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HEMI Tech - Daimler Hemis

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by scootermcrad, Apr 22, 2009.

  1. scootermcrad
    Joined: Sep 20, 2005
    Posts: 12,382

    scootermcrad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Okay! Finally getting around to getting some things upgraded and have wanted to add this catagory for awhile now! Sooooo... let's go! This thread will be added to the Index page as well!

    Let's talk about anything related to Daimler Hemis! There's not a whole lot of information out there, but anything anyone can add would be appreciated. I have some information from Limey Steve that I will be scanning and adding to this thread, but I at least wanted to get it kicked off and running in the mean time so I can add it to the Index.

    Thanks everyone! Can't wait to see what you guys have hidden away!
     
  2. Just an FYI...ALL Jaguar/Daimler engines, I-6, V-8, and V-12 cylinders, are Hemis. My XJ6C is an inline 6, and my XJS is a V-12...and both my DeSoto engines are Hemis...:D
     
  3. plym49
    Joined: Aug 9, 2008
    Posts: 2,802

    plym49
    Member
    from Earth

    Nope. The V12's are NOT hemis. The original XK is, with two valves per cylinder, is. The V12, both the pre-HE (with flat heads) and the HE (the May head, a high turbulence design, precursor to the Chevy Vortec head) is not a hemi (the V12s also are two valves per cylinder).

    The litle Daimler V8s in question are also hemis. They also look just like a miniature version of what is, IMHO, the only TRUE hemi that is out there, and that is the good old "392" and "426" MoPar iron.
     
    dana barlow likes this.
  4. Sounds pretty "Abby Normal" to me Scooter- looking forward to this thread growing!
     

  5. Limey Steve & Weasel should be chiming in any minute now!
     
  6. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,627

    The37Kid
    Member

    There was a Midget fitted with a Daimler HEMI here on the East Coast in the 1970's. I bought a flawless set of headers for one that may have come from the same car, eBayed them years ago.
     
  7. Weasel
    Joined: Dec 30, 2007
    Posts: 6,698

    Weasel
    Member

    Damn - sussed:p. Limey Steve is asleep at the wheel - as usual....

    Okay, here's the big Daimler hemi (again) - this one is the factory experimental hot rod hemi bored out from 4.5L (270 ci) to 305 ci - hot cam forged pistons, high compression heads. Looks a lot like the baby 2.5L Daimler hemi, but no parts interchange. The big Daimler hemi was found in the Majestic Major saloon (1180 produced) and the DR450 limo (864 produced) from around 1959-1968, so these are tough to find. This big hemi is 26 ins wide by 27 1/2 ins long. The baby Daimler hemi is 23 1/2 ins wide by 25 3/8 ins long - tip of water pump to back of block.


    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  8. Dirtynails
    Joined: Jan 31, 2009
    Posts: 843

    Dirtynails
    Member
    from garage

    Among Daimler people it's known as the "Turner engine" and if you have ever owned an Arial Square or Triumph twin and had the head off you will notice something very familiar. They were designed by the same guy.
    heres a post from Wiki which says most of what i have known for ever...:D
     
  9. Great motors, I have three of them,
    Stock pistons have a slightly annoying habbit of breaking off just bellow the oil control ring if you rev them too much.
    Stock induction system is very limited, best bet is to saw the stock manifold through and get a holley plate welded on so you can feed the thing.
    Russ Carpenter has one in a dragster called Glassier Granaide (?)
    Making a full thousend Bhp, out of a mear 155 cubes,

    I put a blown one sidewinder style in a trike for giggle,
    and am building a 5/8's hot rod to take one.

    Only down side to the motor is that it is not very big,
    roughly two foot cube,
    however like bigger Hemi's it's heavy,
    Heads might be aluminum, but the block is iron and is a thick casting,
    means the block is strong enough to take the forces involved in making serious numbers, but it's heavier than say a nail head.

    Some improvement can be made by re-timing the stock cam so mid over lap is nearer TDC, but reduction of base circle and say an L14 profile will really hot things up when combined with some breathing improvements.
     
  10. GlenC
    Joined: Mar 21, 2007
    Posts: 757

    GlenC
    Member

    Old Jag restorer/mechanic down the road from me retired last year and sold off all his stuff at public auction. I didn't know he had one of these under his workbench... Complete motor went to a scrappie for $35. The bloke apparently dragged it out to the truck and smashed it to pieces to separate the alloy from the steel. At the same auction Moss 4 speeds went for $1 and Jag suspension components for $5 a boxful, all to the scrap merchants.

    What a bloody waste!

    Cheers, Glen.
     
  11. 31whitey
    Joined: Jan 2, 2007
    Posts: 2,214

    31whitey
    Member

    No idea...

    weird hemi coolness.

    those fuckers.

    Scoot...great job putting all this hemi info together....these threads rule.
     
