Hot Rods Another 241 Hemi brought back to life

I can’t really put into words the feeling of building your first hemi (or any motor for that matter) and the stress building up to that initial start up, and the incredible sense of relief when the motor runs for the first time. First run wasn’t too exciting to share the video, timing was off, had to keep the idle up to pump oil everywhere, but Day #2 is when I got that legendary hemi thump. Here’s a couple pics of the process and the payoff, probably the first time this motor has run under its own power in 65+ years.

Day #1 of rebuild, Oct 2020
2 long nights later, some nasty nasty stuff in there.

freshly back from the machine shop with the Racetec pistons installed
A little VHT to keep the rust away

Really love this color, burnt copper!

Cam and timing gear installed, testing head gasket

Hydraulic roller cam and lifters by Donnie Johansen of Howard Cams

Made a little alternator bracket to mimic the placement of the original generator

start up ready Sept 2024



And the running video! Enjoy
https://youtube.com/shorts/7uuDz3mrhjw?si=XdBidPMvLtX8Z29Q

 

Congratulations and love the 241 redram. Where did you get your rebuild parts or bits from.?

 

No video it didn't happen! Congratulations.

 

Mine

 

Two from Mesa AZ? What are they just laying around down there?

Edit: I’m jealous!

 

And both with tri-power??

 

We just live right. Actually I bought the motor in Escondido, CA back in 2004. It’s been sitting on a pallet ever since. Finally decided to go through a build in 2022. Buddy in Yakima, WA built it.

Never met Tat2Neil but we’ve probably crossed paths locally.

 

Burnt Copper looks better than burnt oil....

 

Looks great and sound great as well!
That alternator mount is a clever set up too.

 

Its beautiful but all that expense for 140-157 horsepower?
https://www.enginefacts.com/dodge241/

 

Either you get it or you don't. Baby Hemi's are fantastic motors with lots of torque and can be made to make decent horsepower. They're also ridiculously reliable and great-running little power plants. I just drove one 1700 miles roundtrip to Bonneville and back doing 70+ the whole way and averaging 18mpg. That's a great looking motor!

ironandsteele.com​

 

The same could be argued about flathead Ford engines but not many would dare say that here. I love em all including this 241, good on you @Tat2Neil and anyone else who has the passion to build something cool for themselves.

 

Exactly!!

Flatheads, nailheads, Hemis, W-motors, lots of the inline 6's and 8's, and so many others just look so much cooler than the boring SBC, SBF, and the rest. And don't get me started on automatic transmissions, so boring and to me just not a part of driving. Yes the old mills cost more to build and are down on power compared to later engines, but they have so much more character, especially when they have some unique speed part that you don't see much.

 

I’m running a Desoto 330 Hemi in my 52 Dodge PU. Gets up and going on the freeway. Running around 9 to 1 CR, Hotheads Intake, small performance ref round cam, Hotheads 340 oil pump and timing change conversion.

 

On the linky: 241s in Dodge cars were hemis, in Dodge truck & Plymouth cars they were polys. HP ratings, no idea how they came up with them (talking about the factory). The advertised C/R was 7/7.1:1 ratio, low deck advertised C/Rs tend to be a bit optimistic. One 241 in a build article measured out to an actual 6.19:1! Looking at his pistons he probably has decent compression & a matching cam.

 

I've got the 241 Poly In my Plymouth, and wish it was a hemi. Mine is worn out. So I have no clue how much power it has but I do drive it almost every day.

 

Where it's worn out get the complete hemi head****embly's, pistons & cam and make it a hemi!

 

Very impressed, well done.

 

Thanks! I got a portion of the parts from an old friend, Ken-Jack from Hemis unlimited, he helped me with my pistons (RaceTec), cam, lifters, timing gear, harmonic balancer, oil pump, and pretty much everything else came from Hot Heads or directly from the manufacturer.

Awesome! Looks like you’re almost done ✅

You didn’t know that Arizona is the retirement home for hemis lol

That’s the truth!

Hit the nail on the head.. I have no need for big horsepower, now it’s only about looks, sound, and uniqueness. And I should be pushing almost 240, that should be more that enough to smoke my skinny firestones if I feel so inclined.

Thank you and yes this was a labor of love and I wouldn’t change a thing

Thank you much

 

I have a 392 in my 47 Mercury, triple the power of a 241

 

And triple the weight

 

Dodge 241 is rated @ 577 Lbs.

 

So, what trans are you going to run?

 

For the love of all things holy, please let it be a four speed manual.

 

The throb of an open throttle Hemi excites any heart to join the beat.

 

Not if it’s on a diet

 

the 392 could be also....

 

Congratulations! I've watched that video so many times I've lost count. I love the copper color, hypnotic sound and whole build. I will PM you as I have a few questions as I ready to install my 241 in my '34 Ford roadster. I noticed you installed the SBC waterpump and I'm curious about the overall clearance it provided?
Ken-Jack definitely knows his Hemi's!

 

Are you running a solid cam?

 

In an earlier post he said it's a hyd roller from Howard's.