Chyrsler FirePower / Chyrsler Industrial

are the valve cover interchangeable on a 1956 354 Hemi motor. I can get my hands on this motor, but don't like the Industrial logo. Any other suprises I might find on this motor ?

 

The valve covers on all Chrysler Hemis interchange with other Chrysler Hemis. There are "Chrysler Firepower" , "Chrysler Marine", "Imperial", your industrial and I think the Dodge truck 354 used "no name" smoothies.

As for other surprises, none that can't be overcome with passenger car part retrofits.
I think industrial blocks have some water ports down low infront, next to the time cover, the exhaust valves may be sodium filled stems for cooling and larger stem diameter, but you can retrofit pass valve guides. There are a few very good hemi books available that detail all of this stuff and I'm sure a search for threads on this site will turn up lots of info. If the engine is in decent condition and the price is right, there isn't any good reason I can think of to pass on it.

Ray

 

search for scooters hemi tech , lots of info,
Yes the valve covers will swap,
I'll trade you some "chrysler firepower" ones

 

If you want to trade, I will swap you my firepower covers for the industrial ones. I'll even deliver them.

Get the number off the industrial tag. That will tell you what we need to know.

 

Kool, you'll find that it uses a 392 oil pump and intermediate shaft.

Dave, did you already use the set I swapped for the bell?

 

PAW used to have a neat parts book that pictured the water outlet differences.

 

are the motors physically the same in dimensions?

 

Depends on the timing cover. Did you put Hemi tech index in search yet?

 

Yes, they are just variations of the same basic design. All critical dimensions are the same, i.e. length, width, block deck height etc.

Crank shaft bearing sizes, bores, cam brgs etc......all compatible.
details may differ, but those that do can easily be replaced with pass or hot rod parts.

 

Kerry, the covers I got from you have a happy home on top of my 301.

Kool30hudson, the motors are mostly the same, but there are significant variations between the industrial motors. Some are basically passenger car motors, and some have weird heads, different cranks, different timing setups, different water pumps and other random oddball things. If you post a picture and get the number off the tag we can tell you a lot more. The tag will be behind the left side head on the bellhousing flange covered in grease. Wipe it off with a rag, not a brush or a screwdriver, it will scratch easily. From what you have said, it is likely a 56A motor, as it is the only industrial 354.

 

Model IND 56A

TYPE 2511

SERIAL NUMBER 16946

 

56A (With the A) is a 354, and a great hot rod engine. Basically a 56 354 Chrysler.
A 56 without the A is a 331 but still a great hot rod engine. Basically a 55 331 Chrysler. And many came with the "555" Triple Nickel heads with deep factory hardened valve seats to boot.

Allot of talk about the extra water holes at the front bottom of an Industrial block
but I have yet to see one with these blocks. I’m sure they must exist but must be very rare. Hemi’s had many uses just what application these blocks were for, I have not seen any information.

Bob Walker at Hot Heads is the best place to go for parts just be sure and mention that it is a industrial engine when ordering parts. Bob is also very accessible for tech support. I had one part mix up which was my fault and Bob promptly made the exchange with me.

Good luck on your project.

My Hemi Stuff
http://webdesignsadsd.com/40-57/53plymouth.html

 

Yup, that is a good one. My 56A has the passenger car stuff, water oump and all. The heads have a goofy number, it doesn't come up in any of the books but it is the same as a 56 passenger car head.

 

ok for everybody who asked, YES I will trade the Industrial valve covers, but I am looking for the plain janes with no writing on them that will fit a 354 Chrysler motor. The Industrial covers do have the humps in them. Anybody have any plain janes ?

 

Just a bit of 'heads up' if you're planning on
swapping valve covers. The humps on the
'56A Industrial' valve covers are there for
clearance with the stock adjustable rockers,
that were needed to work with the industrial
engine's solid-lifter cam. If you replace the
covers with another set of 'stock-type' covers
off of another Chrysler hemi and intend to keep
the adjustable rockers, you need to have the
'hump-style' valve covers. The adjustable
rockers and 'hump-style' covers came on the
331 and 354 hemis used in Dodge medium
and heavy duty trucks, on 331 and 354
Chrysler marine engines, and 331 and 354
Chrysler industrials. as these engines all used
solid-lifter cams. With the exception of the
high-performance '55-'58 Chrysler 300 and
the rare '57 Dodge D-501, *all* of the
other Chrysler and Imperial passenger car
331-354-392 hemis used hydraulic cams,
non-adjustable rockers and 'no-hump' valve
covers. Also too and just for further information
- despite all the 'old wives tails', myths and
'gross misinformation commonly touted as
fact' floating around out there, there were
never any 392 marine, industrial or truck
hemis. The 392 was a 'passenger car only'
engine, only available in '57 and '58 Chryslers
and Imperials.