  12. junkyardgenius
    Joined: Dec 29, 2005
    Posts: 886

    junkyardgenius
    Member
    from Kernow

    Here,s a couple pics of Russ Carpenters Glacier Grenade . 2.5 Daimler Hemi powered dragster ,regularly ran in the 7,s :eek:.The old Hot Rod & Custom UK mag did a series on the build up of the engine and blower set up (I must have still got it)If I remember right (it was a long time ago) it ran Triumph motorcycle pistons.
     

    Attached Files:

  13. scootermcrad
    Joined: Sep 20, 2005
    Posts: 12,382

    scootermcrad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    WOW!! What a great response already!! Thank you very much for replying, guys!

    These engines are amazing! Steve had a couple heads in the car with him at breakfast one morning and they look like they should weight 100 pounds like all the other Mopar Hemis, but you can just about pick 'em up with one strong hand! These engines were way ahead of their time! They really do blow my mind!

    EDIT: Adding this link for a previous thread started here:
    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151281&showall=1
     
    Last edited: Sep 1, 2010
  14. Limey Steve
    Joined: Apr 4, 2005
    Posts: 1,523

    Limey Steve
    Alliance Vendor
    from Whittier

    It's great to see the Daimler Hemi getting some recognition , I have 3 big Daimlers (from a production run of 2088 cars !! ) One in my roadster drives great , 2 rebuildable 1 only needs re assembling. I have almost 2 small 2.5 engines , I need a crank to make up the pair. 1 were setting up with a 3.71 blower & 2 port with zoomies, came out of an unknown drag car in England .
     
  15. 39cent
    Joined: Apr 4, 2006
    Posts: 1,569

    39cent
    Member
    from socal

    I heard about them, wondered if they were any good , but since nothing much was ever said about em I thought they were'nt very good? So thats how far outta the box, I get.
     
  16. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member

  17. plym_46
    Joined: Sep 8, 2005
    Posts: 4,018

    plym_46
    Member
    from central NY

    Don't know too much about them had a ride in a Daimler sp250 roadster with one in it long time ago.

    I do know that there are two available at an estate auction this saturday. One as listed as race prepared and the other as being stock. At 2.5 liter they are small both physically and in power out put. 140 hp.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Apr 23, 2009
  18. fms427
    Joined: Nov 17, 2006
    Posts: 865

    fms427
    Member

    Here's one I built for an SP250 race car - since sold and is now in Australia. Cool engine, and great sounding with no mufflers. I have also built Triumph tmototcycle engines - and there is a lot of design similarity !
     

    Attached Files:

  19. scootermcrad
    Joined: Sep 20, 2005
    Posts: 12,382

    scootermcrad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Being that I'm really into Triumph sickles AND Hemis, this engine sparked my interest immediately!
     
  20. Get lost.....
     
  21. the little history that i know.. the original casting for that motor was air cooled.. it didn't work so they added water jackets, and a lot of piping in the early motors... they were based of a bsa bike motor. there are some big hemi's found in Daimler limo's something like 4.5 liter.. the crank will swap over if you have a smaller cube block. aaaand the Daimler sp250 was what that motor was originally found in. Daimler called it a dart, but got sued by dodge because of their car with the same name. so it was changed to sp250.. also the front of that sports car has a V on the front of it due to the fact it was one of the first British cars to have a V style engine.. so it was different back in the day.. the sp250 was to avaunt guard for its day and sales were little to say the least. it was based on a triumph tr4 chassis and also used a bunch of triumph running gear..
     
  22. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    That is really cool. I remember one raced at westwood in the early days. Sadly, I think the guy crashed it hard at the esses and was killed.
     
  23. chopper york
    Joined: Feb 20, 2011
    Posts: 18

    chopper york
    Member
    from England

  24. plumpcars
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 151

    plumpcars
    Member

    The 250 engine also came in the saloon body which was the same as the MK2 Jag. I ran one as a daily nearly 40 years back. One thing to watch is that you use a good corrosion inhibitor in your cooling system. They really suffer from head damage otherwise and were a little prone to head gasket failure anyway.
     
  25. Limey Steve
    Joined: Apr 4, 2005
    Posts: 1,523

    Limey Steve
    Alliance Vendor
    from Whittier

    I got me another 4.5 Hemi , bought it of Jim Jacobs , complete take out from a limo. I have also made a new manifold for my roadster to use 2 97's , I'll post pix when finished, should work great .Make a change from the tri power.
    Your Hemi sounds good , 2.5 right ? . Love them Daimler Hemis
     
  26. chopper york
    Joined: Feb 20, 2011
    Posts: 18

    chopper york
    Member
    from England

    yeah 2.5,its the second engine that i bought the first was completly knackerd the second needed a crank re grind and new rings.i struggled to get rings for it and ended up using cords rings allthough i've found ironhead sportster rings will fit with a bit of work.
     
  27. Whats that funnycar? A Mini?
     
  28. Yes, it´s a Mini estate (thats wagon to you). IIRC that car was later fitted with a complete glass body.
     
  29. I wanna see more of the "Estate"!
     

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