Need some help from the hemi guys

I bought a NE56 354 hemi out of a 56' new yorker that I just found out has a pretty severe crack in the block, but the heads, pistons and everything else seem to have been recently worked over and in good shape so I guess the guy just didnt store it properly. Any way I am trying to find a replacement block but finding it pretty difficult. I talked to hemi Bob in eastern Colorado and he told me that a 331 block can be bored to accomodate 354 gear and everything else should bolt right up. He even has some good blocks for sale, but my buddy has a 1959 M8D6 315 hemi out of a dodge truck for sale so I was wondering if this block would accomodate the bore, the heads, and everything else from the 354 or if I need to continue my search. I did a search on here and online but couldn't find too much info on these 59' 315 hemi's. If anyone has any input about this I would appreciate it.
Thanks...

 

Dodge parts dont interchange with Chrysler or Desoto
There were more than a dozen hemis made and the families do not interchange.
stay in the family

 

Well that answers that question. right after I saw your reply I found a article in the victory tech papers that says the same thing, more or less, so thanks!

 

In this day and age a cracked block or head can be repaired. I use United Welding which is a Canadian firm but I am sure there are such places all over. In fact that is what Indy head did before they got into making Aluminum heads. (Maybe they or their Arrowhead division still does?)I even sent them one once. Cost on heads , Last i had done (426 wedge) was $270. It smy understanding that the whole casting is heated to glowing orange and then welded and slowly allowed to cool in a controlled step by step way. Diesel heads ore often repaired and that is how you find these companies. there are also arounda lot of very gifted welders who can repair a casting. In fact I hada friend who ran the furnce i a large foundry for cast iron. He talked to me one day about the welder in their casting repair department. That alone should give a clue. A properly welded block will NOT give trouble. If it cost you $200 it would still be worth it I think.
Don

If it is like most early Hemis I have seen it is cracked in the area around the frost plug holes.
In his day **** Landy used to be real good at this type of repair. Maybe Mike still is.

 

354 is an absolute max safe overbore for a 331, even though a few have gone bigger on drag motors. if there's no core shift & no internal rusting. 315 isn't a bad engine either.