I know there aren't that many early hemi guys here but I'll throw this out for anyone who can use it.
Anyone who runs an early hemi generally will go with the BBC water pump conversion. This is a great solution since it fits by simply using an inexpensive adapter kit that is available through PAW or HotHeads and gives you the ability to replace a faulty pump at almost any auto parts store. We all know that finding a new water pump for an early hemi is almost impossible, although I do have one for a DeSoto hemi on my parts shelf, still in the box.
Anyway, converting to the BBC water pump means that you will have to run an aftermarket front cover like this one from HotHeads. Very nice looking but a bit expensive at $139.
So the low buck solution to this problem is to modify a stock front cover to fit behind the BBC water pump. The hemi I'm building for my Deuce will represent one that was built back in the early 60's and it is unlikely that a cast aluminum front cover would have been used back then (unless you were running mechanical fuel injection) so I think the '60's look will be better served just by modifying what I have to fit the parts I'm using.
Here is a stock Chrysler hemi front cover. Notice the fuel pump boss on the side.
On early hemis the fuel pump is driven off a concenteric that mounts to the front of the cam. Unfortunatly the fuel pump concentric has to be deleted in order to fit things behind the BBC water pump and the rest of the upper portion of the cover is about a quarter inch too high to fit as well. This means I'll have to use an electric fuel pump but I knew that going in.
What I did was to cut the upper portion of the cover off and replace it with a 16 ga. section at the proper height to fit behind the water pump and yet allow enough room for the timing chain and sprocket. Here you can see the modified version compared to the stock cover.
And here is how it will sit on the front of the block.
1/8" clearance is all that is needed. A quick way to save $140 and as expensive as early hemis are to rebuild every penny saved helps.
Anyone who runs an early hemi generally will go with the BBC water pump conversion. This is a great solution since it fits by simply using an inexpensive adapter kit that is available through PAW or HotHeads and gives you the ability to replace a faulty pump at almost any auto parts store. We all know that finding a new water pump for an early hemi is almost impossible, although I do have one for a DeSoto hemi on my parts shelf, still in the box.
Anyway, converting to the BBC water pump means that you will have to run an aftermarket front cover like this one from HotHeads. Very nice looking but a bit expensive at $139.
So the low buck solution to this problem is to modify a stock front cover to fit behind the BBC water pump. The hemi I'm building for my Deuce will represent one that was built back in the early 60's and it is unlikely that a cast aluminum front cover would have been used back then (unless you were running mechanical fuel injection) so I think the '60's look will be better served just by modifying what I have to fit the parts I'm using.
Here is a stock Chrysler hemi front cover. Notice the fuel pump boss on the side.
On early hemis the fuel pump is driven off a concenteric that mounts to the front of the cam. Unfortunatly the fuel pump concentric has to be deleted in order to fit things behind the BBC water pump and the rest of the upper portion of the cover is about a quarter inch too high to fit as well. This means I'll have to use an electric fuel pump but I knew that going in.
What I did was to cut the upper portion of the cover off and replace it with a 16 ga. section at the proper height to fit behind the water pump and yet allow enough room for the timing chain and sprocket. Here you can see the modified version compared to the stock cover.
And here is how it will sit on the front of the block.
1/8" clearance is all that is needed. A quick way to save $140 and as expensive as early hemis are to rebuild every penny saved helps.