at least. It eventually became mine and I let it go to pot like the young idiot I was. Every once in awhile I find it in a dream - so happy it still exists - manual choke, rusty bed and rotten wood boards and all.

So now, I've returned to my old hobby of model cars. I take my time and go to extreme detailing and I had an idea - what if I could make that truck as it was delivered with the business name on the doors and present it as a gift for my pop's birthday? So a little bit of research found I can (and have) purchased two models to make exactly what I need except for one thing: the 230 motor. Behold, I found a 1951 Chevrolet Bel Air kit that comes with an inline six! I'm out of the loop so I have one basic question regarding the Chevrolet 230 motor available in 1965:

Is the Chevrolet 230 motor available in 1965 the same block that was available in 1951? If not, what is the code for that block and what years was it available?

Any and all information is appreciated. I would like to make it as accurate as possible. I know I have a picture of me in front of the pickup somewhere - I'll post it along with the model when it't done (probably a two month project)

Thanks in advance,

-Kinyodas

[Coley]

First, welcome to the website...always good to have new people come aboard in the hobby.
Second, the engine(s) available in these trucks after 1963 (I think) was a new series of engine and very different than the earlier 'stovebolt' engines which, to my recollection, were actually 235 ci engines....while the 'new' series came in at least 4 sizes: 194 ci (cars only?), 230 ci, 250 ci and 292 ci.
Now google the GM 235 stovebolt engine vs. the 230 ci 1965 GM 6 cylinder engines and this will be a little clearer.
Regardless, these (newer) 230 ci engines aren't too hard to find and you might even find the 250 ci or even the 292 ci 6 cylinders while you are at it.

check it out and again...welcome!

All Good
Coley

[Keith Seymore]

Let me echo Coley's welcome to you -

I'm attaching the generic info packets from the GM Heritage Center archive for both the '65 Chevy pickup and the '51.

I didn't read through them in detail but there is some pretty good information in there about the various engines used, plus I thought you might like to have the info on the '65.

K

'65 pickup:
https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...olet-Truck.pdf

'51 truck:
https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...olet-Truck.pdf

'51 passenger car:
https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...-Chevrolet.pdf