Randy Curran Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Howdy from South Bend, IN first of all. I have a '39 Chevy, chopped, lowered, etc. I also publish a hot rod/custom 'zine called Blacktop Graffiti(www.blacktopgraffitimagazine.com). But the real reason I'm posting is my Dad has a '41 Plymouth 2-door sedan. We got it(free!!!!) with no motor or trans. We just picked up two Flat sixes w/trans for $250. One is frozen the other is recently rebuilt and has everything. The one were going to use is from a '37 Dodge truck and is a 25" motor, the frozen one is a 23" motor. My dad loves these motors(and I'm think they are just damn cool too!). I want to find out anything I can about these motors, like converting to 12 volts, cubic inches, hp, hell anything! My Dad is 76 and I really want to get his car going so he can enjoy it while he can. It's the least I can do for everything he's done for me. So thanks in advance and I just might try to 'unfreeze' the one six and build something around it. There just cool to look at can't wait to get 'em going!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm's Coupe Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 The 25" block probably won't fit unless you make modifications. The 23" block should slide right in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Hemingway Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Welcome to the FORUM. Dennis:cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatS.... Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Welcome... What Norm said...the 25 inch block will need some mods but forum veteran Don Coatney has done the job and has pictures. Did a great job and drives the wheels off of it!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Curran Posted February 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 What all is needed to get it to work? Fabbing is no problem for us. Besides it's more fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 You need to accomodate the extra length of the engine to the front of the car. You also might need to swap the oil pans, and oil pump pickups. The front cross member might need to be notched and reinforced to make room for the vibration damper, and you may need to run an electric fan mounted infront of the radiator. Dodges are a bit easier to put the long engines in as they have a longer wheel base than the Plymouths and the extra length is infront of the cowl.. It can be done and if you have some basic cutting and welding skills it not to bad. The bell housings are different from the car to the truck so that would heed to be swapped also. Distributors imilar but the drive tang is longer on the 25 inch motor so they must be swapped to work. You might want to post the engine number on teh Truck side of this board to get some info regarding it. The number is found on a flat boss on the drivers side of the block above the distributor just below the head. should start with a T if it is a truck motor. Engine swaps were common in thece vehicles so it not unusual to have truck engines in cars, industrial engines in trucks etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertKB Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Welcome to the forum. Sounds like a fun project for you and your dad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claybill Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 the radiator has a frame around it...that frame can be reversed and the radiator re-bolted giving you a 2 in adv. i think that is how the canadian plymouths did it. bill OR....sell it off and then get a standard running 1941-54 six with tranny et all. that bolts right up! keep it 6 volt..it is fun to drive that way. why change to 12v..??????? however...for some of us..the fun is DRIVIN'! for others it's SWITCHIN'.! DO YOUR THING!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Watson Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 The wheelbase difference between Plymouth and Dodge, except for 1940, is in the body not the engine compartment. The 1935-38 Dodge front clip was attached to the Plymouth body to produce the Canadian/export Plymouth-based Dodges. The Dodge's extra 3" in wheelbase is in the rear seat area with the rear axle moved back 3". The difference between Dodge, DeSoto/Chrysler 6 and Chrysler 8 wheelbases is all in the hood, though - Dodge using the 23" block, DeSoto/Chrysler 6 the 25" block and the Chrysler 8 using a staight eight engine. The 1938 Plymouth had a wheelbase of 112" with the LWB sedan having 132". The 1938 Dodge wheelbase was 115" while the LWB sedan, which was the same body for all four Mopar makes, was 132". The DeSoto/Chrysler 6 wheelbase was 119" with the LWB sedan at 136" - both increases of 4". But getting the 25" block to fit in a Plymouth or Dodge engine compartment is not impossible. After all, Chrysler of Canada did it from 1938 through to 1959. Bill Vancouver, BC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randroid Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Randy, Welcome to the forum; anyone with the most wonderful name in the world can always borrow my tools. I won't try to add anything to the engine length question because you've already gotten some good (if slightly contradictory) advice, and retrofitting engines is not my area of expertise, although I swapped the engine in my '48 #2 mordoor. Some of the guys here are professional painters, some are body men, and some are damned good at both. Some are professional wrenchers, one of us has designed and produces an excellent disc brake conversion, and some guys know about carbs in a way that would cause both my balls to