Value of DeSoto hemi engine slightly OT

[Rusty O'Toole]

I know a man who collects scrap. He told me he has a DeSoto hemi V8 he wants to sell. Have not seen it yet and do not know the year, model, condition or completeness.

Does anyone have any idea how to determine the value? I know it would be worth approx $50 for scrap iron and figure $200 and up for a complete engine.

What do you think it would be worth? I have to have some idea before I see it because he will expect some kind of offer when I first go and see it.

[oldodge41]

I think it depends how bad you want it. I would think $200 for a complete motor if you don't know any history is on the upper end. If it is a known good runner it would be worth more. On the other hand it is a HEMI and if you really want one it is worth whatever you are willing to pay.

[greg g]

http://syracuse.craigslist.org/pts/2563914954.html

[deathbound]

Another one....a bit more than the previous post: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DESOTO-345-CUBE-HEMI-CUSTOM-CRATE-ENGINE-/260835364917?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cbaffd035

[Andydodge]

The largest DeSoto Hemi was 341 as far as I know, as far as being minimal value, or unable to fit GM Hipo bits, thats probably of little value anyway..........ANY Mopar Hemi is worth saving even if only for the ancillaries like rocker covers, sump etc.......unfortunately I live in Australia, however even at $200.00 US I wou;d think if you had the cash spare and space you could not loose.........over here a complete original but rebuildable engine would be worth a minimium of 2-3000.00, a 392 would be a minimium of 4-5thou......both would be more if sorta going..........don't let the scappers get it!........put it on the HAMB.......andyd.

[Young Ed]

Joel I'd be on my way to your house already if you werent so far away. Don't scrap the hemi someone will want it and you should be able to get a little $ out of it. As far as GM parts not fitting I have no idea why that would have anything to do with the value.

[Plymouthy Adams]

these old engine have a cool aspect that is unsurpassed..the early rear distributor hemi's are not on the same playing level as the later front distributor hemi's..at swap meets most of the time these are in the 7-12 hundred bracket with usually the tranny still attached and most of the peripherals

[wayfarer]

Commercial rebuilders rarely want to deal with any really old or odd-ball engines as that would require them to actually search for parts that the warehouse does not stock.

Your best bet is to gather all of the parts, do an inventory of said parts, take some photos of said parts including the stamped use code (top-front of the block), look here, and then advertise on one of the other 50's Mopar appropriate forums.

The DeSoto engines are actually quite popular right now with the street rod crowds.

If, in fact, it is a 341, and you have all of the important pieces, you will be surprised at the dollar offers!

Now if you still want to give it away, my address is...

Oh, by the way, ignore the crap about using gm parts, blasphemous...

[Rusty O'Toole]

Joelokie a 392 hemi in the condition you describe is worth well over $1000. If the block is not cracked, the crankshaft and heads are good etc.

Someone who knows those engines can get the parts easily and rebuild it. Your local rebuilders are used to building Chev 350s for pickup trucks. They don't know anything about hemis.

The DeSoto is a different story. I know they are less desirable than the big Chrysler but they must be worth more than a Chev small block. When I go see it I want to make the guy a fair offer. He has been more than reasonable with me in the past, selling me parts cheap and even giving me small stuff for nothing.

[Andydodge]

Rusty, I'd look at the engine as part of my superannuation, lol, if its in the couple of hundred range then I can't see how you'd loose in the long term...........andyd

[mrwrstory]

I agree w/most of the previous commentary,...under scoreing, "Chevy parts don't fit"; duh! he's a builder?????? (probably would say the same about a flathead 6). And for a few hundred,... if it's a complete 341" go for it.

Know that the DeSotos are smaller and lighter than the Chryslers but larger and heavier than the Dodges. And, probably less popular than either. Check http://www.hothemiheads.com/

The upside is, engines don't take much room. Build a dolly, put a wood frame with a top on it and you have another 30"x30" horizonal surface that you can stack stuff on,..... and it rolls. If in the future, you decide not to use it you should be able to easily recover your money.

[Plymouthy Adams]

you are right..a stuffed elephant does not eat anything..

[Rusty O'Toole]

Not exactly sure how you feel you are able to make such a statement about my "local rebuilders" What the hell do you know about either of them? I have known, or known of, both men a number of years, and one has, and does rebuild a lot of hemis, and the other man has made himself a very respected reputation rebuilding Ford V-8 flatheads, and about any other kind of engine imaginable. i'd venture a guess that either man knows more about hemis than you do. Joel

Right off the bat there is no such thing as a 392 DeSoto hemi. The only 392 was the 1957-58 hemi used in New Yorker and Imperial only. Not many were made and hundreds were used and used up in top fuel dragsters between the late fifties and early sixties.

