Im going in the morning to look at a 1956 Desoto hemi engine/ trans only. Anything special I should be looking for? Good Websites ? Thanks Chad
S23 is a 330 ci 2 bbl, S24 is 330 ci 4 bbl, S24A is 341 ci 2x4bbl. The engine number is in front of the valley cover. All the blocks are essential the same except the 341 has a bigger bore. Manual trans has solid lifters and auto has hydraulic.
As far as I know, all DeSotos came with hydraulic lifters stock. Check for freeze cracking around the freeze plugs, elsewhere where it is torn down. cracking around spark plug holes. signs of other damage.
Well.... it looked pretty good, no visible cracks so I bought it. It was very complete carb to pan, generator, starter, flywheel,clutch, transmission, distributor, wires and one pair of extra valve covers (chrysler fire power). AND some goofball made this DeSoto into a Dune-Buggy! He threw that in on the deal. There might be some parts that someone can use, it looks like stock front and rear suspension. He is bringing the engine over later. I will post some pictures tonight. Thanks all for the help! Damn...... I like getting new "junk"!!!!
Here are the pictures. Im not sure what the extra rockers are from because the bolt pattern is smaller. But all in all I think I got a fair deal.
That's an S23 2bbl. Looks like the power steering was removed from the back of the generator. The extra pulleys, on the crank and fan, are for A/C, but the filler neck is not the right one for A/C. $400 is a great deal!!
Yeah, you got out cheap, about a $600 discount or so. All 1956 Firedomes had 330ci Hemis, the 341 appeared in 1956 on the Adventurer. For '57, Fireflites/Domes had the 341 and Adventurers had 345s. Before that were the short deck DeSotos, the 276/291s. All DeSoto Hemis had hydraulic cams. Those rocker rails, if they are slightly shorter, are for Dodge. Slightly bigger would be for the Chryslers. You made out like a bandit.. Let's see that dune buggy.
The rocker arms are deffinately Chrysler Hemi. The Dodge and Desoto are also different from each other but the bolt holes for the head bolts are inside of the shafts on both. Only the Chryslers have the one set of holes outside of the shafts like the ones in your picture. The Chrysler valve covers (if your have 2) and rockers are almost worth the $400 alone on the dreaded Egay!
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