Great project! If you need any ideas you might want to check out the farmer12 coupe here on the hamb. Awesome workmanship and also a hemi. Just a thought. Keep up the good work!
Seems like most of the work is going into this motor. Once I know it will run I’ll then need a fuel pump (missing), rebuild or replace the water pump( locked up) and rebuild the harmonic balancer. Also it has the generator/PS pump combo that doesn’t turn. I’ll need to see what the deal is with that. It’s probably the pump that’s seized up. I have a few 12V generators on the shelf. Probably just swap that out since I don’t have PS.
Thanks....hopefully more to come. I have a small pile of parts waiting for me when I get back home on the 29th. Can’t wait to hear it run
That’s a nice project but not really what I’m going for on this one. That’s more of a street rod type car.
Man.....it sucks being away from home so much. I’m finding it tough not to order a bunch of parts to get this project moving. I need to hold off until I hear it run.
I feel you....at least you have something to dream about...takes time..you'll get there..enjoy the pride of ownership...Getting the 51 delivered tomorrow... that feeling of a new toy..
I know early Chrysler hemis came stock with dual point distributors, looks like DeSotos did too. Just one of the many extra cost features Chrysler Corp put on their cars. Because of the way the distributor is buried at the back of the engine compartment it was recommended to take the distributor out and overhaul and test on a Sun tuneup machine. I would rebuild the stock distributor with new points and connect it to a Ford thick film ignition module. This eliminates points burning and wear, except for rubbing block wear. Check timing and dwell once a year, adjust as necessary (probably not for several years). Back then Chrysler and DeSoto shared the same bodies and six cylinder engines, although DeSoto usually got a slightly less powerful version. A later 250 or 265 cu in six will bolt in, or the crankshaft and rods will fit in your block. You can also bore your block to 3 7/16 stock bore for the later 236 250 and 265. Except for trim and details your car is very much like a Chrysler Windsor. Quite different from a Plymouth or Dodge.
Hope you can squeeze in the Hemi, they are tight for any V8, being designed for a straight six. That is why I suggested rebuilding the old engine or possibly finding a newer six.
Not sure if desoto dimensions are the same, but on my 40 dodge, I used an 8 3/4 from a 66 Plymouth B body and it was literally a perfect bolt in swap. No moving perches.
hey Txturbo , like to do a full chassis floor swap this time...early sixties full size..maybe a 62 olds platform..Nailhead and such...125 inch wheelbase or close..something that runs excellent...ill start a build thread when I get a donor car..probably in the spring...
Not much....been working on the 56 Cadillac the past couple days. It may be the end of January before I get back to that project. Happy new year
Well.....my priority for today was to get the shop more organized and get stuff off the floor and pallets and get it put up on the shelves. While doing that I found the starter plate for the hemi. So I had to put it on and see if the starter and flywheel were going to match up. Looks like they will play nice with each other. So I did make a little progress on this project even though it wasn’t planned to even get touched.
Does anyone know of a place to get pre-made spark plug wire sets for old hemis? I ordered a set from one supplier but they turned out to be a universal set with only the cap ends and no plug boots. My time home is limited and don’t want to spend a bunch of it making plug wires if I don’t have to.
If you want em done right, and perfect length make em yourself. That's my experience with all plug wires except OT daily driver type of cars and then I only use OE.
Have you tried "Hot Heads"? Their site has a bunch of old Hemi stuff & new stuff for old motors , mild to wild as the saying goes. The have a whole DeSoto section of parts including ignition stuff. http://www.hothemiheads.com/index.html
Lol, roasting hemy; ... That's a good tip y will try it... Sent from my Moto E (4) using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
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