Found two early hemis - need advice!

Found a couple of hemi's near my house at a wrecking yard. Guy wants $500 each. Both are free (turn) according to the guy, and are attached to transmissions. They are old & rusty but complete (distributors, carbs, water pumps, etc). No idea what years they are.

I scraped the snow off them and the larger one had "Chrysler Fire Power" written on it, the smaller one "Desoto Fire Dome" on the plug wire "cap" in the center of the covers.

I know there are a ton of experts on these here, so I'm looking for any and all advice. The guy said they'd been there 6 months, but if that's a fair price and they are "desireable" I feel like I should go get them. Can anyone tell me anything about them (other than hemis are cool)?

 

try this link http://www.classichemi.com/276hemi.shtml let me know on what you find out if you dont want both or need a partner on them so you could get the one you want
thanks Shoe

 

Am I to understand I need casting #'s to ID them? Wish I'[d have taken a pic or two of them now...

Is that a decent price? I guess I can get time off to look at them again if it is...

 

The casting # are between the head & the valley cover pass, side near the back. there is a code on a flat in front of valley cover, sometimes readable sometimes not. Check sides around freeze plugs for cracks. If the Chr. is a dry intake it's a good price. Desoto have been going up . Check Chr. to see if normal bell or extended, if 2 bl carb ext. bell for shure. Most Desotos are 2bl

 

Wish I'd have looked for casting #'s when I was there last... Damn.

I take it they have a tendency to crack around the freeze plugs?

What is a "dry" intake?

Are the extended bellhousings more desirable for some reason, or did that just mean the 2bl engines are typically extended bellhousing ones?

 

The extended bellhousings were used one the early engines. I takes more work to adapt them to a modern transmission.

 

Not sure which they were. Will go back and check tomorrow.

$500 stuck me as a great price for them, but I am starting to get the impression it is just fair market value... True?

 

The Desoto Firedome came with a 330. Wasn't sure if you knew so thought I'd add that.

 

Hell who knows whats fair put me inline if you dont want them thats probl about avearage money unless they are ebayers then that aint near enough.First I would see what they are play dumb to the guy and tell him your trying to see if it will fit your old desoto or something.Then run home look them up stop at the bank machine and buy them i would say if they are good you could always get your money back.

later Shoe

 

$500 each could be a great price, or could be a so-so price, depending on lots of factors.

Year/CID?
Stuck or rotate?
Valve covers in perfect condition or pitted badly or dented?\

Location in the country always affects going rates too.

 

Dunno/dunno
rotate
Valve covers not dented, but MAYBE pitted - at least a little rusted - probably blastable...

Just so you know Blown, - I'm not a deserter - I just bought a '56 olds with a rotating motor in it. Supposedly ran a year ago. I also got some Isky rockers and ported heads for it - hopefully it all goes okay...

 

Not a deserter, just a sick man with a disease. LOL But take it from me, if you don't narrow your projects to ONE and focus on it, you'll never have anything done. It's cool looking at and acquiring stuff though, I know.

 

Yeah, I love it all - too much! I'm actually trying to sell a big Snap-On tool box, some truck (lift) parts, and random musclecar stuff to make room for the tradiational stuff. I guess I'm trying to aquire it a) before a scrap recycler does, and b) to either use, or trade down the road.

A wise man (older rodder) once told me to buy the stuff when the price is right & not wait 'til you need it. I can't count the number of times I've put off making a decision on something only to find it gone when I go back to get it... Lots of regrets... My intention right now is to build the Olds and keep the other stuff for later. I pretty much have most of the stuff I need (except steering and brake setup) to build a Tudor Model A rod, with frames, bodies, and engines for 2 more. One of 'ems a built 455 Olds - that would be sick in an A bone, but I want older power for the first one.

I have a feeling this will not be a 1 car deal for me...

Like you said - a sickness

Anyways - c'mon hemi guys, drop some knowledge on me! Anything else I should look for when I go back tomorrow?

 

Desoto Firedome is a 2 bbl. Fireflite was the 4bbl. Size depends on the year. '55 (S22) is a 291, '56 (S23) is a 330. If the engine number is earlier than S22 its probably a 276. Speed parts are EXTREMELY difficult to get for these motors although Suedesled is supposed to be working on that...

The Chryslers start with a C but I don't know any more than that off the top of my head, except that speed parts are a lot easier to get...

What else do you want to know???

 

This is the part I dread the most, but if they are good shape that must be a good starting price. Ive been wanting one to put on as stand just to look at.

 

First question bouncing around in my hollow melon is What kind of power can you make with the/how fast can you go (1/4 mile) in a 2,000lb car on pump gas (plus maybe a little extra)? Also, I assume the Chryslers make more power(?) or are they really pretty much same (assuming same displacement) other than parts availability?

