Putting a Chrysler Industrial Hemi in a 52 Dodge truck

Just got my custom length pushrods in the mail from Smith Brothers. They treated me right.

Going to work on getting these installed and will pray to the motor gods that my engine troubles are behind me.

 

Amen on that.

 

Damn, Dan. I am just catching up with your problems. I cannot believe it. Good luck with the new pushrods. I know you are tired of effing with this.

My guess is that you have a geometry problem with the rocker arms and cam combination. I would sure study up on proper geometry before I put those new pushrods in........or else you may have the same problem again.

 

Dan,
I have been following your thread with great interest. I have the same truck and will be restoring it soon. I really like the hemi mod you did. Sorry to hear of the struggles to finally get it done. I wish I could help, but the pushrod issue is over my head
I do have a question: what is it about this hemi that allows you to "bolt it in" with minor mods compared to say a 318 or 360? Most people seem to go that way but have to cut into the firewall...I don't want to do that.
If I search for a hemi like yours, what specifically do I look for?
Can't wait to hear some happiness from you when you can finally fire this thing up and let 'er rip!
Don't give up!

 

Interesting trivial note: Chrysler Industrials ran sodium filled exhaust valves. I don't think that would be a problem on the street. These engines were designed mostly for continuous running at sustained RPMs. I still want to put one in a 1951 Massey Harris 44 tractor, and make it look factory installed. . . . . . . Good luck with the engine transplant!

 

Close, but not exact....the Truck engines had sodium filled stems as well as rotators. The Industrials were closer to the Pass car engines than most folks realize.

.

 

When I started this project, I really thought it would be minor mods...but it really was a lot more work than I planned. I love the looks of it now, but kinda wish I had just rebuilt and spiffed up the original flat6. Sounds pretty lame after all the work I have it in, but I also put way more money into the project than I thought it would take.

I didn't have to cut the firewall to make it fit...but it would probably have helped to improve handling if I had done that. Using modified Hearst style mounts that I got from Gary (73RR) allowed me to use the stock mounting holes in the front. Then moving the radiator forward gave me the clearance I needed in the front.

A 360 would have been easier to fit in (width wise), but I think it's pretty close to the same length, so I think you'd still have those issues to deal with.

My engine is a pretty standard 354 Industrial Hemi. The early 331's have an extended block, and that might have caused some fitment issues with the floors, so if you do find a 331, I'd be worried about that.


Update on my issues:

Got the new pushods all installed and everything torqued back down. I decided to take a chance and am trying to reuse the head gaskets. I never pulled the heads off, but did have to loosen all the head-bolts. I don't expect to really push this engine hard, so hoping I get lucky and they are fine.

I did get it running yesterday and drove it around the neighborhood and everything feels great. I had a tiny bit of knock (sounds like pushrods) at the startup, but it went away as the engine warmed up. Maybe the pushrods or lifters needed to get filled with oil?

Engine runs smooth and idles fine now. Hope for only good times ahead. Going to try to get to the Shadyside Dragway event in a couple weeks with it (just to watch).

 

Dan, Excellent news !!

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Thanks Gary. I will admit that I was nervous to turn the key. I would have put it up for sale as-is if things didn't work out.


Couple questions for you while you're online:

Timing...I have it set at 10.5deg with the vac disconnected. Sound about right?


Should I re-torque the head bolts after a few cycles?
I found a spec of 85lbs on the HotHeads site, so that's what I used. Since I'm reusing the gaskets, should I add a couple pounds?

 

Don't torque beyond specs. Retorqueing probably isn't a bad idea.

 

Check the torque after a couple of warm-up cycles.
Over torquing is usually a not-so-good idea. In fact, many years past, I had a couple of blocks that had been severely over-torqued and the corners of the block had actually cracked...

As to timing, if it starts easy and doesn't rattle under part throttle acceleration then you are pretty damn close.

Keep us posted.

 

I hope that fixed your problems Dan.

Is your new FFR a street car are strictly for racing?

 

The FFR is for street use and I plan on doing occasional HPDE stuff with it.

Before I beat up on it again, I need to get it to a tuner so he can check out the computer and make sure it's track ready. I blew the head gaskets on my first track event with it (2 weeks after I got the car)...so I had two cool cars sitting in the garage that were sidelined at the same time. Just got the FFR running again the day before the Truck fired up.

