Technical Hemi ID needed.

I don't yet have these in my possession to look for numbers but was wondering if they could be ID'd from the pics. I know the one is marine, the other disassembled. Just thought I'd throw these pics out to see if anyone might know.

 

Someone sprayed too much clear on it

 

Looks like a '54 or later 331. Has no water crossover manifold on the heads. Also has the very rare 331 intake manifold with thermostat in the 4bbl manifold. '54+ 331s are the only passenger car engines that had tha highly sought after piece. The heads are also highly prized since they have the port and valve dimensions of 392s with better runner geometry for better flow. The head in the last picture doesn't go with that engine. It is a 392/354 style.

 

I agree with the information posted above. There should also be some numbers stamped on the top of the block in front. Find out what they are and you can check them against lists available on the internet.

 

Get the head and block casting numbers and what’s stamped on the block. Should be in front of the valley cover

 

Early style heads on the block. 53 down.
The other heads with the crossover are the 54 up ones

 

http://hothemiheads.com/hemi_info/hemi_engine_id.html

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/hemi-tech-identification.121000/

 

Mechanical fuel injection drive cover, and a carburetor on the same engine.

Parts stack, or old drag race engine?

 

I don’t totally agree with the head ID.
I’ve seen 55 331s with the water crossover in the heads

 

I was thinking that too

 

So that's not a marine cover? It's a fuel injection cover?

The guy I'm getting this from does drag race. Said he bought all this stuff 20 years ago but he never ended up doing anything with it as he's a Chevy guy and he decided to just build a Chevy instead of getting into hemis which he's unfamiliar with. He said the guy he bought this from said it was a marine engine. The disassembled one he knows nothing about. It just came with the first one.

 

I haven’t seen a Howard marine timing cover but I have seen Nickson ones.
Had the same 4 bolt pattern

 

Well, he didn't seem to know too much about these and if he's anything like me, he's forgotten at least half of what he did know when he bought it 20 years ago.

 

I cannot say where the engine was used, as it could have been in a boat, but that is a fairly rare Howard mechanical fuel injection front timing cover. It makes the attachment point between the cam and the fuel pump.

You won't need that cover, and you may be able to sell it off to someone for project money.

Many Hemi's were used in boats that were not "marine Hemis". That may be a passenger car or truck block.

That cover has provisions to block off the "extra" cooling ports on a dedicated marine block, but they may be over solid metal.

A true marine Hemi won't take a regular timing chain. Marine Hemis use gears to drive all of the accessories (no belts), the output, and the cam. They are also missing the shoulder on the crank snout where the timing sprocket goes.

TL;DR: Pull the cover. If there is a timing chain, and no extra cooling ports, it is a regular block.

Not to say that it was not in a boat.

 

Grab that one too.

 

Actually all 331s have no crossovers. The difference is '54 and up 331s have big valves and ports whereas long bell '51-'53 hemis came with small valves and ports. All 354 and 392 engines have the crossover heads. Go figure.

 

This is a "true" marine Hemi:


See that the drive is on the opposite end from where the distributor? Marine Hemis drive the prop off of the FRONT of the engine.

 

1556157-1 heads.
1955 331 with the crossover


1955 331

1954 331

 

To add to the confusion, I just noticed this:

The oil pan is Chrysler Marine green.

 

a couple aftermarket marine covers with mounts.
And an OE marine timing set up

 

Well, I'm hoping to bring these home sometime next week. Then I can look for all the numbers and see just what I have.

 

I'm getting both.

 

That loose bottom end appears to be missing connecting rod caps. Inspect the condition of the bores. If they are not all rusty, see what size they are.

I got lucky with my last two 354's. They were stock bore, and only needed to go 0.030" to make them right.

Of course, both had spun rod bearing damage. Thankfully these are steel cranks, and both welded up just fine.

 

Hard to say for sure. Any number of FED's had a similar cover, and a cam-driven injection pump:


Also, what may have been a boat part, can make it into a car:


So it is anyone's guess now.

 

The bottom pic lists that timing cover as a marine application in the article.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.he...n-10-years-and-influence-people-part-five/amp
When ya look Nickson Hemi timing cover, several are listed as marine use.
The other one I posted is cast “Cal-Marine”
Supposedly designed for race boats. The term “hot boat” is also used.
Very similar to the drag car stuff.
who knows.

 

Yup. The one he posted has no mounting ears, and if they were cut off, it was a very precise job.

 

Neat stuff.
My hemi guru friend past early this year. He could identify just about anything hemi.

 

The Howard's front cover is one I haven't seen before....read pricey. I'd bet that cover is worth $500-$750 easy. As it stands it's in marine trim. The block's water pump outlets are covered by the cover..with a threaded opening that probably had a little pipes to run hoses. The water pump probably bolted to the front cover. In a drag racing application, you could drive a fuel pump off the front cover if using a Hilborn or similar injection...since they wouldn't run a water pump.