From an aftermarket, parts availaibility standpoint, which hemi is the better. Probably leave out the 354 and the 392?
Nothing wrong with the lowly Dodge and DeSoto's one of the longest standing Bonneville records was held by a 241 Dodge. but the post is about parts availibility and 392-354-331 share the same Manifolds all early Hemi's (except 51-54 chrysler) share the same Bell Housing pattern. everything is getting A. more expensive and B. easier to find
i have the 241. and parts for it are hard to find. but its the origonal motor for my car, so its a little hard to just pull it out and put somthing else.
There are some basic things to look for. 331 will not have a water cross-over from one head to another so the thermostat and return will be on the manifold. 354 and 392's will have the cross over. The deck height of the 392 is higher for the heads (longer stroke), but that can be difficult to tell unless you have one sitting next to the other. The best way would be to simply look at the numbers. Something else to keep in mind is that 51 to 53 Chrysler 331's have a very obvious extended/cast-in bell housing. You also have the Industrial, marine and truck motors that went into Dodge's. Which segways into the next thing... Dodge vs. Chrysler vs. Desoto and what to look for to tell them apart. There is some good info in the Hemi Tech section that should help you answer this question. In my signature line is a link to the Hemi Tech Index. You will see a section entirely on Identification. There is also a lot of discussion in the various topics about what is interchangable from motor to motor.
The codes are on a flat in front of the valley cover, sometimes readable, some not. The 51-54 Chr. 331 has a wet intake & no opening in the front of the head. The 55 331 & 56 354 have the front openings in the head, & the water pump bolts up to them, these 2 & the 392 have dry intakes. The 392 has the water crossover w thermostat.
Both the 54 & 92 are great builds. The 54 is geometrically a better combination, just smaller. If you are of the no sub for cu. in. clan stick with the 92 and put a stroker in it, it will take the punishment if built correct. Goldy - Southampton Pa.
Stay away from Dodge and Desoto unless you just want the look, as there are no speed parts, and the rods are dinky and easily bent. Everything has to be special order, and it is not economical to produce more than 200 HP. YEAH STAY AWAY FROM THEM, ANY DeSoto STUFF YOU CAN SEND TO ME CUS THEY ARE FOR ****... DID HE MENTION THAT THE DeSoto WAS THE FIRST ENGINE IN DRAG RACING TO HIT 200mph IN THE 1/4 MILE ?? OR THAT DODGE & DeSoto HEMIS RULED THE UNDER 300 cu in DRY LAKES CL*** FOR YEARS ? OR THAT THEY SET MANY RECORDS IN DRY LAKES & 1/4 MILE RACING ?? I ACTUALLY BOUGHT A 291 INCH DeSoto THAT DID 158 IN THE 1/4 IN A ROADSTER IN THE EARLY 60s... OWNERS HAD A TROPHY TO PROVE IT. BUT YEAH, STAY AWAY FROM THEM CUS THERE ARE NO SPEED PARTS FOR THEM AND THEY ONLY HAVE "THE LOOK" OF A REAL HEMI. BY THE WAY, DID YA SEE THAT PILE OF **** DeSoto IN MY AVATER ?
DIDNT STEP ON MY DREAM, ITS A FACT !! STOCK MOPAR RODS ARE PRETTY DAMN STRONG, I DUNNO WHAT YER TALKIN ABOUT .. THE DRAG DeSoto MOTOR I HAVE CAME WITH STOCK RODS, IF YA READ RODDERS JOURNAL YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN THE WILLIAMS BROS. BONNIVILLE ROADSTER ... RECORD SETTER IN 1954 WITH A 241 DODGE..... IT RAN STOCK RODS. AND IF YER A LAZY ***, IT IS HARD TO FIND PARTS.. BUT IF YA WANNA BUILD A NICE CAR WITH A NICE ENGINE.... NO MATTER WHAT ENGINE IT IS, YOU'LL GET OUT FROM IN FRONT OF YER COMPUTER OR WATCHING A WHOLE SEASON OF FOOTBALL, BASEBALL, BASKETBALL, OR MENS ICE SKATING AND FIND THE *****EN PARTS FOR YER *****EN HOT ROD. BUT AS I SAID .......... DeSoto ARE FOR ****, JUST LET ME KNOW WHERE THAT **** PILE IS & I'LL COME CLEAN IT UP FOR YA.
Hey DE SOTO... is that an SBC with some hemi valve covers in yer avatar? Just messin with ya man!! LOL
Without trying to piss anyone off... I'd take the high-performance parts availability of the DeSoto into consideration before jumping into one. And use it as a bargaining point. Way more Chrysler and Dodges were used; and they were also sold as industrial motors (support/spares easier to get), which I don't believe to be the case with the DeSoto. If you're able to make (or have made) intake and exhaust flanges, you can whip up your own 'U-fab' style intake, and a set of headers. Get a stock cam re-ground, and you're in business. WTF more could'ja need unless you're trying to actually race compe***ively?
331 and 354 cheapest to build (unless folks don't know it's a 392) tons of parts available for all of em really, gets a little more scarce looking for old speed gear for the red rams and whatnot but there still out there
I totally agree -- and if you're comparing two 331's stay away from the early extended bell 331s (unless you have one or get a great deal on one). Everybody would love to have a big 392 . . . but from a strictly $$$ perspective, go with a 331 or 354. You'll pay 30 - 50 cents on a dollar for most 354 stuff as compared to 392 (blocks, rods and cranks anyway). There are tons of aftermarket parts for all three - though you need to know which parts interchange and which don't (due to the tall-deck on the 392 and other differences . . . like cams). I love the Dodge/De Soto stuff -- but while they aren't terribly over priced, it is a true fact that speed parts are harder to find and in sime cases, rare as hell. I guess it all depends on what you find, for what price -- just know what you're getting into. Best of luck . . . ask if you need more info.
I'll add my 3 cents worth (inflation ya know...). I would suggest basing your engine choice on how many cubes you need or want. Of all of the engines we have rebuilt we have not found any one to be especially 'cheaper' than the rest. A basic rebuild will take about $3500 in parts and $12-1500 in machine work. The extra money starts to flow when you start adding the 'specials' or the 'customs'. The 1954 & 55 331 are excellent engines and parts are readily available, but you will pay more to start than for a 56-57 DeSoto 330-341. With modest modifications all of these engines will make one hp/in and that ain't bad. When you start shopping, try to get an engine that is together and has as much 'stuff' still bolted on as you can. Let me know on the side if you need more help.
The Chyslers are the cheepest, But they are still real spendy.. I've been building a 354 off and on for 3-4 years, and for a stock freshened up motor with a ****** adapter, it looks like I may get done for $3K. MAYBE.. If I went for some nice conservitive aftermarket stuff I could see $5K easy, and if I didn't care about costs, 10K in a blink for a NA dressed up pretty racy motor.The hemi is a hobby all in its self, and the aftermarket is big in it, and I'm not high on the aftermarket. For my enjoyment, I like fabricating and scrounging and tinkering, what I consider the "traditional" process,. I don't admire the results of a big checkbook project, and that what the Hemi largely is anymore, so I'm trying to go on the cheep as much as I can.. It looks like I can fab up an intake myself pretty easy, and the stock waterpump and dizzy can be freshened up myself, so I'm getting a little more motivated. I'm real tempted to try to fab up a ****** adapter. Even then There ain't nuthin cheep about the Hemi.. I can freshen up 10 SBCs for the cost of one Hemi..PA
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