Hey guys, Looking at this 31 model A highball. Guy says it is a 1956 DeSoto Fireflite 330. it has an ABF 4 barrel. Smokes like hell. He said all cylinders had 100 psi except, cyl 7 has 50psi. How much to rebuild this engine? How hard to get a 4 speed behind it? Bell housings? conversions to sag or Muncie or Trec. Are there many aftermarket parts for this engine? All comments approciated
Aftermarket adapters for transmissions are available and for the 4 speed trans. The intakes are also available as Matt at Gear Drive sell a 6x2 log. I have a set of chrome valve covers if you get it and are looking for a set.
Thanks, are parts commonplace? I am a Chevy man all my life but when I saw this thing and the Hemi, it turned my head as the next project since I sold my Dodge over the summer.
Are they the same as some other engines(Hemi) meaning are the blocks the same and parts fit multiple engines (Like small blocks)? Need a crash course for morons in Hemis. Is it a good, bad, indifferent block/engine? All and any help! The Hamb member always comes through!
Standard shift parts from a lot of early Mopars will fit. A series V8s, and hemis. Even some late 50s 6cyl cars and trucks came with a housing that would bolt to 6s and 8s. Flywheels too. With the right housing, an A833 will bolt on with a little home drilling and tapping. Down side is those are all cast iron and h e a v y.
It's my understanding that the Desoto is on its own. Not interchangeable with the mopar hemi of the same era
It already has a 4bbl intake so a plus there. A rebuild on a desoto would be about the same as any other oddball engine of that era... meaning expensive. There's very little aftermarket support for performance parts for desoto, so no cams, off the shelf high compression pistons, adjustable rocker arms, or that kind of stuff. As far as the transmission swap the desoto shares the same bell housing bolt pattern as the chyrsler and dodge hemi's so there are a few roads to go down with that.
All of the early Hemi’s are their own design . Chrysler, Dodge , Desoto all made their own engines,,,almost nothing interchanges. Plymouth didn’t have a Hemi,,,they had a Poly engine,,,sort of a canted valve head . The Desotos are good engines though,,,,,,very good engine . A lot of information online,,,,,,also parts are available,,,,,not everything,,,,but a lot of parts you might need . Hot heads has quite a selection of Desoto parts Tommy
They are great engines but like they said not much interchanges with the Chrysler and Dodge hemis. Count on at least $3500-4000 + to freshen it up if you have to take it apart. You may luck out and there's just a set of zero tension rings in that one cylinder. But you never know what you'll find until you open it up and start inspecting. Adapters are available to put all kinds of transmissions behind it but they aren't cheap either, bellhousing/adapter, flywheel, clutch, linkage, etc is easily $1k plus the trans.
Thanks. I am too scared of it. Sadly he wanted 11 grand, but I ain't into building right now. If anyone is interested, email me. It is a lot of car for the cash. Duece rails, Hemi. 5 window body, bell dropped axle. 9-inch ford. Typical hot rod just needs a lot of work but in today's market a steal for those with patience and some money and time.
To all who responded! Thanks! The boys on the Hamb always come through! After much thought, hard thought, I am just not ready for another just yet. Sadly, he wanted 11 grand, but I ain't into building right now. If anyone is interested, email me. As you can see, it is a lot of car for the cash. Real 32 rails, Hemi. 5 window, Model A, chopped, True Bell dropped axle. 9-inch Ford, true posi. 373 gears. A true and typical hot rod that needs a lot of love and work... but in today's market, she is a steal for someone with patience and some money and time.
