desoto firedome

i may have access to a desoto firedome. (dont know year or model of car its in or cu. of the motor.) but its complete.
what do you use to un-freeze engines?
what is this motor worth? is it worth anything but s**** weight if its froze-up? also, what would be the typical price to re-build one of these motors.

thanks for the help

 

oil, heat, patience, oil, pound, repeat. worth it for a cool mill.

 

anyone know what the motor is worth?

 

If it's a 1952-54 276, it really isn't worth a lot. However, a complete early hemi of any of the three variations may be worth something to someone missing small parts that can't be purchased anywhere else. I believe that the I.D. numbers are stamped in front of the valley cover on the p***enger side top of the block. There are several reasons for an engine to seize up. If it's a matter of not being turned in 30-40 years, and the air cleaner and/or hood have been protecting it all that time, chances are filling the cylinders with kerosene, light penetrating oil, or Marvel Mystery Oil will probably break it loose after soaking for several days---but I still wouldn't attempt to run it without tearing it down for inspection. If it's a four barrel engine, the intake alone is fairly valuable, especially if it's a 291. If it's seized up because it's been full of water since LBJ was in the White House, don't pay much for it. It would be great if the current owner consented to the removal of at least one head to see if it's just stuck from sitting around, or if the cylinders are full of orange rust chunks and still wouldn't clean up at a .125 overbore. As to the cost of rebuilding a Desoto hemi, it runs from quite expensive to f**king ridiculous.

 

if it has the integral bell, ebay it. if not, keep it.

 

thanks for the tips and info guys

 

Yeah, like they said its a 276 if its an early 50's...
not worth much, but it looks cool...not very powerful in the car itself..I've got a 276 in my 53 firedome

 

I believe only the early Chryslers had intergal bellhousings. I think all Dodge and DeSotos were seperate.

 

might be like the one I got from a friend, it looked fine, till I pulled off the pan....

no, I didn't pay him for it.

 

All excellent advice!! I wouldn't give much for it unless it was a later one with some displacement. Having had several Mopar '50's hemis over the years I've found that unless building one up for racing, you aren't going to put out much more street power than the guys running wedge chambers (i.e. every non-hemi rodder). So the cool factor is the major deal here...and the Desoto should not look like Squirrel's thumbnail (good grief!!). For the dollar spent, much as I love my Mopar, a Chevy small block is hard to beat if you're on a budget. If you got a few extra dollars and don't mind stock internals, the Desoto would be cool. If you get it, try http://www.parts123.com/PartFrame.asp?ZTM=cadegiia&GHOME=www.egge.com&***LE=Egge for your rebuilding parts, they (EGGE) are a good company.

 

Cost my Dad $2,500 to have a 55 DeSoto 291 rebuilt. New cam, pistons, valves, rebuilt oil pump, waterpump, grind crank etc.

 

Yes, but they still look cool!