Mart3406
==========================

 

Because otherwise you'll dimple the covers and your lifters will squall.........but I'm not gunna say why I know........just that I seen it first hand.

 

Most, if not all industrial motors came with hydraulic cams and non-adjustable rocker gear.

 

Then why would Industrial covers always have the humps??

not smart arse-ing you, just interested.

 

-------------------------------
I've found industrial hemis with and without solid cams and adjustable rockers, (but mostly *with*, by the way) - but any and all that still had their original "Chrysler Industrial" script valve covers on them, always had the humps, regardless of what type of rockers lurked underneath. . I'm thinking that perhaps over the years, as some industrial engines got rebuilt, that during the rebuild, some may have had their original solid cams and djustable rockers substituted for the more common and readily available (and probably cheaper) 'passenger car' style hydraulic cams and non-adjustable rockers. It's possible too that the factory may have even substituted passenger car cams and rockers on some production industrials due to parts shortages or a customer request, but if you look in any original '50's era Chrysler Industrial Engine operating or overhaul manual, they always show the adjustable rockers and give the clearance
specs.

Mart3406
====================

 

...been doing this for a long time and have never found an Industrial with adjustable rockers, nor have I ever seen an Industrial cover w/o the bumps...
I hope that no one has ever said that logic prevailed in the 50's...


.

 

Never seen a solid lifter industrial either. But all industrial valve covers have had dimples. Wish they had of been adjustable rockers though, there would be allot more adjustable rockers around.

The "Big Tease" from Chrysler Engineers. I'd say.

 

Mart said: "Despite all the 'old wives tails', myths and 'gross misinformation commonly touted as fact' floating around out there . . . The 392 was a 'passenger car only' engine, only available in '57 and '58 Chryslers and Imperials."

Jim's comment: Gotta agree with most everything here, Mart. I do want to mention that I ran across a reference last year that said that the Imperial Div. actually arranged for a limited number of 392s to be set aside for use in the top-of-the-line 1959 Imperials only (South Hampton, I think). I never ran back across that entry again, nor have I seen this statement verified in another source. But, it seemed plausible: special-orer option? I wanted to mention it here, because SOMEBODY out in HAMBland may have heard the same thing at some time. Some one once said that there are exceptions to every rule; and As Gary said, "No one has ever said that logic prevailed in the '50s." LOL

 

"Chrysler Firepower" valve covers, no bumps: roughly 100,000 per year

"Chrysler Firepower" valve covers, with bumps: roughly 2,500 per year

"Chrysler Industrial" valve covers, with bumps: maybe 5,000 per year

When sourcing parts for high volume production, it is worth it to stock 2 part numbers to save a buck. When sourcing parts for low volume production, standardizing to 1 part number is cheaper, especially when each of those parts needs to be custom ordered and hand assembled, as the hi-po and industrial motors from chrysler were.

As a side note, chrysler built all the 64 max wedge cars with a clearance dent for an exhaust manifold that they only made maybe 5 sets of; they did like to plan ahead.

I will take Mart at his word that he has seen an industrial motor equipped with adjuster gear. Each one of these motors was hand built to customer specs, for everything from welders to trucks to combines to road graders to nuclear attack sirens to ground based aircraft APUs. I doubt many customers wanted to add two hours of weekly maintenance to their engines, likely at a cost add. But they could have, and I have no idea why.

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=118764
Enjoy
Lars

 

The '59 Imperial Ghia limosines were actually based on '58 Imperial chassis that were shipped to Italy, converted to stretch limos by the Ghia coach builders and then shipped back by which time they were given '59 grilles to keep them up to date. The chassis and the engines in those cars actually carry 1958 numbers: thus 1958 Imperial 392s. So, YES, one model of '59 Imperial has the 392 Hemi, but its still a '58 392.

 

StillOutThere, man, I just KNEW somebody would know some more details on what I suspected MIGHT actually be a myth or off-hand comment. Though the wife says otherwise, I know I'm not crazy! Thanks, bro, and HAPPY NEW Year!

Anybody else hear anything about the '59 Imp South Hampton have the 392 Hemi option???

 

Note: I just saw on another thread that Senior HAMBer George says his reference(s) show that early Hemis DID appear later than '59 IN LARGE TRUCKS.

 

Hi there I have a set of mint 1957 392 Firepower covers I would swap for the industrial covers if your interested? Many thanks Brett

 

You realize this Thread is 10 years old...

 

Lol