Help ID please and hemi question

Found two hemi engines over the weekend. One is a "Super Red Ram" in a 1955 (I think) Dodge Custom Royale. And the other is in a Desoto. Can someone please ID the Desoto for me, year, engine size, etc. It is a 4V engine. The valve covers say "Chrysler Fire Power", is this normal for a Desoto? Both are complete cars. The Dodge is all there. The Desoto not as good but mostly there. Both are also automatics. Any idea on what would be a reasonable value of either. Was unable to get any numbers due to circumstances and built up crud due to pack rats. Hidden personal collection of cars. Some other very interesting cars there also. TIA.

 

Welcome to the Hamb.

No, it is not 'usual' to find Chrysler valve covers in a DeSoto. The beauty of the EarlyHemis is that other than the 51-53 331 and the 241-270 Dodge, the rest can be swapped around quite easily. If the 330 in your Sportsman dies...put in a 354...and so on.
The 55 Dodge will be 270 and the DeSoto is....you will need to ge a closer look and check the ID number. All of the ID info is in the HemiTech thread, just put Hemi Tech in the search box. Happy reading.

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Going back in about 2 weeks to get a better look. Any ideas what is a reasonable price?

 

Non-running low deck Dodge engines can be had for around $500, if you're getting the whole car I'd offer $800, you'll be able to part out the rest of the car for the price you paid pretty easily. I'd be interested in some of the stuff off of that one.

The '55 DeSoto would depend on the size of the swapped-in Chrysler engine. If it's an extended bell 331 the engine might only be worth $500 but a 392 that turns over could easily be worth $2500. The grille in that car is also worth some pretty decent coin. If you were buying the whole car, I'd offer $1000, you can sell the grille for $500 and some of the other trim, and you'll be into the engine for cheap. If the engine numbers showed it to be a 354 or 392 I wouldn't be afraid to offer $1500 for the whole car, that's still pretty cheap.

 

I sold one of those DeSoto grilles for $400 a few years ago, that's the money piece on that car. Don't we have a guy here on the HAMB in Washington who needs the glass?

A Hemi is relatively easy to ID by the number in the center front of the block, it's stamped in the lip ahead of the valley cover. They have the year of the motor in the first part of the number, the format changes around '54, but you can use the year to id the displacement - 55 and back is 331, 56 is 354, 57-58 is 392 -

 

It is a short bell housing motor in the Desoto. The Dodge really needs someone to just get it running! I am to go back in 2 weeks and get the numbers off the Desoto and find out what the owner wants for them. If I decide to not get them I would be glad to let you know where they are located and who to contact. Like I said he has several other interesting car out there.