These are the most desirable, and most expensive early Hemi. Believe me, $1000 is cheap for one that is complete, has a good block, heads, crank etc and can be rebuilt. Don't believe me, go ahead and do a web search and see what they are going for.

DeSoto is a completely different animal. They have very little following either the engines or the cars. I have seen them go on Ebay for under $1000 parts cars with hemi engines. A 57 Chev or even an Edsel is far more in demand.

Even so the engine must have some value. If I got one I would put it away for a possible future hot rod project. To say they are worthless and of no value, because they are not a small block Chev is ridiculous.

So, go ahead and listen to your so called experts and sell your hemi for scrap iron, it's no skin off my nose.

[Frank Elder]

Joelokie a 392 hemi in the condition you describe is worth well over $1000. If the block is not cracked' date=' the crankshaft and heads are good etc.

Someone who knows those engines can get the parts easily and rebuild it. Your local rebuilders are used to building Chev 350s for pickup trucks. They don't know anything about hemis.

The DeSoto is a different story. I know they are less desirable than the big Chrysler but they must be worth more than a Chev small block. When I go see it I want to make the guy a fair offer. He has been more than reasonable with me in the past, selling me parts cheap and even giving me small stuff for nothing.[/quote']

Right off the bat there is no such thing as a 392 DeSoto hemi. The only 392 was the 1957-58 hemi used in New Yorker and Imperial only. Not many were made and hundreds were used and used up in top fuel dragsters between the late fifties and early sixties.

These are the most desirable' date=' and most expensive early Hemi. Believe me, $1000 is cheap for one that is complete, has a good block, heads, crank etc and can be rebuilt. Don't believe me, go ahead and do a web search and see what they are going for.

DeSoto is a completely different animal. They have very little following either the engines or the cars. I have seen them go on Ebay for under $1000 parts cars with hemi engines. A 57 Chev or even an Edsel is far more in demand.

Even so the engine must have some value. If I got one I would put it away for a possible future hot rod project. To say they are worthless and of no value, because they are not a small block Chev is ridiculous.

So, go ahead and listen to your so called experts and sell your hemi for scrap iron, it's no skin off my nose.[/quote']

It is a good thing to know a lot......not so good to come across as a know-it-all, why don't you throttle back a little "Rusty", your advice is pretty mean sometimes......This isn't the AACA where everything is cut and dried/black and white.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Frankie, if you hve not been on them forums just this is allyou need to know..its dead on that forum..as it is on the POC...you can not log onto to either site for two weeks and get caught up in 1 minute or less..the man is taking advantage of a bigger audience..bump your gums over there and it fall on no one's ears..but you are correct..we be a bit unrestrained in ownership and creativity..his style may change as he gets to feel for this forum and its membership...most are here because of main fact that the puristist attitude is less..not sure if he ahs done some of the mods we dicuss here often either..can't say..really care less..

the 392 is the more desirable early hemi...super easy to build HP and dresses up fancier than a parade of emperor penguins..I have a fond memory of a 58 Chrysler 392 with blower, blacked out and fat tires running the streets of Virgina..awesome looking machine

[Rusty O'Toole]

You are the one who said you had a 392. On reviewing the thread, you say you "were told" it was a 392 then went on about your local rebuilders telling you the engine was worthless, they would not even take it FOR NOTHING.

Now it seems you do not have a 392 and never did. Whoever told you you did, it was not your local rebuilders.

OK now I get it.

In the meantime I am still confused. I know the Chrysler 392 is the desirable engine, the DeSoto not so much. If I got the DeSoto it would be with the idea of some day using it in a light weight hot rod with an open engine compartment like a T bucket, roadster or the like. Just for fun and to have something a little unusual. No drag racing or other racing contemplated.

So, how do I determine what is a fair price? I don't want to overpay and I don't want to gyp anybody. The seller is a good guy but touchy. He has given me good deals in the past but I know if he thought somebody was trying to chisel, or flip something for a quick buck, he would scrap it before he sold it.

By the way if you don't like my manners I don't blame you. I am not crazy about them myself. But I found out if you beat around the bush and pussy foot around a lot of guys can't see what the hell you are driving at. So, I may be blunt but I do pass along some good information once in a while. It would be nice if I could get a straight answer to a simple question.

