Hey all. Need some opinions.... I have an opportunity to trade some tools for a 1954 Chrylser Imperial 4 door. With a original 331 Hemi w/fluid drive transmission. Doesn't run but motor spins freely by hand. The car has a super clean body.Only thing the car is missing is the radiator. I have way too many cars but I was thinking this motor would be cool in my 32 Nash. Keep the motor and trans. and sell the car. Hopefully get a real Hemi on the cheap. Should I not sacrifice the car for the motor? Or pull it out and give the Nash a way cool factor?
If that is a '54 model, the trans should be a two speed Powerflute fully automatic, not the semi-automatic used in prior years. Ray
Like Ray says it 'should' be a 2-speed, but very early production 54 models have been found with early engines. This is easy to determine...2-bbl or 4-bbl? That being said, if the car is really decent then you should be able to find someone who will trade another Hemi engine for the package and save you the efforts of disassembly. Got any pics? .
The car is pretty sweet, but I have 8 cars here at the house and am in the middle of a o/t build with 2 other cars waiting in line and another parts car under a tarp out of sight so it isnt a distraction..... That is why I am contemplating pulling the Hemi and trans for the Nash and moving the car onto someone else.
That car looks very nice. If you were closer we would be talkin'. Personally, I would not part it. It really should be worth more as is and I don't think that a trade would be out of the question, but then I am not in Colorado soooo.... FWIW, the oem trans has little value in a swap. .
That is NOT a 54 Imperial, it is either a 51 or 52 model, and yes, it has fluid drive. If it were a late 53 or a 54 Imperial it would have the 2 speed Powerflite. Early 53's had fluid drive. 53 and 54 had quarter panels, 51 and 52 had separate rear fenders as yours does. The hemi has the extended bell housing, making it more difficult to adapt to other transmissions, but not impossible.
It would be a shame and a disgrace to wreck an Imperial that good. They are a very rare and desirable car, that one could be restored and should be. By the way it is not a 53 or 54, it is a 51. First year Hemi car, Imperial and New Yorker only that year. It came with Fluid Drive or Fluid Torque Drive, check the gearshift quadrant to find out which one. This means it has the 331 cu in 180HP 2 barrel motor with the long bellhousing extention. The least desirable Hemi for a hot rod app.
Thanks for the good info guys. Looks like I will pass on it for just the Hemi. I am still going to look into picking it up. Wish I didn't have so many cars, I would hang on to it. Might be worth picking up to make sure it finds a good home.
The hemi is cool....the gearbox is not....it's referred to as "the clunk-o-matic".....shifts real slow...it's real heavy....and if you bust it...GAME OVER.....many companies make adapters for both stick and automatics of your choice....If your block has the "extended bell housing", it can be cut down to size and rewelded to accept modern transmissions....The extended bell housing blocks are a bit of a pain to work with...but if the Chrysler in question does, in fact, have a Powerflite transmission instead of the clunk-o-matic, then you're golden....the adapters can be very "spendy", and so can the machine work to convert it to a "modern block" configuration....Troy's Engine Manufacturing 166N.Yellowstone Hwy., Rigby,Idaho...208-745-7347....This guy modifies early hemi blocks to accept modern transmissions.
The old Fluid Drive was not that big of a dog, especially the slightly lesser dog the Fluid Torque Drive. 4 speed plus torque converter just like the new cars. There were a few tricks you could do to make it go. I know I surprised a few people with my old 52 New Yorker. Let me know if you buy it, the Fluid Drive is not hard to operate but they can take a long time to figure out on your own. Changing the trans is a very hard job on the pre 54 models. No other automatic will fit. It is possible to cut down a newer automatic and weld on an adapter. It is also possible to adapt a manual trans. If you have plenty of money. But why bother. As I said, the Fluid Drive was not the greatest trans in the world but it is rugged, reliable, easy to service (much easier than Hydramatic) and if it is the torque converter model, just as efficient as any and better than most. Does it have power steering. That was an exclusive feature on those cars, nobody else had it at that time. Air conditioning was brand new that year, nobody else had that either. There were a lot of exclusive features on the 52 Imperial.
My 52 Desoto also had Power Steering, 52 Buick was also available with PS and i'm pretty sure Caddys even had it earlier.
Just my POV, but if (1) you can get it as cheap as you say, and (2) you can't take on another project yourself, then MAKE THE TRADE and sell it for cash for your other projects. That is a pretty special car, and in that condition, somebody would love to have it and do it justice. To pull the Hemi and see the rest of the car parted out would be a shame. Again, just my point of view. Should be a full resto, or a Saturday nite cruiser.
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