James_Douglas Posted May 5, 2015 Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 Hi all, I need a head for a rebuild for the '49 Desoto. I found someone here in San Francisco that had a couple of core engines he wanted to sell. I looked them over and decided to buy them, mainly for some parts here and there and a couple of heads. Both of them are 25 inch long blocks. Both of them were rebuilt by a outfit here in California that used to be a bog chain of rebuilders called Automotive Engineering. My '49 has one of their rebuilds in it and it runs good except for the seeping of oil through the block into the water jacket! One of the things that Automotive Engineering did was to obliterate the original engine code on the blocks and replace it with the code from the engine coming out of the car. Well, that that means is the engine code does not tell you exactly which flathead short block you really have. In this case both of the blocks are somewhat different than the ones I have in the 1947 Desoto, the 1949 Desoto, and the one on my bench which is stripped which was a 1953 Desoto. I am posting photos of the oil filter lines pad on the block as this is the most distinctive. Anyone with any ideas please comment. On one of the engines it appears to be by engine code from a 1959 Dodge. However a typewriter note on a tag says it is a 265. I took the plug out over number six and stuck a rod down in and measured it at TDC and BDC. It measures 4.75 inches. Hip Hip Hurray! The other engine has a odd looking block casting. Not at all like I have seen on the other blocks. Anyone have any ideas? I got both for $500 and with a 265 crank and rods...not a bad deal. Thanks all, James. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James_Douglas Posted May 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2015 I will post some better photos later. The ones I posted stink. The one engine is no doubt a 265...I scored on that one. The other engine with little to no ridge at all is an odd duck. Looks like there was a plate, the little nail rivet holes are barley visible, on the passenger side in a long rectangle. I think it is a Chrysler Industrial Block model 908A. Has anyone ever read anything on what, if any, differences there were between the Chrysler/Desoto blocks and the industrial blocks? James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Elder Posted May 6, 2015 Report Share Posted May 6, 2015 Don't forget James, it could also be a Massey Harris combine/agri block.........those have the funky upside down intake, or it could be for a chrysler power boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.