Desoto Hemi Q&A

I have a 341 desoto hemi short block. It still need heads, but finding a nice set of heads has been a little challenging. Are there any other Desoto hemi heads that will fit the 341? If they do will I have to use a corresponding intake? IE if I can use 330 heads or 345 heads do I have to use a 330 intake or 345 intake? I thought 330 and 341 interchange, but I'm not sure. Are the Desoto Adventurer heads better than the standard heads, heck for that matter are any of the heads better than others. This engine will be running a blower and I'm getting a 341 blower manifold soon. So I would like heads that will work with this manifold also.

Thanks for your help guys,


Jesse

 

Did you check the Hemi tech Index?

 

I have never been there I will look for it, Thanks

 

The last two issues of Hot Rod have everything you need to know about these early hemis as well.

 

I picked up both since I was home on leave for that reason. It was mostly not Desoto stuff but still a good read.

 

If you figure out what you need, pm me as I have several sets of hemi heads, I'm not proud of them, price wise but, the shipping might sting a bit!

 

I was thinking shipping will be an issue. I have 4 sets of 291 heads and they got to be 60lbs each. You maybe hearing from me. Thanks

 

To answer your initial question, you can bolt any Desoto head onto any block, low deck or tall deck. You would use the intake that corresponces with the block, i.e., low deck or tall deck. Low deck intakes interchange between themselves, as do tall decks. They do not interchange between each other.

There are differences in combustion chamber sizes and valve sizes.

 

is the desoto adventurer head different?

 

All 56 and 57 Desoto use the same head. Casting number 1635779

 

Thanks TR I just found that info through my searches. I will be going with tall deck heads because my 291 blower manifold is going to be used on my 291.

So my new and related question is where can I find info on combustion chamber sizes and valve size on these tall deck heads? Which tall deck head would work the best on a blown 341? I guess I could always put in larger valves.

right now I have flat top pistons in the 341 to keep the compression down.

TR you make some cool hemi parts

 

http://victorylibrary.com/mopar/desoto-c.htm

I found this site in my searches and it has quite a few pages of great info on desoto hemi's. Probably the most I have seen in one place.

 

The 56 and 57 heads are pretty much the same physiclly. Don't know about spring pressure on the Adventurer heads. All the heads will fit, but the pre-56 heads have smaller ports and valves but the same size chambers at about 79 CCs. Bill

 

Thanks bill and everyone that helped me in my search. I will be looking out for a set built in 57.

 

The tall deck Desoto heads seem to be the most prone to cracking in the chambers. Before spending any money on a set, it would be wise to have them magged.

 

i'd love to see a pic of that manifold. i heard about them, never saw one.

 

No problem, I had my wife dig it out and take some pics since I'm in Afghanistan.

The story is that this intake was made by a guy named Bob Hattersfield. For my 290 Desoto Hemi, Yes 290, I was told when I bought the race engine it was from the Arusso Bros special, which I believe is a gasser and maybe being restored in the Chicago area, from a lead I had. I maybe off with the spelling on the names because my papers are at home. The engine is Bored .125 over, runs ross pistons, billet Alum rods, destoked crank, Race ported and prepped heads, hunt or vertex mag(I can't remember which on I have, Chet Herbert cam, A pruned 4-71 with a tom beatty back plate, Crager drive and complete hilborn 2 pot setup on top. I also got a 671 4x2 671 a chromed out and rebuilt. I'm not sure which one was run on the engine originally, I'm pretty sure the 4-71 and the 4-71 will be going on it someday. I want to build a car for the salt in the future using this engine. Thats the dream anyways. It was setup to run 9000 rpm.

Sorry for the big pics my wife uses a DSLR and I keep having a hard time making them smaller.

 

By Tex Smiths book "the complete chryser hemi''

 

I will look for it thanks. I'm always looking for more reading material over here.

 

pretty cool

 

That manifold is fucking rad!!!!

 

For my money, the HAMB beats any book, including Tex's. Books aren't interactive, and DeSoto info is elusive. Tom and the others got ya covered. Good question, good answers!

 

With all the info said about the Head swapping no one has told you about the Locating Pins being DIFFERENT sizes between Tall & Short deck De Soto's

They dont just BOLT on ...They will Fit ... But dont just Bolt on.

The Short Deck have Smaller Exhaust Ports

Tall Deck 330-341-345 Heads tend to Crack .... Took 5 pair to get 2 uncracked heads for my 330

You can Ship them Greyhound Bus or Parcel Post USPS and its Not to crazy if your a few states away.

 

info I have found so far:

52-53 276ci valves 1.75 intake 1.40 exhaust
54-55 291ci valves 1.84 intake 1.50 exhaust
56 330ci valves 1.94 intake 1.75 exhaust
330ci is the same for 341 and 345 heads

A few people have stated, DE Soto and TR, above that tall deck heads crack. I feel that a set of low deck heads with slightly bigger valves and porting work will be able to keep up with the big dogs while being more reliable.

Compression Ratings are as follows
Stock 276's run 7.1 to 1
291's run 7.5 to 1
330's 8.5 to 1
341's run 9.25 to 1
345's run 9.5 to 1

I have not figured out what these heads CC at that is my next focus

 

Seems that the C/Rs, when actually measured, are up to a point on the optimistic side.

 

What are the numbers have you been seeing George?

 

Haven't seen anything on DeSoto, but Webrodder had a 241 Dodge, list was 7.0 or 7.1, measured @ 6.19. Think I saw a long tail 331 that's nominally 7.5 down around 7.0 ...maybe at Webrodder also.

 

Great stuff. Just started paying attention to the baby Hemis lately. My son picked one up a DeSoto 291 for his 54 f100. I'll be paying watching your thread! Got some learning to do.

Be careful!

Craig

 

There is defiantly a lot of room for improvement