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How much is a '62 392 Hemi worth?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by mechanic58, Mar 10, 2013.

  1. George
    Joined: Jan 1, 2005
    Posts: 7,723

    George
    Member

    The only BB Hemis were 426.
     
  2. mechanic58
    Joined: Mar 21, 2010
    Posts: 681

    mechanic58
    Member


    Well...here is what I am thinking...this guy swears it has a hemi in it. He has described the valve covers to me over the phone and it sure sounds to me like it is definitely a hemi....and on that note, knowing without a doubt that this car is indeed a '62 model and that it in fact did leave the factory with a 413 in it....IF it has a hemi in it now I am thinking that it very well could be a 426 that someone bolted in place of the 413. Now I'm not too schooled on mopar trivia, but I am fairly certain it would be a lot easier to put a 426 in place of a 413 than it would be to install an earlier hemi. I would assume the mounts and other bolt patterns might be much different on the early hemis. A 426 should bolt in place of any BB or RB motor, shouldn't it??
     
  3. mechanic58
    Joined: Mar 21, 2010
    Posts: 681

    mechanic58
    Member

    You know I thought about the 361 also....but the only engine options for the Imperial from '57 to '66 was either a 392, a 413 or a 440. The 392 was obviously in the earlier ones and the 440s were in the later.
     
  4. George
    Joined: Jan 1, 2005
    Posts: 7,723

    George
    Member

    Yes, a 426 would bolt up, a 392 wouldn't w/o an adaptor & the tranny would have to be a small block, not BB. He may consider a 426 hemi to be an early Hemi vs the new current ones.
     
  5. Gotgas
    Joined: Jul 22, 2004
    Posts: 7,175

    Gotgas
    Member
    from DFW USA

    Sure, it would technically be "easier" to swap a 426 Hemi into the spot vacated by an RB, but the 426 was always considered kind of an exotic race engine. It's not likely someone would do that unless they wanted to drag race their 4700lb Imperial.

    The early 331/354/392 Hemis were much more common and were DIRT CHEAP at the time a '62 Imperial engine would be crapping out. All it would take is a farmer with a torch, a welder, a rusty '50s Mopar, and an imagination. Also keep in mind it could also be a DeSoto or a Dodge Hemi.

    No matter though - if the plug wires go through the valve covers, it's worth an hour drive to check it out. Might be something really cool.
     
  6. Frankie47
    Joined: Dec 20, 2008
    Posts: 1,877

    Frankie47
    Member
    from omaha ne.

    I can't believe you haven't left yet.......it could be a hemi or a poly or 413 all 3 desirable engines by anyone belonging to the clan mopar. And if it's just a lowly 318 pull the engine and tranny, steering wheel and column, spaceship dash and sell the rest for scrap....hell it could be a pushflite transmission!

    Shit or get off the pot I say...........:)
     
  7. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    Could he take a picture of the engine and email it to you?

    I'll never forget the time I drove 60 miles to buy a Harley 80. The owner swore it was very old and had a flathead V twin engine.

    When I got there it was a Harley 80 all right, it said so on the gas tank. But it was an 80cc 2 stroke from the 1970s.
     
  8. hemi rodder
    Joined: Oct 10, 2011
    Posts: 510

    hemi rodder
    Member
    from NB Canada

    at least get us some pictures, hope you score a hemi early or late.
     
  9. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 8,717

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    What???? You mean people use 392 hemis in other cars?? ;) I gotta go call my buddy and tell him that 392 in his '38 Plymouth isn't stock!
     
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2013
  10. Fairlane Mike
    Joined: Sep 21, 2010
    Posts: 389

    Fairlane Mike
    Member

    Reminds me of one; A "local" guy I kinda knew came by the house. He's whispering, "Mike, "Ole Carson" has a flat-fender jeep with one of those aluminum Ford S.V.O. race engines in it!!" I said, "Why are ya whispering?" He looks around, "I don't want anyone to hear about it!" Cloak and dagger, as if it was a nuke he was hawkin'!! LOL, so, yeah you know the score, if I do it isn't, if I don't someone else gets a race engine for a "hunert bucks"!! So I asked him; "Where's the distributor at?" "In the front, the engine is definitely aluminum", he said! I went over to "Ole Carson's" with him! Yeah, here's this miserable old flat-fendered jeep; been sitting out in the weather under trees for 50 years! The engine; one of those stinkin' Buick-Olds-Pontiac aluminum 215" V-8s! And yeah, the distributor is in the front!! Have a wonderful day!! P.S., this one was only 10 minutes away!!
     