blush. (It's a Ball & Ball carb guys, and that's funny right there no matter who you are.) My field of expertise seems to roam in the vague vicinity of by having maintained a love-hate relationship for over twenty years I am able to lay in bed at night, the cusp of the moon sneaking through the window, as I drift into the arms of Morpheus while I fantasize about flailing my car with a two inch Manila hawser for not completing its own body work and getting itself painted. I also enjoy Budweiser when appropriate. Yup, that's pretty much me. -Randy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayfarer Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 Welcome. Wow! what a wealth of knowledge on this board. You did not mention your plans for the car, mostly stock? or is this hot-rod material? The flat six has a loyal following and there are plenty of hot-rod parts available in one form or another. I'm sure if you ask you can get some pics from the guys, you might also dig around the archives for some visual inspiration. As with the engine, you also have options for transmissions, manual as well as AOD. I can help with Mopar trans swaps if you need, and Mr Coatney has a t-5 in his rig. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Curran Posted February 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 It will be a stocker. My Dad wants to keep it simple. It already has a trans installed so we'll be using that. Can't wait!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937 Dodge Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Whenever you start working on a project like this where you are not familiar with the engine/car, spend some time at a local library searching out infomation from old motor manuals and other print materials. Use the search line in this and other old MOPAR forums. Joining a local WPC club chapter would help you link with others who could also help in your flathead education. The stock block on a 1937 25" Dodge pickup engine was only 218 cubic inches and was rated at 75 hp. If it is a 1937 Dodge pickup engine the block number should begin with a "T38xxxx which is stamped on a flat boss that is on the left front side of the block just below the cylinder head and above the generator. The frozen 23" block in stock form could displace 230 cubic inches. To find out the displacement on your 23" block you would need to reference the block ID. or check out the bore and stroke. Everything depends on how much time and $$$ you are able to spend on the project and how much of the work you and your dad are capable of doing. Sounds like you are looking for a simple plug and play drop in just to get your Dad's car running. If you are on a budget, I'd see if the 23" block is worth saving. It would be the correct length block for an American built Dodge car and the easiest to drop in. Wishing you the best on your project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reg Evans Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 37 Dodge, Wouldn't a 25" long block be either a 236 or a 251 ci engine. Wasn't the 218 a 23" long engine? Randy, Did you find the engine number just above the front freeze plug on the drivers side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Elder Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 218 canada engine is 25. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobby horne Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 ................................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937 Dodge Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 The 1937 and 1938 Dodge 1/2 ton pickups came with a 25" block that had a bore of 3 3/8" and stoke of 4 1/16". The A.M.A horsepower was 27.34 and the displacement was 218.06. This is not to be confused with the 23" Dodge Auto block that had a 217 displacement. They were assembled in 3 locations: Detroit, Los Angeles and Canada. The starting serial # for '37 MC's assembled in Detroit was 8,156,701. The engine number began with a T38- prefix The 25" block was used in the 1/2 and 3/4 ton pickups for the 1937 and 1938 model run. In 1939 the block went back to the 23" length and stayed that length with only changes in displacement over the years. I have several friends who own 1937 Dodge MC's assembled in Detroit and LA with the same T38xxx 25" block installed. I am fortunate that my pickup has been in the family since its purchase in 1937 and I have the original matching numbers for the vehicle, the vehicle title and registrations documents. I am aware of the Canadian engines all being 25" in length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reg Evans Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 I wonder why they did that ? That's good news to me though cause I have a 38 1/2 ton without it's engine and I have a 241 ci 25" truck engine without a home. Thanks for the info D37. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937 Dodge Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Interestingly they used the 201 23" block in 1935 in the 1/2 ton trucks and returned to a 23" 201 in 1939. (The larger trucks kept the 218 in '39}. The 1/2 ton engine was increased to a 218 23" block in 1942. I was able to drop a 265 in place of my 218 block in my 1937 MC. The only change was I had to drill extra holes in my flywheel as the old T38 block only had a 4 bolt pattern on the crank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'37 P4 Touring Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 My 1937 P4 car engine is 201 cubic inches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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