That's a '55 331 Chrysler in my Avatar car, so I can assure you the best source of info, (besides the HAMB) is "Bob Walker" at Hot Heads Research and Racing . Meaning of course that is where I went when I first got this engine Google his website or call at (336) 352-4866. He has just about anything your heart desires. HOT HEADS Product Index - DESOTO: A - through W A Adapters: Carb Fuel Pump Adapter, SB Mopar to DeSoto Oiling System Adapters: Hot Heads Oil Filter Adapter, 30° Oil Filter Adapter, Forward Position Oil Filter Adapter, Vertical Position Oil Remote Adapter Transmission: Torqueflite Trans Adapter Hemi to Mopar Manual Hemi to Ford Manual Chevy Automatic Trans Adapter Hemi to Chevy Manual Hemi to '48 Ford & Earlier V-Drive Boat Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac (by request) Air Cleaner, Fin Man Oval Finned Aluminum Air Cleaner Kit for Holley D-Throat Carburetors Air Conditioning Bracket, Lower Mount Alternator Bracket, Lower Mount Apparel: HOT HEADS T-Shirts HOT HEADS Caps Ballast Resistor, Heavy Duty Bearing and Bushings: Cam Bearings Bearings - Mains Bearings - Rods Intermediate Shaft Bushing Wrist Pin Bushings Block Galley, Water Jacket and Cam Core Plug Kit Blower Scoop Cover Blower Manifold Burst Panel Kit Blower Stud Kit Blower / V-Belt Pulley Spacer Bolt Kits Head Main Oil Pan Brackets: Air Conditioning - Lower Mount Alternator - Lower Mount Ignition Coil, Chrome Breathers: Chrome Shielded Breather for Stock Valley Donovan Short VC Breather Donovan Tall VC Breather Fin Man 43º Valve Cover Breather - Polished Fin Man 32º Valve Cover Breather - Polished Offy Jr. Valley Cover Breather, Polished Breather Kit, PCV/Valve Cover, Polished Burst Panel Kit Bushing, Intermediate Shaft Cam Bearings Roller Camshafts for Stock Length Valves Cam Hex Drive Cam Thrust Plate, Bronze Cam Thrust Spacer Washer Cam Washer & Screw Carb Adapters: 6 Pack Carb Adapter Plates 1 x 4 BBL Tunnel Ram Carburetor Adapter High-Rise 2 x 4 BBL Carburetor Adapter 2 x 4 BBL Tunnel Ram Carburetor Adapter Offset Carb Adapter Kit Mopar 2BBL to Holley 2BBL Quad to Holley Carburetor, Holley D-Throat Air Cleaner Kit Carburetor Assemblies, Six Pack Carb Linkage: Side Mount 2 x 4 Carb Linkage, Blower In-Line 2 x 4 Carb Linkage, Blower Progressive 3x2 Unblown Progressive Inline 2/4 BBL Unblown Straight Inline 2/4 BBL Coils, Chrome Ignition Coil Bracket, Chrome Condenser, High Dielectric Crank Bolt & Washer Dip Stick Assembly Distributors: MSD Drop In Pro Billet Distributor Mallory Unilite Elec. Distributor Intermediate Drive Gears: Bronze w/Roll Pin Iron w/Roll Pin Distributor Cap, Super Duty Distributor Hold Down Clamp, Aluminum Distributor Points Distributor Rotors: Electronic Points Distributor Surge Protector Electronic Fuel Injection Engine Block and Related Engine Key Set Engine Rebuild Kits Aluminum Stock Replacement Aluminum, Mopar & Chevy Style Transmissions Steel, Mopar & Chevy Style Transmissions Freeze Plugs, Brass Front Drive Assembly Kits & Upgrades Fuel Pump Adapter (SB Mopar to DeSoto) Fuel Pump Eccentric Gaskets - Sets and Individual Gear Drive Kit, Milodon Generator Mount for 1x4 Intake Manifold More HOT HEADS DeSoto Product Pages: H - M N - R S - Z Hot Heads Home New Products Ordering Chrysler Index Dodge Index DeSoto Index Hot Heads Research & Racing, Inc. 276 Walker's Hollow Trail Lowgap, NC 27024 Phone: (336) 352-4866 Fax: (336) 352-3892 E-mail: info@HotHemiHeads.com
Agree with above. Bob at HotHeads is a great source for parts and good advise. My little DeSoto 276 was expensive but worth it all. fun and lots of torque. SBC folks drool
The Jalopy Journal
