[39chevy]

What is more desireable motor 331, 341, or 292. What is easier to get parts for?

[tjet]

The bigger Chrysler hemi's have the best aftermarket support. 331, 354, & 392

Here's a good early hemi article from hotrod

Part 1

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/h...h/viewall.html

Part 2

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/e...2/viewall.html


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[vinniekq2]

you can buy a new one for a hot rod,and it makes a lot of power

[327NUT]

"you can buy a new one"..........yea maybe YOU can, I sure couldn't, you didn't tell the OP how much a new hemi costs. To answer the question, the 57/58 392 is the most desireable but the 331 and 354 are still very collectable....just like any early hemi. If you can find one for a reasonable price buy it, they are turning into gold.

[vinniekq2]

wonder what it would cost to find a 392,rebuild and warm it up? It cost me almost 11k for a good stroker small block chevy,a few k more gets you a 528 HEMI,that is not a cool old rebuild junk engine from 40 years ago,thats brand new everything and its a hemi!

[tjet]

a 51-53 331 Chry is the best bang for the buck.

Here's mine

[327NUT]

Here's a nitro burnin 354.........nice!!!!!

[tjet]

Looks like he's got the good '54 331 heads.

I picked up a pair of '54 heads for my '52 331

I like the white eng paint too. Here's my fav looking early hemi (Chrysler Photo)

[hcompton]

Originally Posted by vinniekq2

wonder what it would cost to find a 392,rebuild and warm it up? It cost me almost 11k for a good stroker small block chevy,a few k more gets you a 528 HEMI,that is not a cool old rebuild junk engine from 40 years ago,thats brand new everything and its a hemi!

I got to agree any early engines will be worth more as a stock rebuild than as a hotrod motor. 15k for the big hemi in near race car power with a warranty. You can spend 20k building an old hemi engine.

If you have a numbers matching hemi rebuild it stock and keep it factory. None number matching well mopar has some great choices that dont include 20k price tag. 340 360 440 are all nice options. Usally if your car can fit a hemi engine you can also fit something with alot more punch. 440 is cheap and easy to get parts for and no sad faces if you smoke one having too much fun.

If your trying to make your car more valuable or just get a hemi at all cost. Pull the original engine and have it rebuilt to stock wrap in plastic hide it in the garage and stuff the 528 in the car. Usally upgrades that can be undone and are professinally done do not kill value as much as major modifications to the number matching engine. If you dont want to spend that much cash then avoid using the word hemi....

The hemi market has lost its mind. I would avoid buying Any thing during a rush in the market. I got a feeling hemi engines will be floating around for years to come after all the money spent in recent years.

[tjet]

As far as costs go, my complete 331 was around $800. Granted a rebuild will be more than a SBC, but the wow factor is worth it.

This is the perfect hotrod IMO. Model A with a 1954 Chrysler 331 (Bass's car)
No other engine even comes close to the early Chrysler hemi for the cool factor

THE Bass Hemi Model A Coupe - THE H.A.M.B.





Centerline has a nice hotrod too
Here is his early hemi website..

http://www.hotrodsandhemis.com/




.

[tjet]

Here's some more early hemi stuff for reference - good info



Here's a funny factory picture with a couple of guys drooling over a hemi

[timothale]

Nothing can beat the sound of a Hemi at Bonneville running Flat out, YOU can still hear it going thru the 3 mile marker.

[hcompton]

The hemi's are cool. Back in the day hotrods used mostly caddy and ford engines. Hemis didnt come out until later and werent really fast until the mid 60's. i think there is more cool factor than the hemi. an original 1940 caddy v8 and hilborn style injection would be more cool factor for me.

More Cool factor than hemi:

40 caddy motor.
Chevy 50's vette motor with mech. injection
501 caddy motor.
good old 350 with little pep
the actual engine that came in the car
Rocket 88 (very cool and popular build back in the day)
Any straight 8 engine
Any flat head v8
any LS engine that will last and let you drive the car like you stole it!

Hemi engines were always expensive. That is why no one ever used them in there hotrods. If you see an old hotrod with a hemi it was built in the 70's to present not the 50's. Sorry but true.

That being said here are some great engines. some are hemis but some that look like hemis are not.
15 of the Best Hot Rod Engines at LA Roadster Show | MyRideisMe.com

[Valkyrie5.7]

Originally Posted by hcompton

Rocket 88 (very cool and popular build back in the day)

That's a car, not an engine. You either mean the 303, 324, 371 or 394. These were all available in 88's and as we all know, every Olds engine is a "Rocket". The most well known would probably be the 371 J2 "Golden Rocket" with three two-barrel carbs. That's what I would picture in a hotrod at least, though I'm not silly enough to draw conclusions about what was used at that time without living during it.

If that's the engine you're referring to, it wasn't produced until the late 50's and was more than likely seen on 60's rods as well.

Either way, I love Olds V8's and I have to say that I'd rather see a Hemi in an old Ford than any wedge-headed motor. The only motors that could look as cool as a Hemi in a rod would maybe be a 348/409 and would certainly never be a plain-jane SBC.

[tjet]

Originally Posted by hcompton

...That is why no one ever used them in there hotrods...

So, Don Garlits didn't use a hemi?

I think you need to double check your internet sources.

Hey well I like 'em, and that's what matters