I think I’ve made the big decision to put my 392 Hemi in my chopped channeled and shortened ‘33 Ford pickup. I have a 6-71, Cragar manifold, 3” drive and a 2x4 top. All from Mooneyham. The engine had been all together and running in my flatbottom ski boat with a marine water pump and front cover, and the blower with two 625 Carter AFBs. What I need to know is what water pump and accessory drive pulleys do folks use in my old Ford type application. A Hot Heads bbc water pump conversion and pulleys? Water crossover? Other sources? How far does all that stuff stick out in front? I can find pictures, but I need pictures with a description of whose parts are in play in those pictures. And maybe some dimensions. I’d also like to change my 3” drive to the older style 2” belt with 1/2” pitch pulleys. If anyone has some of that stuff they want to part with….. I’m currently in the “making motor mounts” process so I’m looking at clearances between the lower pulley and the crossmember with all of the necessary pulleys, etc in place. Any and all photos and information is appreciated. Thanks.
This was done by a ch***is shop I used to work for. It is a 392 hemi with a 6/71 blower and dual quads. Somewhere I have build pictures but not on this IPad. The owner p***ed away a few years ago . It still is listed on FB Market Place
I think you might be able to go with a BBC water pump using Hot Heads, or even homemade adapters and take the water out of the heads using -8 fittings and lines to a divorced thermostat housing for the upper hose. One thing I noticed is the pump drive on the front cover, I ***ume that water pump adapter is removable, correct? I drilled SBC heads for 3/8 NPT and used the long out of production Offenhauser thermostat housing and never had any cooling issues even in 100* weather. It might be necessary to fab a thermostat housing, those Offy’s have to be pretty scarce.
There was a post about the Vortex roadster https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/san-diego-rodders.946926/#post-15719983 and recently him selling a bunch of leftover parts. He's also in So Cal. I'd try to reach out and spend an afternoon with the guy. He has tried and fitted a bunch of different combos and can probably talk about each of them. https://sandiego.craigslist.org/esd/pts/d/el-cajon-old-chrysler-hemi-parts-mostly/7874686613.html
Make sure you use mechanical freeze plugs. Original style with a chevy water pump and 3 times the hp you will blow out the center plug on drivers side eventually. Ask me how i know.
Serious question ... what is a "mechanical" freeze plug. I am aware of three styles of engine freeze plugs ... the "tap in with a hammer and appropriately sized socket" style (very common), the "temporary" ones that use a bolt/nut to expand a rubber plug, and thread-in ones that came on a few engines.
I always thought that those 2dr wagons would make a great hot rod. I ordered the adapters for the BBC pump, I have a pump. The front cover is a Nicson marine cover from its ski boat days. I’ve already taken the drive spud out. I was considering machining the pump boss off and welding in a plate but it still might be too thick to fit behind the bbc water pump. It would look cool if it fits. I’ve seen aftermarket water crossovers with two different outlet configurations that work with a blower, I just don’t know who made them. I’ve got the stock crossover but no one ever seems to use them. That roadster and the poster are legendary. I think that poster was in every parts store and speed shop in LA back in the old days. That guy has a lot of stuff but very little of it would be helpful, and his prices! Yikes. He’s about 10-11 hours south from where I live. I’ve never heard that before but I always thought that those flat plugs that Chrysler used looked shaky compared to the deep plugs other companies used.
We got the HH mechanical locking freeze plugs for our 354, we haven't pressure tested them yet though. https://www.hothemiheads.com/main_caps/freeze_plugs_stainless.html
The Jalopy Journal
