Technical Can We Get a Dedicated DeSoto Hemi Thread

I've been on here for a few years now and don't recall ever seeing one My dad has a 341 hemi and I do have the Hemi book some place out in the garage but am too lazy to go out and find it. So how about it. School me on the DeSoto Hemi. Pictures, specs., etc. I did a search but didn't find much.

 

The tall deck Desoto probally have the best heads of all the early heis.

 

I used the 330 talk deck hemi in my 41 ford PU. It was bored .40 over and runs 10.5:1 pistons and a custom grind cam. It hits like a brick through a plate glass window.

I’ve built a lot of cars and a lot of engines, this is one of my all- time favorites.

Not super easy to find parts for, thank God for Hot Heads Engineering.

 

Great idea for a thread, I'll jump in! My '57 isn't technically a hot rod because it's stock, but it's a factory hot rod. It has the 345 horse 345" Hemi and I am surprised how quick it will shoot this heavy beast up to speed. And I haven't even tuned upon it yet. When I get time, I'll go thru the distributor and carbs, and give it a good dyno tune. The DeSoto Hemi would be awesome in a light car.
Standing by to see what info shows up here.

 

52 - 55 was Low Deck, Short Stroke, Short Rod 276 and 291 cid. 56-57 was raised deck, long rod, long stroke with 330, 341, and 345 cid. The 57 Adventurer was the only car where you could get the 345, and the 345 was only engine you could get in the 57 Adventurer. With dual quads, dual points, and a hot cam, it was the first production car with 1 horsepower per cubic inch as standard equipment.

I have a bunch more data out in the shop, but I'm in the house for the night. I'll post more a different day.

 

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"With dual quads, dual points, and a hot cam, it was the first production car with 1 horsepower per cubic inch as standard equipment."
I thought the 55 Chrysler 300 was the first.

 

weiand 4x2 with n.o.s. elmira 97's waiting to go on my 291 firedome

 

The 56 Chrysler 300B was the first at 1+ hp/ci with it's 355 horse 354. But that wasn't standard equipment, it was an option. Next was up was the 283/283 chev, but again it was an extra cost option. On the 57 DeSoto Adventurer 1 hp/cube was standard equipment.

 

This plymouth Plaza was at the Fallout Drags at Rock falls Raceway this year and had a 341 Desoto for power. It was one of the coolest cars on the property. I would have liked seeing it make a pass, but didn't catch it.

 

That DeSoto powered Plymouth is a cool deal!

 

Just a little "DeSoto" eye candy to help out with this thread!
Thanks from Dennis.

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I lived in a aera without much Chrysler activity but the first fast car I remember was a 55 Plymouth with a 56 Desoto 341swaped in

 

My friend Shugs 1932 Ford with a 291 De Soto Hemi.

 

Here is the 330 in my (stalled) 41 pickup project. Like @Bandit Billy, just not as pretty. Fits great!

 

HotRodA, you don't see rocker covers like that on a DeSoto just laying around. Tell us about them.

 

If you want a pair, just call O-Brian Trucking. Kools stuff!

 

Best yet.

Ben

 

Thanks, PnB. Yep, they’re O’Brien’s. Nice and thick, with plug tube sealing o-rings.
BUT, they could use some love around the mounting hole recesses. VERY ROUGH.
The finned plug hole covers are also made by them. They’re very cool.
These are Dodge, but the same.

 

Could it be rthe same car? This one was from Missoursi and not a fesh build from the little i was told about it.

 

Seen that car at the Rock Point Cars N Coffee in Queen Creek

 

My 52 with a 330 Hemi, 727 TF and a 8.75 rear

 

I dought it this was in 1958

 

'52 276. Bone stock, very smooth and reasonable power. Mostly it's impressive to look at. Low deck DeSoto's are tough to find any performance bits for, which is why this hasn't been touched. If I did anything to improve performance it'd be to replace the 2.85 rear gear (Ford 8") with something a little steeper, but unless one falls into my lap super cheap it's staying as is.

 

This is at the top of my list of all-time favorites. It is all just so right.
My next-door neighbor and best friend when I was growing up had a white '57 DeSoto four door with a 341 hemi. We drove that all over western and southwestern Missouri, pulling a heavy homemade camping trailer or a bass boat on a trailer. That thing had TORQUE!! It also was thirsty, but we didn't mind as even premium gas (which it preferred) was usually around a quarter a gallon in those days back in the mid-60s. I think I know where that vehicle is now. I know from Google satellite that the outbuilding they stored it in by the early '70s up in Grundy County still stands. I fantasize about driving up there, finding it, tracking down the surviving family member who might just have the title and trailering it back home.

 

Working on this slowly. 291 for my 49 Plymouth Business coupe with a 4 speed. Just half assed mocked up to keep me motivated and happy every time I pop the garage door open.

 

My 291 in my just for fun 32 tudor. 9.5-1 compression and a mild cam. Hot Heads accessories. 324.9 HP on a engine dyno. Click on picture to blow it up..

 

Question for you since you’re in Northern California, where did you take the engine in for the dyno runs?

Thanks.

 

My 241 Red Ram would look good in that thing

 

Photo Credit: WDIFL

Hello,

Well said @296ardun !

Tony Waters from the Bakersfield Smokers Car Club was the most prolific racer in the roadster class from the time he started with his version of a Modified T Roadster. from the early Desoto Motor to the more modified supercharged motor, it was fast in class.

History of the late, Tony Waters:

"…in 1954, Tony built a crankshaft driven, supercharged Desoto Motor and put it into his 1925 Model T Track Roadster, which came to be known as the “Giant Killer.” A founding member of the Smokers Car Club of Bakersfield, Tony and his partner Jim Shughrue, became the guys to beat at the tracks around the Westcoast."
Tony Waters "tow convertible" and an early version of the T Roadster, with help from Irv and Gary Guinn of Bakersfield. Tony dominated the Roadster Class and ended up as the runner up in the 1st March Meet in 1959 at Bakersfield.

Jnaki

By the time my brother and I saw them again, it was December of 1959 at the big Westcoast drag race event at the Riverside Raceway for all big name racers from the 4 areas of the USA to compete against the Westcoast’s top racers.



Early 1959 version