or maybe it's a whale? weren't the early ones called whales? here's my new project. it's a CE56 354 hemi from a 56 imperial. it's got a weiand drag star intake with 6 holley(ford) 94's, spalding flamethrower dizzy, also a lasalle trans with a Shaffer alum fly wheel. i'm not sure which adapter it has.eventually it's destined for my 48 Plymouth biz coupe. the guy i bought it from has had it since the early 70's when he was a teenager. never heard it run! i hope to take him for a ride when it's running! sadly, most (if not all) of the goodies will have to go in the name of progress. i want to simplify and to a certain extent modernize. it sure beats the sbc i was going to run! i'm going to have to spend some time in the hemi tech section and i've already studied the HOTHEADS site. any advice will be appreciated on the motor or the car/install.
Got a 392 / trans from a 59 Imperial in my essex, it was an original motor that had been sitting in an unfinished project for a long time. Motor was locked up, few weeks of mystery oil and gentle turning back and forth with a wrench and it has been running every summer for about six years, a little smoke but never been rebuilt and has been very reliable. Best of luck and my vote is keep as many of those old inconvenient parts as you can. P.S. I'm wicked jealous those parts and if they need a new home Im interested!
i can't imagine getting 6 carbs working in conjunction with each other, the distributor will be buried in a recessed firewall, and i want/need an overdrive trans. so it doesn't make muck since to hang on to parts that can finance the new ones. any pics of the essex?
Nice looking engine! I'd be interested in those 6 pesky carbs and that Drag Star if the price is right, shoot me a PM...
On the side of practicallity the Drag Star & carbs on EBay would go a long way twords financing the project, especially where a 4 bl intake is a 100$. I'd offload the antique tranny & adaptor & get an adaptor for the modern tranny of your choice. Glad you found the Tech Index, should answer a lot of Qs!
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