As far as my bona fides I have been working on old cars, for myself and as a garage mechanic, since 1964. Have considerable experience of old Chrysler products including early hemis. So I am not exactly a greenhorn.

Edited October 5, 2011 by Rusty O'Toole

[Young Ed]

I gotta say anyone at a machine shop that told me this " have told me is that they are not very desirable as rebuilders in general because the GM speed stuff doesn't work on them because of porting differences." would get the same reaction out of me.

Rusty offer the guy a couple 100 bucks and go from there. Any of the early hemis are desireable to the street rod crowd with some being more so than others.

[JoelOkie]

Well Ed, I am sure you are much smarter than people that do it day in and day out for a living. I tell you what, this is a good forum, but the few a$$holes that think they know everything, and have to show it to everyone tends to make me think it's really not worth messing with, so I am going to leave this all to guys like you and rusty tool, and use my time for more worthwhile endeavours. have fun. Joel

[Young Ed]

BYE

[Rusty O'Toole]

So long Okie. You are the one who came on my thread throwing your weight around. I'm not going to miss you and it looks like I am not the only one.

[Don Coatney]

So long Okie. You are the one who came on my thread throwing your weight around. I'm not going to miss you and it looks like I am not the only one.

I will miss him. He has made a lot of good postings to this forum. I do not like to see him leave. Rusty you might want to tone down some of your postings. You have a lot to offer but not everybody understands where you are coming from. I have the same problem and I am learning to tone down my stuff.

[Plymouthy Adams]

you are right Don..we all hate to lose a member because of some petty differences but it does happen..

by Don's own admission he is doing as I have done and not sure if some have noticed but long ago I concluded I have no input in a mans build and thus should leave it at that..if I have information to help him then I should speak, if I see a man going off in a "known direction of error" then I will often sent only a PM and not address it in openly in the forum..if I see misquoted or wrong info that may lead the man or anyone else for that matter who will use the search button later astray, I should speak..if I don't particularily like the direction he is leading his build..not my business...if I don't agree..go to next thread..this is often hard to do but it does work for the best..I guess I am getting a bit sensitive to some degree on the request for support..most want an answer on the how of a particular subject but instead getting a lecture on what he should be doing..when a guy asks for advice..then its wide open for anyone/anything..

[Rusty O'Toole]

I will miss him. He has made a lot of good postings to this forum. I do not like to see him leave. Rusty you might want to tone down some of your postings. You have a lot to offer but not everybody understands where you are coming from. I have the same problem and I am learning to tone down my stuff.

Don I have followed your stuff for a long time and have the greatest respect for you. So if you want me to tone it down I will.

Now please help me. Tell me exactly what I said that anyone would find offensive.

To review:

My 1st post. I stated my problem and asked for advice.

My 2nd post. I tried to encourage Joelokie that his engine was not worthless, in fact if it was a 392 it was worth a lot of money. He should not put too much stock in what uninformed people told him.

His post: He is not encouraged or cheered up by this good news, for some reason he is offended and starts cursing me out.

My 3d post. Did not get offended, listened to what he had to say and seriously reviewed his posts. Corrected my mistake, did not make a fuss, went on to restate my question (in case that was the cause of confusion) and explain myself. No arguing, cursing or fighting on my part.

His post: Makes some more snarky remarks and huffs off like a little girly man. So far he has not answered my question and contributed nothing of value to the discussion and I am not the only one who is glad to see the last of him.

My 4th post. Say goodbye in the same spirit he expresses but in a milder form. He should admire my self control. You should too, as you have seen me demolish bigger pests on other boards.

All right. Show me where I am wrong but please do not ask me to put up with being insulted and pushed around.

[Don Coatney]

Rusty;

Joelokie has been a well known long term contributing member on this forum having joined in May, 2008. He has established his creditability by posting many wothhwhile facts over the years. He is not a new kid to this hobby and he has delt with many vendors over the years.

You just joined this forum about two months ago. Nobody here knows you and you have not yet established your self the way Joel has established himself. I know you from other forums and others here also know you from other forums. But not everybody here (joel included) knows you so you are still the new kid on the block.

So, for you to tell Joel that the machine shops that he has been dealing with for years do not know anything is an insult.

It is better to offer opinions than to tell someone what to do. But at times that is a very hard rule for me to follow.

[Young Ed]

So far he has not answered my question and contributed nothing of value to the discussion and I am not the only one who is glad to see the last of him.

I hope you are not speaking for me. I didn't wish for him to leave. I was annoyed that the thread came down to name calling and him leaving. Hopefully he'll calm down and return.