rcknrolfender79

Hey guys I'm going to buy this hemi tomorrow. I haven't seen it in person yet. Don't have a clue what size it is. All I know is the guy doesnt know what it is.. He listed it as a "1958 Dodge Engine" lol never once called it a hemi in the ad but as you can see it obviously is a hemi... But I'm getting it for $650. He doesnt know what size it is and wasnt able to get the casting numbers for me, due to not being with the engine. It has a 3 deuce set up on it or six pack.. (not sure if that was original for 58). But this is the only picture I got of it.

Any info you guys could give me before I go check it out would be nice. I'm probably going to buy it regardless of the size due to the fact its a hemi and easily worth the price alone and the six pack set up is worth that by its self. But can anyone tell me what casting numbers to look for? Or a way to identify it on the fly?

I'm not real familiar with the early hemi's but anything helps. Did they have big block and small block hemi's back then or were they all big blocks? I saw a 291 hemi sell at an auction a long time ago and I remember it looking like a massive engine (due to the massive hemi heads). Even makes a 440 look small lol.

RacerHog

A shot in the dark for me is... It looks like a 331 Hemi. Just from that picture. If the engine is not seized, or not much wrong with it. I would pick it up for sure at that price...
Just my 2 cents

moe7404

not 331. the heads have a water outlet. now iam thinking we talking about a Chrysler engine, not dodge, or desto. the plys did NOT have a Hemi in the 50s. the valley cover mount flat has a stamping number that will tell you what body it was in that will tell what the engine is. i think the stamp will have the year no near the front of the stamp. and a letter showing the body model. in the 50 the Chrysler put the big hemi only in the New Yorker. might be Hemi was only in New Yorker. 331 51-55, 354 56, 392 only 1957-1958. the 354 and 392 had the water outlet in heads but not 331. thats the best i can do off the top of my head. there is sites with very good info.

rcknrolfender79

So you think its definitely a 354 or 392?

RacerHog

Careful Moe...It does not have an extended housing on the back of the engine.. So we know it's not real early.. And we don't know if the heads have been swapped...
Just saying...

moe7404

i think the extended housing is 331 only. the 57 392 has 9.1 CR, 58 has 10.0 CR. and iam sure the water outlet in head is 54 / 92 only. the 92 is a taller block. diff intake maniflod. 31 / 54 came with 2 bbl or 4 bbl, 92 4 bbl only. and diff lifter angle. I.E. diff cam for 54 than 92.. they never made 92 poly engine. i think the poly block is the same as the hemi block but for the pistons some years.. the oil system is a lot like the LA engine but some small differences. AND i have a 57 or 58 Chrysler service manual.

RacerHog

So what you are saying is it's a 330Ci with 392 heads?

moe7404

i was not trying to say that. i might have said something wrong. most of the time when the engine is a mix of diff years you are looking at an engine that was in a race car. it was sometimes a 54 head put on a 92 block to adjust CR. and a spec spacer between the intake manifold and head cause the 54 block has a lower deck. mostly done on a race car.

rcknrolfender79

Well thank you for all of the input guys.. Its none of the above lol... Its a 53 or 54 Dodge Red Ram 241 hemi So its the little guy. But after a bit of studying I went ahead and bought it as I found its well worth what I paid for it and more.

moe7404

i have seen that engine with a 2 X 4 setup. but i think its not O.E.M. but one 4 bbl could be. if it is truly a 53 - 54 an AFB will NOT be O.E.M. but a WCFB could.

moe7404

found this.
Dodge

D44-1001 1953 241 140 hp (Red Ram)
D50A-1001 1954 241 140 hp (Red Ram)
D553-1001 1955 270 183 hp
D553-1001 1955 270 193 hp (w/Power Pak)
D500-1001 1956 315 260 hp (D500)
KD500-1001 1957 325 285 hp
KD500-1001 1957 325 310 hp (w/Power Pak)

better info
http://hothemiheads.com/hemi_info/hemi_engine_id.html

moe7404

i just thought the early dodge hemi spark plug might NOT be like the chrysler Hemi. the 241 dodge hemi might use the short plug, 3/8 long. and the chrysler use the long 3/4 plug. the old books should be right

RacerHog

Cool Beans.....

See Moe... I was closer...

rcknrolfender79

mine has D502. Which on this chart shows to be 150hp 241

moe7404

OK OK in my old age my eyes must be failing. my big Q about Hemis, are the new ones any good? ill say this about the chrysler 1957-1958 hemi with nitro and blower it made the most power, and stay in one piece, for a, daily driver, engine that was NOT made specifically for racing.