235 starter/flywheel???

[Old Crow]

Ok, by seaching around I gather that when Chevy went 12v is also when they changed from the foot operated starter to the electric solonoid type on the 235('58?).
The truck I'm doing is a '54, should be foot operated, but has a solonoid type starter on the engine.
We were trying to get it to run and not having any sucess. Solonoid would kick, but starter not turn. Pulled the starter and hooked it up to a battery and it kicks and turns fine.
Searching the forums I found that the flywheels are supposed to be a different tooth count between the 12v and 6v starters.
Is it possible that they've just dropped a solonoid type starter in this truck and the different tooth count between the 12v and 6v starter is causing it to bind up and not turn?

Also, does anyone know what the tooth counts of the different flywheels and starters are? I need to figure out what exactly I've got so I can start looking for parts.

Gotta love a basket case.

[curmudgeon]

Howdy again, I went through this when I put in a '62 engine in my '54. Cars tended to use solonoid starters and trucks used the foot starter (except the '54 hydromatic). AD up till 55.1 were 139 tooth flywheels, 6-volt, TF 55.2 on used 168 tooth flywheels, 12-volt. So, from 55 on, it is possible to have a 12-volt foot operated starter if from a truck, cars used solonoid.

You need to count the flywheel teeth on the 235: 139/6v 168/12v starter, regardless if foot switch or solonoid.

I am using a 6 volt starter with a 12 volt system, I swaped the '54 flywheel to the '62 engine, but I've since picked up a 168 tooth with a 12 volt foot starter when the current set-up dies.

Most of us on this forum have SBC's, go to http://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ for info on the old inlines.

Hope this helps.

[Old Crow]

Ah Ha! 12v solonoid starter swapped into a 6v foot start truck Flywheel has 139 teeth.
Customer called me today, wants to change back to the foot start. I too have run a 6v foot start on 12volts for several years with nothing bad happening.
We're also discussing ways to use the cut off stock steering column. Anyone know the measurement when cutting the column to use it with the GM steering box power steering conversion?