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2013
  11. 426 don't say chrysler firepower industrial imperial marine on the covers like the early hemi does.
    426 has distributor in front and early 331-392 has it in the rear .

    A crappy blurry picture would get you instant verification on hemi - 426 or early , if its early block numbers or good pics would verify 392
     
  12. mechanic58
    Joined: Mar 21, 2010
    Posts: 681

    mechanic58
    Member

    I'm waiting on the guy to call me back!! CALM DOWN!

    My trailer is hooked up and I got my winch and snatch block ready to go.
     
  13. mechanic58
    Joined: Mar 21, 2010
    Posts: 681

    mechanic58
    Member


    Great story!! I have also been duped by a tale of a garbage dumpster buick motor. lol
     
  14. Fairlane Mike
    Joined: Sep 21, 2010
    Posts: 389

    Fairlane Mike
    Member

    I'll add this though; if a guy told me about a "62 T-Bird, "looks like a 390 in it". And it was, and if it wasn't totally rusted up, and it was cheap enough; the way big-block stuff is disappearing, anybodies B.Block, I'd probably buy it! Just sayin'!
     
  15. mechanic58
    Joined: Mar 21, 2010
    Posts: 681

    mechanic58
    Member

    Welp - I'm headed out to check this car. I just printed off an early hemi id sheet to take with me. I got my fingers crossed!
     
  16. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    Let's see there are 3 possibilities.

    1) Somebody put a hemi engine in a 62 Imperial and left it in a field to rot.

    2) The seller doesn't know what the hell he is talking about.

    3) The seller is a liar.

    I would say the odds of the first are about 1:1,000,000, the second 9 out of 10, the third 99 out of 100.

    One more possibility. Are you sure you know the difference between a 1962 Imperial and a 1958 Imperial?
     
  17. R35J1S
    Joined: Jul 20, 2012
    Posts: 141

    R35J1S
    Member
    from Missouri

    can't wait for Paul Harvey to return with, THE REST OF THE STORY
     
  18. CoronetRTguy
    Joined: Dec 26, 2012
    Posts: 826

    CoronetRTguy
    Member

    I think the 426 Hemi had a different K member then a 413 car would have had. There is something that sticks out in my mind about that.

    I know you can bolt them into cars that had a 318, 383 and 440.
     
  19. EXracer64
    Joined: Dec 7, 2011
    Posts: 228

    EXracer64
    Member
    from nj

  20. I've bought 7 early Hemi's each one was said to be a 392. Turns out and I bought 354, 330, 291, 276, 270 and two 241's
    One Chrysler, three DeSoto's, three Dodge's

    Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
     
  21. gatz
    Joined: Jun 2, 2011
    Posts: 1,817

    gatz
    Member

    ....back yet ?
     
  22. Out of your 4 possibilities -
    1 is highly possible
    2 has been admitted by the seller
    3 sad but true to give this any credit
    4 OP has stated that he's not a mopar man & just wants a hemi.
    ... Not that there's anything wrong with that just saying.

    So I'd give 1 a 50/50 , 2 a 90% 3 another 50/50 and 4 a 50/50 also
    Now who's wagering?

    Sent from my ass via analog smoke signals
     
  23. slowmotion
    Joined: Nov 21, 2011
    Posts: 3,330

    slowmotion
    Member

    I'll bet it comes back as a 426, but I'm a sucker for a long-shot....:rolleyes:
     
  24. Blue One
    Joined: Feb 6, 2010
    Posts: 11,459

    Blue One
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Alberta

    Tap Tap Tap we are waiting :D
     
  25. teejay99
    Joined: Sep 26, 2009
    Posts: 356

    teejay99
    Member

    ...the suspense is killing me , and I don't give a rat's butt about Mopars , but the story is fascinating . Stay tuned .....

    T
     
  26. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,592

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    The suspense is killin me. Its probable just one of those rare M/T pontiac hemi
     
  27. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Think I met him at a cruise night. Except the one in his Roadrunner was the special order 383 six-pack hemi. Same guy?
     
  28. ESGEE
    Joined: Feb 25, 2013
    Posts: 615

    ESGEE
    Member
    from Sweden

    The 392 and 426 dont have the same K-member. If it is a 426 i want to buy it cheap;)
     
  29. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,592

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    ESGEE I am sure that will be a long line
     
  30. b-body-bob
    Joined: Apr 23, 2011
    Posts: 555

    b-body-bob
    Member

    Yeah if it's a 426 he should just leave it there to rot </sarcasm>
     

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