A friend has a 54 Windsor with the flathead six. He's interested in swapping a Chrysler hemi in it's place, keeping the fluid drive. Will the bellhousing pattern be the same? I did look through some of the hemi tech posts, but the depth is a bit much. Hoping for a quick Yeah or nea on this while I wade through all the good info in the tech posts....
X2 for a more modern tranny. Even if it would bolt up, do you really think it's a good idea to put ~250 hp worth of hemi power thru a tranny that's spent the last 60 years only handling the flatheads ~70 hp???
Thanks guys! I agree that would be the optimum set-up. It develops into mission creep though. Trans, then cooler and shifter, then axle for E-brake, and u-joint driveshaft. With all that, better put in front brakes to match the newer rears. At that point, might as well go 12V with alt. since you use a modern starter. The owner has the usual limited funds and the car is just a cruiser, not a pavement ripper. After doing all the above, he could just as easily toss in a small block, since the changes are the same. Then you loose some of the 50's vibe. I'll be giving him a hand getting other minor issues straightened out. Maybe the old flatty can be sharpened up to the point that he's happy.
Being old as dirt, I can say that if he is still hunting his hemi, find a '54 and up and he can use the two speed Powerflite or the '57-58 Torqueflite which all had the parking brake assembly on the end of the trans. In the early '60's I had a '54 with the 331 Hemi and a Powerflite and it suffered all the abuse tossed at it with the stock hemi. Had the engine been modified, it probably would have grenaded. A later 727 would be best and there is a company out there who builds a parking brake setup that mounts on the rear end pinion yoke. But having had a Windsor, I would say he probably would need a gentle foot with the original rear end as I believe that the hemi's had a stronger rear put behind them. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Different bell pattern. He will need a v-8 bell for the same 1954 fluid drive application. All else should bolt up save changes to exhaust, wiring, mounts and misc. Since it is a cruizer, give some thought to redoing the 6. Good eye candy. .
'54 Chrysler should have a Powerflite, even with the 265 cube six...........at least the one I had did. 're rear end, I doubt the rear is any different for the 6 except for perhaps the ratio. Stude350Guy is correct, .......if the car IS a Fluid Drive, use a '54 or '55 Powerflite or a '56 thru '58 Torqueflite...........and any V8 Mopar trans from that period will fit the engine. Ray
Thanks guy's for all the info! Sorry it took me sooooo long to respond! Kinda new to this!!!! I would appreciate anyone who has owned a 54 chrysler as a friend so please let me know if anyone has owned one.I have alot of questions about the direction I should take my build in. Thanx... Nada!
Looking at gettin a 354 hemi for the 54! Has torque converter but no bell housing,Gonna have to find one.I have been talking to several people to see if it will drop right in...The New yorkers have 331's in em' so I figure A 354 should fit in my windsor...Someone told me that exhaust may be an issue due to limited space of the steering colum?Does anyone know for sure? Has anyone had a 331 or bigger in a windsor? Also been told a powerflight won't handle the 280+ ponies that I wanna throw it's way!So I figured I will look for another tranny...Will the weight be an issue? Not sure how much my flat six weighs but I think that the hemi weighs about 800-850 lbs or more. Checking into what else this build will need? Drive shaft,gearing ratio,etc.etc.etc.Please let me know what you guys think. Thanks Nada.
331/354 weighs in about 697. That is with the massive p/s/generator unit, A/C, OEM intake, front coverr ect. GM 12 bolt, Ford 9", Mopar 83/4 axles will work. Get an adaptor & a 727. Original '54 331s had 3.35 or 3.55 gears. '
It is not likely that a different steering assembly was used on the 6 cyl cars so the 'normal' 331-354 exhaust manifold should clear. Even if I didn't make trans adapters I would still agree with George to use a 727 and a later rear axle. The older trans can be a money pit and converter selection is zilch. Mopar axles widths: http://www.rosevillemoparts.com/reference_enginetrans.php?SID .
Hey Nada, I gotta suggestion; swap out them fugly plastic wheelcovers with the shiny full CHRYSLER caps I gave ya! 73RR, any suggestons for mounting a 727 or 518 to the frame? Any bolt-in solutions, or is it the typical fabrication deal?
On the 2 I've done...1 i used a 2X1 for the crossmember with fabbed frame brakets, & welded 2 ears on the crossmember & drilled them for the mount's cross bolt. On my '60 I removed part of the OEM mounting stuff from the OEM crossover & once again just welded the new ears to the crossover.
Like George says, cut to fit, weld to hold, paint to match... I haven't been under a 54 Chrysler for a veerrry long time and have no recall as to frame design, but I would assume there is adequate frame space to attach to. Guessing from this side of the computer I would be more concerned about having to remove existing brackets/crossmembers. Any pics of the underside on this project? Gary
Parts and pictures comming soon! By the way Rod St Race I found this dude down in cave creek that say's he may have a styrafoam or plastic hemi mock up motor he may sell or let me borrow for the motor swap! I will have all the info soon! Parts too!Thanks alot all you guys I appreciate ya!!!
73RR, got the engine here today. Looks nice! When Nada comes over tomorrow, I'll have a list of questions for him to ask the seller. Looks like OE starter bolted to adapter, adapted Chevy WP and spaced lower pulley, a funny spacer between the block and dist. Holley 4 bbl with adapter, and a PCV in the valley pan. Aside from getting it in the car and a generator aligned and bolted up, looks pretty darn complete and in good shape. Can't tell what kind of torque converter, no slots to drive a front pump.
Is this the oem aluminum plate? and, is the converter bolted direct to the crank? If these are the oem parts then there are plenty of oem bellhousings floating around so mating the trans should be easy. Any pics of the distributor and 'spacer'? .
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