 

Great to hear you're up and running Dan!

 

Glad you are back on the road, Dan. Hope all goes well from here on out.

 

Any chance of a video of the truck running down the road?

 

What engine management are you running on the ffr? Are you still EECIV?

 

I'll get a video this weekend when the weather is better.

On the FFR, I've got a 93 Cobra computer in it and the stock ignition module...nothing fancy.

 

Got a short video for you guys to check-out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCcR1M8iAuo

 

Very Cool Dan,
I can almost see your big GRIN! I am hoping for similar results soon I hope.........

 

Oh, I do like that truck!
...and the Toby song and the house. All very nice.

.

 

Took the truck out yesterday for it's first road-trip. Drove about 1 1/2 hours to a car show yesterday. Highway speeds ranged from 60-70mph and it drives surprisingly well. The steering it a bit loose, but maybe the alignment will help. I need to fix the front driver spring before doing the alignment.

Here's a shot at the show



Now for a question:

I knew the front driver spring had lost some tension...but didn't realize how much. The truck was sitting about an inch lower on the driver side compared to the passenger side.

I brought it in for an alignment and had a spacer in my parts bin, so I asked them to put it in. Then noticed how bad things really looked. Didn't get the alignment done because I have to address the spring issue.



It's been like this for a while and I had both springs out recently to have a leaf removed, so it's not a broken leaf.

So my options are to pull both front springs and have them re-arched to match the better side OR I was wondering if I could do this instead.

Take out all but the two longest leafs. I know they won't do squat for support...I'd be leaving those just to keep the front axle located.

Then put coil-over shocks in the front with the right spring rates. The coil-overs would allow for adjustment of ride height and probably a smoother ride due to better springs. I know it's not 'traditional, but it would be totally hidden and I'm thinking provide a much better ride.

Any thoughts (not in terms of traditional vs. non-traditional.....will it work?)

 

Congrats on getting a good run on the engine, hopefully the pushrod issues have been put to rest. I'd been wondering about this.
As for the spring issue, IMHO the best thing to do is get the springs re-arched or replaced outright. I'm no suspension guru but my gut feeling is that the coil-over idea would bring its own set of issues and maybe even compromise the safe drivability of the truck.

 

Eli is right. Go to www.springsNthings.com and look at their site. I think you have to call them to order springs. Order a new set. They were cheap for my Plymouth. Then, you can remove a leaf or whatever and have new, non squeaky, non saggy springs.

 

Iam not a knowlegable hemi guy, but a good freind of mine is, and some where he found an adapater for his small hemi that allowed him to use a small block chevy water pump. That got rid of a lot of cast iron and made the engine dimentionally smaller, and it worked well for him, plus the chevy water pumps should be easier to find than hemi's. Just a thought

 

I'm with the new spring crowd. My concern with going with the coil overs is if the shock could take the strain of supporting the Hemi. You will probably have as much money in the coil overs as you would have in replacement leafs. I'd go for the spring, if the pricing was close. Gene

 

Fiddler....hothemiheads sells the adapter you're referring too, but it requires other changes too (front cover and pulleys). It does give you about an extra inch off the overall length and some weight savings.

I wanted to keep the hemi as stock looking as possible and saving 10-15lbs of weight wasn't going to make much difference to me.


On the springs, I was thinking of using something strong (like Rancho's) for the coil-overs, but am going to check with EBCO springs on the total cost to replace the springs.

This would be an easier job to do on a lift (hint, hint Rock).

 

......in a word......yes !!

 

here's the real problem....how do you think you are going to steer this beast ???...my 56 dodge was an absolute bitch to steer with the 270 red ram hemi...that's two sizes smaller than the chrysler hemi....with the de soto in the middle...you WILL need power steering with that iron lump...there's no way the stock steering will cut it...that said...I cut my chassis aft of the pedals and hung a camaro subframe under the old girl...now she has power steering, disc brakes and IFS....think hard about it and good luck !!!

 

Steering isn't that bad. It takes some effort when I'm coming out of the garage and making a hard turn at low speed...but it's manageable.

If I'm going over 5mph and it's very easy to steer.