wayfarer

Too much of a gamble at $400 unless you need a crankshaft as that is the only part with some guarantee of being usable. Sitting uncovered like that in North Dakota Winters offers plenty of opportunity to bust blocks and heads. Now, at $100...…..

...sorry but, Dodge engines do NOT have the same block extension as the early 331 Chrysler. There are a variety of bellhousings to accommodate the various fluid drive couplers and torque converters and likely what is seen from above or below.

The EarlyHemi is not a bulky as some others, it is just packaged in a different manner. For example, the widest point on a 392 is at the valve covers and is actually a hair less than a 440 with cast exhaust manifolds. As to the extended block, it is a Chrysler 331 and as mentioned 51-53 with some holdovers into 54. This complicates swapping transmissions. All of the Dodge and DeSoto and 54-58 Chrysler have the same block bolt pattern for the bell. For ease of swapping you may want to consider the DeSoto and Dodge as they are physically smaller. Before spending any money be sure to check the code stamped into the top front of the block just ahead of the valley cover. List of codes here: https://www.qualityengineeredcomponents.com/?page_id=8

Yup, sounds like a nice project. www.rustyhope.com has your disc brake kit and you can look through this chart to find a suitable rear axle. As mentioned, you may need to move the engine/trans centerline toward the pass side.

Just a note of clarification. The smaller A904/A500 trans is not suitable for use with the EarlyHemi engines due to the higher starter location. It simply doesn't fit; yes, that includes the Dak starter. If you really really need/want to use an A500 with an EarlyHemi then plan on buying someone's adapter and then rotating the transmission bolt pattern CCW 1 or 2 degrees to lower the starter. No, I don't do it. The trans will work fine, just like being on a high crown road. And yes, The A904/A500 is the unit of choice for the L6.

The 4.89 would work well with an od trans that has a reduction around .7 or so giving a final around 3.2 or so. I make adapters for the TF if you want to use an A518. Gary

Talk to Charlie (RustyHope). Good Guy. Rock auto is a good place to shop for the hubs, rotors, and such. Use their prices as a guide and shop around.

Post up a couple of pics so some comparisons can be made.

...that thing needs a Hemi in it....?

X2 on the ebay units. Bought one recently and was pleasantly surprised.

...does Yahoo know about this?

I frequent a couple of the Portland auction houses and find new auto-darkening helmets for $10-$20. No need to pay hundreds, especially since they all come from china... A quick web check shows several auction companies in Manitoba, you might make a few inquiries about upcoming auctions. Yes, bidding at auctions can get crazy, just show some restraint.... ...If you drive back into Canada with a welder in your truck do you have to jump through hoops or, was it in your truck when you left home...?

OK, so you need mounts and don't want to learn a new skill. That is actually ok with me...no need to have even more questionable vehicles on the road coming my way at 70mph... As for stick vs wire, stick is a bit harder to master but a gas rig will not like to have the wind blowing if you work outside. Is the learning curve worth the effort? Since I've been running stick since 1965 I am a bit biased in any answer I offer. I have several of each in my shop as they all have different advantages. If you are buying a welder then look at the want ads, even place a want-to-buy ad, and no doubt an older stick machine will show up....there are millions of them and they rarely die unlike new machines with wimpy windings and/or electronics of any kind. If you choose not to buy and learn then soldier on. Once you have the new engine mocked up, sitting in and on the frame you can get some thin alum stock and cut out/fold up what ever shape you need for the pieces you lack. Then just hand it off to someone who does fab work and write them a check. And as been said, I will echo using stock brackets on the engine; it saves a ton of work... I also suggest reading up on the Dan Babb build of years ago.....your truck your money.

My 2 cents.... I guess that I might have gotten lucky with my 2002 2500 Cummins . Now have 267k on the clock and have had so little trouble that I oft times feel 'guilty'. Rotors replaced once, steering box once, but the trans has never been touched, still gets 20 mpg...on and on. Yup, got burned on the VP44 at 100k but a DDRP fixed that. Steering parts have been the biggest issue. I have replace the track bar 6 times due to crap quality so it is not just old parts that are difficult to source. I really hope that my 2018 3500 with about a zillion computers lasts as long as I hope to. As to keeping old parts for 'someone' to eventually need/want requires space to house, unless you are dealing just the small bits and pieces. Just like kencombs, back around 1980 I bought, at auction, all of the parts dept inventory of a Mopar dealer that MaMopar shut down. I simply could not haul off everything. Yup, I got a lot. Filled my truck and small trailer and had to leave as much or more. I still have a few 'old' pieces that I have not yet thrown away but I have tossed much simply due to not being able to find 'that' someone who needed/wanted 'it'. Now at 70, and planning one last physical move, I 'need' to find homes for a lot of stuff and not having much luck. No, I won't call in the scrappers for all of the Hemi engines and such but there will be items that don't move with me. It would seem that you cannot generate new hobbyists if the basic desire is not there and the x-y-z generations only seem to care about their phones and these are the youngsters that are running the corporations that we want to rely on for quasi-quality parts...hhhmmmmm….doesn't look good when the bean counters are involved. Nuff said. Gary

You definately need a new shop.....a sleeve should be in the 100-125 range.. Eight sleeves??? Buy a new block Even nice 392 blocks can be had for less than a grand............. Forged pistons? $850..........

I'd suggest that you get busy on the www and call every Mopar related business you can find that deals with pre-60 stuff. There are still a bunch of boneyards that are Mopar only or that have high percentages of old Mopes.

Nice work! Now get busy...

MaMopar liked to muck about and change small stuff to screw with us. The ears on the blocks are one of those items. Although they are not 100%, they are very similar and usually not difficult to make them work. Word of caution. MaMopar used three seperate bolts in the mounts, be sure you do also.

I like engine swap projects, been doing them since the 60s. Is the swap right for you/your truck? Only you can say. The intended swap is not complicated. Look at this swap, you will have similar needs: https://p15-d24.com/topic/18782-dans-hemi-swap-project/ Take a look at your existing engine/trans and especially the bellhousing. Anything attached to the bell will have to have a similar attaching point made when installing the TF. If you have a column shift it can be modified to shift the TF or, you can install a later auto-trans column assembly. The other usual complication is the e-brake and the potential fix of installing a later rear axle. A better gear ratio is a side benefit.

Yes. Talk to a couple of your local machine shops. See who has the tools to do it right.

...not sure if the question was actually answered... but, yes, you can make the swap as a complete unit. ...The back of the blocks are the same as is the crank flange although some cranks can be 6-bolt most are 8-bolt. Just swap everything from the block/crank back from each engine. As to whether or not you will have rear mounts where you need them...?

Good to hear that you have it together.

There are only two parts that make this confusing; the crank and the flywheel. The little 23" 201-208-218 crank flange does not extend as far from the face of the block as the rest of the engines; 1" vs 1.185" The flywheel for these cranks will then have a deeper offset to compensate because the bellhousings were not changed and the starter still needed to engage. These flywheels will generally have only 4-bolts. The easy way out for you is to use a 230-style flywheel.

...you guys 'up North' must have way too much cash to play with.....in addition to the sell price be sure to add 10% buyer's premium...

Good topic so I'll give it a bump for the Sunday crowd. Adapting a late model trans is doable but, generally, the old bell is removed and you'll be adapting at the back of the block. Obviously, anything attached to the bell would then require some fussin'.