Hot Rods Trying to id this hemi?

I have a guy whos several hours away who has this truck and hemi. He wants to trade for a gmc i ended up with but im a mopar guy. This truck is either a 55 or 56.

 

Have him s****e the block just off center, (p***enger side) in front of the valley cover plate. The numbers will make it obvious which engine it is.
Also, ask if it has the long bell housing.

 

If no user code on the flat in front of the valley cover some trucks have them on the front of the block below the driver's side head. Long tail Chr were 51-3 only. Kinda looks like a Dodge.

 

Second glance, I think that IS a Dodge, George. Looks like possible adjustable rockers, too. (dimples in V/Cs)

 

I think it's an early Dodge as well. It has the front mount on the water pump like the cars. I have a 331 out of a '56 dump truck and it has side mounts. It's "short tail" in any event. I had two of these in my "T"-bucket back in the late '50's. I started with a 241 and swapped in a low mileage 270 out of a wrecked car. I liked the 270 a LOT better.

 

besides the CID the 241 had an advertised C/R of only 7 or 7.1:1, one on the old Webrodder site measured out to only 6.19:1. Upgrading to 10:1 pistons would do wonders for the little guy!

 

56/57 would probably be a 315.

 

In the cars, yeah, but the trucks lagged behind. Although there were no 331's in '56 Chrysler cars, my '56 truck engine is a 331.

 

I thought it looked too small for the 331 or bigger? Also i did notice the dimpled valve covers. Any idea on value as i can get 1500 for the truck?

 

Dodges have a slightly different intake manifold-to-head bolt pattern. There are eight hold-down bolts along each head; the middle two (nos. 4 and 5) are slightly but noticeably further outboard from the port centerline (i.e., a bit higher on the head). Chrysler and DeSoto are similar to each other (but not dimensionally); bolts 2 & 3 and 6 & 7 are further outboard. I can't tell from the picture provided which this is. Industrial engines generally had the dimpled valve covers, but that does not necessarily mean mechanical lifters. I'm not sure, but I've heard that the industrials may have lower compression ratio, milder cam profile, and lower grade piston materials. "Hot Heads" sell a book that has engine numbers, and differences between all models/years, which probably describes industrial engine idiosynchrosies.

 

The dimpled valve covers says Dodge to me. Chrysler had dimpled valve covers also, but the dimple is different from the Dodge. The question is, is it a 241/270 or the 315/325? Find the numbers on the top front of the block.
I've seen the big Dodge advertised for up to $2500 for rebuildable core. Who knows what they've actually sold for, if even sold at all.
-Dave

 

If it's not a Chrysler, speed parts will be even more expensive if you can find them...

 

Yeah...My 276 DeSoto is wracking up a large $$ amount for any and everything.
I was going to use the new inline 4-97s from Speed (pro?) but the $850.00 tag is steep, plus I lost all my 97 carbs in a theft. (wonder if the thief knew what to do with 'em?)
Cam can be ground by Delta in Washington state, he has the masters. (reasonable, too)

 

I would pull a valve cover and see if it has adjustable rockers. Rare piece. Would make the engine much more desirable to me if I was looking.

 

Guy says it runs

Like I said it’s a couple hours away so I have to rely on the guys who wants to trade. The bottom line I guess is I have no use for a 64 gmc truck. I could find a use for a Hemi. Or I guess if I had to I could sell or trade it. It takes up jess room than a whole truck.

As far as adjustable rockers on a Hemi can anyone show me the difference so I can check when if I get it. I don’t want to ask him too much in case it’s adjustable and have him decide to keep it or sell it. ?


I read long and short bellhousing ? Which is more desirable and I was thinking if it is a truck ****** I have no use for it? Just a use for the bellhousing?

 

Only Chrysler used a long bell Looking at the picture I' say low deck 241-270 stamped numbers at the front of the valley D44 or D50 = 241, D553 = 270, D500 = 315, KD500 =325.

 

If the rockers have adjusting screws on the pushrod ends, they are adjustable rockers. Really a lot better than adjustable pushrods if you have a mechanical cam in your Dodge.

 

If it runs, what's the deal with the cut V-belts lying on the engine?
It might be a good engine, but I would take with a grain of salt anything the seller says.

Also, ask if the guy has the wire covers, they will tell what division the engine is from, and can be expensive to replace.

 

The wire covers on my 325 were plain painted black & the non dimpled valve covers were plain painted red with no identification, but that's typical on the big Dodge car hemis from what I've seen.
-Dave

 

Only DeSoto had writing on the wire covers. some dodges had embossed valve covers.

 

rebuildable nonrunning 392 Chr goes for 2,000-2,500. Dodges in the 500-1,000 range, maybe a bit more if running & smoking like a BBQ. Running good would be higher

 

"56 would be a 270 & 315 in '57 trucks.

 

My understanding is adjustable rocker arms are one year only.


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It is a tall deck Dodge. Almost certainly a 315. I would be extremely surprised to see adjustable rockers on a truck engine. I have only seen them on the D500 56 engines.
Dodge changed the cover tooling for the D500 adjustables. Every Dodge hemi got the dimples from then on.

 

Check for motor mount bosses on the side of the block no mount tabs 241 or 270

 

It has a 5 bolt water pump. They only are found on the tall deck engines. The pump mount only fit the tall decks too.

 

Let's see.....You're a Mopar guy, you have a GMC truck you have no use for, a hemi is cool, a '64 GMC is not, hemi can sit in the corner and be eye candy at the very least, GMC takes up more room and is an eye sore....

I'm lost here. Why have you not traded already??!? This comes across as a no brainer to me.

SPark

 

Are you sure about this? In the mid 60's I built a "T"-bucket with a 241 Dodge. The front mount mounted under the water pump, just like the engine in the O/P's picture. I later bought a low mileage wrecked '55 Dodge and pulled the engine out of it (it was a 270" Super Red Ram) and it bolted right into place using the mount I had made for the 241 water pump. I know it was a '55 because I pulled the engine myself.

 

I have a 241 in my car now. I just sold a 241. I have two 270's on the floor. I have had a D500 and several 325's.
The low deck engines have the square 4 bolt pump and the high deck have the 5 bolt pumps. A search for replacement pumps should show this.

 

Andy is correct--241-270 used the 4-bolt water pump.