I'm thinking buy both & keep the Chrysler?

 

Offer him $500 for both.

 

Here's some Specs:
Sequence Year Name C.I. Carb. BBLH.P.
DESOTO:
S17 - 1001 1952 Firedome 276 2 160
S16 - 1001 1953 Firedome 276 2 160
S19 - 1001 1954 Firedome 276 2 170
S21 - 1001 1955 Fireflite 291 4 200
S22 - 1001 1955 Firedome 291 2 185
S23 - 1001 1956 Firedome 330 2 230
S24 - 1001 1956 Fireflite 330 4 255S
24A - 1001 1956 Adventurer341 2-4 320*

CHRYSLER:
C51 - 8 - 1001 1951 Chrysler 331 2 180**
C52 - 8 - 1001 1952 Chrysler 331 2 180**
C53 - 8 - 1001 1953 Chrysler 331 2 180**
C541 - 8 - 1001 1954 New Yorker 331 2 195**
C542 - 8 - 1001 1954 New Yorker 331 4 235**
WE55 - 1001 1955 New Yorker 331 2 250
NE55 - 1001 1955 New Yorker 331 4 250
CE55 - 1001 1955 Imperial 331 4 250
3NE55 - 1001 1955 C300 331 2-4 300***
NE56 - 1001 1956 New Yorker 354 4 280
CE56 - 1001 1956 Imperial 354 4 280
3NE56 - 1001 1956 300B 354 2-4 340***
NE57 - 1001 1957 New Yorker 392 4 325
NE57 - 1001 1957 New Yorker 392 2-4 375***
CE57 - 1001 1957 Imperial 392 4 325
58N - 1001 1958 New Yorker 392 4 345
58C - 1001 1958 Imperial 392 4 345
58N3 - 1001 1958 300D 392 2-4 380

go here for more info:http://www.hothemiheads.com/

 

Git'em both.

Best flowing heads ever put on an ohv engine!

 

Where are those 3 and 4 digit codes (NE57, 58C, etc) on the engine??

 

Those are the ones on the flat in front of the vally cover,sometimes readable,sometimes not

 

Front edge of valley pan. Look for flat rectangle right over/behind the water pump. You'll see the engine serial number. First 3/4 digits are on the above list.

 

Went back and looked today, but the owner doesn't know I did - trying to not appear as anxious as I really am. Both have trannies - the Chrysler an auto, the Desoto a stick.

The Chrysler is a C53-8, which makes it a '53 331, 180 hp model. Yes, it has an extended bellhousing/block... Does that make it a good or bad thing? Does it make it harder to get speed parts and/or trannies?

The Desoto is an unknown. Tough to make all the digits out, but the pad had "7961 22219." any ideas? It had a stick trannie and a 2bbl carb.

 

Check out the Hot Heads link above for speed parts or try http://www.pawinc.com/

I think your missing the first 3 digits from the Desoto motor.

 

'51-3 331 heads have tiny ports. You'll be good to change the heads out for '54-up heads. I have some if you need them, but shipping will KILL you. They are pretty beastly.

The DeSoto sounds interesting with a stick-- even if the tranny isn't desireable, it will have a stick flywheel, no?

 

As far as years go you can kinda tell by the engine mount. The mount is on the front of the engine up tp '55 and on the sides from '56 till now

 

That info on the heads is killer - exactly what I was looking for! Thanks! - 'I love you man'. Good point about the Desoto... I know there are those who would disagree, but I think the coolest (most fun) hot rods are sticks...

That definitely changes things... What would you do BlownOlds?

 

OK ... the long tail Chr.Adaptors for Chevy 3&4 speed sticks are available Rated at 180 reportedly 200,didn't want to scare the old folks who buy Chr. products! Upgrade to 54 heads recommended,also the 54 intake is a 4bl. You can use a dry intake, but you have to have room to tap the water ports between front intake port & next one on each side for remote thermostat.Parts cost highest of Chr. series. You will get looks of amazment from hemi guys that you had fortitude to use a long tail! Desoto Those #s don't show in my ref. books,check again! Something like 88% were 2bl. 10% 4bl, 1-2% 2X4. I've seen 4 bl. intakes $3-500.2X4 $5-1500! Desotos are short tail,use same tranny adaptors as 54 & up Chr. wide availability of tranny choices. Price of parts highest of all early hemis. A few tears ago ther prices would have been too high,but the way the market is now....

 

55 desoto has side mounts...

 

I have one of them '53 331 Chryslers.

Check out www.transmissionadapters.com. They make a trick adapter setup so's you can run a reliable 350 or 400 behind that long-bell.

Also, Bob Walker at Hot Heads is a great guy and has just about every damn thing you need to make that motor rip. www.hothemiheads.com.

Good luck and post some pics when you get 'em...