Thread: Hemi guys, need your advice.

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Jim, in the case of the Dodge D500 engines they were all Hemi's until the introduction of the "B" (wedge) engines in 1958. As such chances are that it would have been a dual point.

As the distributors would interchange between the Hemi's that had a Poly counterpart who knows how much swapping occurred.

Believe me I don't know everything about these engines (hell there were 12 different displacements divided between Chrysler, Desoto and Dodge with all three having versions in both tall and short decks) and nothing was written in stone with Ma Mopar.

Don Jr as far as I know all the first Gen Hemi's had the studs for the wire covers. It was/is pretty popular to have these removed to eliminate the covers and use 426 style dust covers (it's a mod I had done on the pair that’s on the 331 that will be going in my 37). I suspect if you look real close you will find the places the studs were spot welded.

I like the observation Don made about the size of the Hemi Block after you got the heads off....... it's almost a let down isn't it? It's really a testament to the original design and quality that they were able to make them go so fast with what is by todays standards would be considered minimal prep work.

Originally Posted by Mike P

Jim, in the case of the Dodge D500 engines they were all Hemi's until the introduction of the "B" (wedge) engines in 1958. .

You're right about that, Mike. When I bought my '56 the available engine options were hemi V8's or the old flathead six that Chrysler used forever.

I think it would be cool to have one of the little 240 ci hemis sitting in my shop alongside one of the little sixty horsepower Ford V8's to keep it company.

I sat around last night trying to remember a few things about my '56 D500. I recall that some Chrysler propaganda referred to it as a "fast, roadable, production line hot rod" with 260 advertised horsepower, 9.25:1 compression ratio, and a "walloping" --- foot pounds of torque developed at a low ---- rpm.

...... And that should satisfy people's daily need for useless information.


Jim

I was curious to find out if Don's crank was drilled for a pilot bearing, as Mike P suggested, and it is. I took some pictures but the flange is hidden behind my engine stand plate so it was hard to photograph, but it looks just like the one Mike pictured in his excellent hemi thread.

I also wanted to get one more look at the valve covers to figure out what I could see relative to the studs for the spark plug covers. I put the covers under a bright light and used a magnifying glass but I really can see no evidence that there were 3 studs ever on these covers. Yes, there are clean sections between the plug holes where they might have been, but no real impressions or any grinding to indicate someone had removed them for some reason.

I realize a lot happens to a car in 55 years, but this motor just seems to be out of a bone stock DeSoto with zero speed modifications. Why would someone go to the trouble of carefully removing and smoothing those areas? Could it be that some DeSotos were just set up for boots? Doesn't really matter, Don is planning on running just boots anyway, so this worked out well regardless.

Here are some pictures. The first one is Mikes picture showing the pilot bearing hole, and the second one is the picture of mine I took.......hard to see anything, but I could see it with my eyes and feel it too.

The other pictures are of the valve covers.

Don

Don, I have two of these Desoto Hemi's. The one I am installing in my 49 F-1 its a 330 inch motor and the other is a 291 out of a 55 Desoto. In all of the research I have done I have always found that information to say that "ALL" Desotos came stock with the spark plug covers. Interesting enough that you have the second one with no provisions for those covers that I have seen. The valve covers on my 291 also had no lugs to recieve the covers, this motor I took out of the car myself and I am as sure as anyone can be that the motor was just as it came from the factory. The car had plates on it from 1961 and the odometer showed 36,021 miles. I dont usually hold a lot of stock into those things but it seems reasonable that a car built in 1955 and only driven for 6 years could have that small amount of milege. The valve covers themselves looked like they had never been off of the car, but who knows?

Another interesting thing about those covers is the fact that they had dimples like the Chyrsler engines used in "Industrial" applications. These dimples were to clear adjustable rockers, that were only available on Industrial and Marine engines. No place in my research shows any industrial or Marine Desoto engines.

These covers were in such good shape and also a little unusal so I am going to run them on the 330 inch motor, heres a pic.....

Roland

Mr Blue,,sir,,while I can see your problem,I do like your fathers choice of A tudor...The only other way around the issue of finding something for that wee hemi,is this...Try a crate,and address it to me...Pleeeze...
I am sure I could whip up a roadster pickup to house it ...
Enjoy,Don Jr,enjoy..

Robin.

I checked out the crankshaft too and it does indeed have provisions for the pilot bearing. Good news if I want to put a stick set up behind it.

Like pops I looked those valve covers up and down for evidence of some "bodywork" to remove the spark plug wire holder retainers. I saw none either. I am sure some models ended up as abnormal (or "ABBY NORMAL" as they said in Young Frankenstein) and had no plug wire covers. Very interesting with the adjustable valvetrain Hombre259. Neat looking covers.

Lamin8r....... thank you for the wonderful solution to our dilema!!! The crate is on its way (I shipped it "pony express")
Don jr.

Yeah Roland, it's good to hear someone else has covers that have no provision for spark plug covers. It had me wondering for a while what we had here. Those ones with the clearance bumps are very cool, and I bet rare.

Don, the cleaning job you did on your side of the shop looks great. Now I can find your tools much easier when I "borrow" them.

Don

Pops,
Ha! I found most of my tools in your area

My pitbull should be delivered this week, he will be tied to my toolbox

Another one will be tied to the battery charger on the tbucket so you guys leave it plugged into the wall!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don Jr.