Ideas on what motor to put in my 48 d24?

[T_wolbs]

What fits relatively easy and what will work reliably. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

230 flathead 6...

[Dodgeb4ya]

A 23" stock 230  rebuilt proper engine...

Easiest and good reliability using a good  quality rebuilt engine.

[T_wolbs]

Thats what i am taking out not sure if I want to rebuild and put back or swap it out then rebuild and sell it 

[Dan Hiebert]

Kinda depends on what you want out of the car.  I echo the previous inputs, 230 flathead 6.  Unless you are looking for more speed, better acceleration, etc., the L6 is still a really good, reliable engine for the D24.  Performance as is, is only "majestic", and if you are OK with that, these engines were used for so long, (what...mid thirties to '63, and even longer in industrial applications), that parts are still readily available.  Anything else requires engineering to get it to fit, and would be no more reliable.   

[falconvan]

I’d keep the flathead. If you decide you would rather go more modern; a 318 with either a 904 or 727  auto trans.

Another interesting choice I’ve considered is to find a good running Mercedes 300D and swap in the diesel drivetrain. You can get those cars dirt cheap and those OM617 diesels will run forever. Usually rust kills the body on them long before they have mechanical problems.

[Andydodge]

It depends on what you want from the car.........I put a 318 Poly/auto in my 1940 Dodge sedan in 1973 and I'd do it again as its been a good conversion although the only caveat is that the Poly is very wide so I'd go with a LA 318/340/360 as not onlt are they narrower but parts are easier to find.......when I had the 41 Plymouth Coupe I decided to stick with the side valve 6 but swap in a 230 instead of leaving the 201.........I also decided to hop up the 230 with an Edgy Finned head, Offy twin carb setup, split headers & twin exhaust, beehive filter and HEI dissy with a 5 speed Chev S10 gearbox..........didn't end up finishing it as I sold the car beforehand but leaving the 6 and adding some hop up gear to it will get you some looks and feel good vibes so its up to you.........have attached a pic of both the Dodge engine bay with Poly V8 and the 230 engine mocked up........regards from Oz and Welcome aboard.......Andy Douglas 

[MackTheFinger]

That 318 poly looks so right in that car..

 

OP, of course the 230 would be easiest but more power is always better.. It's all up to you, your budget, and your abilities. You also have to figure in whether you care about sticking with original manufacturer.   

Edited April 25, 2020 by MackTheFinger

[milo9rat]

Put a sbc in and disguise it as a poly head....

[Andydodge]

Milo............lol........I shouldn't but I DO like that idea.........the Poly rocker covers cover the sbc well.......neat idea.......andyd

[maok]

If you want a challenge, why not go all electric and put a 350 sticker it. It will stand out in the Chevy crowd...?

[Eneto-55]

My first two cars were V-8's, a 361 (62 Chrysler Newport) & a 318 (72 Dodge Coronet), but I really don't like V8's.  I hesitated to comment here simply because I tend to be a "keep it as original as possible" type person, but I also really like the sound of the flatheads.  (People who know a great deal more about it than I also say no engine design is as naturally balanced as an in-line six, but others may argue with that statement - I do not know.)  

All that said, I WAS tempted to save the engine & "drive-line" (if you can call it that on a FWD vehicle) from our first Chrysler minivan, a 3.3 L 93 Town & Country (the body was rusted out completely from living here in the "Salt Belt"), and put that into my second P15.  My brother said "Why would you want to do THAT?!"  The challenge of it, and to do something unique.  An SBC is the most un-unique thing anyone could do.  So maybe put in a Chrysler straight-eight.  Probably technically 'impossible' because of the length of the block, but as they say, 'Where there's a will, there's a way.'

[bobus8]

It Might be a little tough to squeeze one in but I think one of the 1950s Firepower Hemi engines would be pretty cool.

 

[MikeMalibu]

For me, the question was the cost of rebuilding the L6, tranny, and rear end verses the cost of buying and installing those three from a low-mileage Magnum V8 vehicle. If you can do or want to do a lot of the work yourself and with friends, then the V8 cost is significantly less for mostly positive advantages. When the car is parked with the hood closed or on the road, few can tell either way, but you’ll know the difference. 

[MackTheFinger]

Guy I know put a 2.5 Jeep motor in a '59 Rambler wagon and stuck a late-model Hemi engine cover on it. When people ask him how hard it was to put a Hemi in a Rambler he says it was real easy.. He says the 2.5 works really well, not a speed demon but he drives it to work regularly.

 

Nothing wrong with any engine in any car. I'm not a fanatic so if I was swapping motors I'd probably do SBC. Small size, plenty of potential, parts all over the place. I'm old, why make it harder than it has to be? 

 

 

[Adam H P15 D30]

I despise SBC engines, though I manage to have 2 Ford hotrods with them.

[Plymouthy Adams]

3 minutes ago, Adam H P15 D30 said:

I despise SBC engines, though I manage to have 2 Ford hotrods with them.

 

well, if you bought them that way....that is one thing...to have installed them...that is totally another story....any plans to make an improvement...??

[Adam H P15 D30]

8 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

 

well, if you bought them that way....that is one thing...to have installed them...that is totally another story....any plans to make an improvement...??

First one I built with my pops 25 years ago and back then it was just the way it was done.  Some sentimental value is attached to this one and I would not change it easily.

Second is the 56 Panel.  It came set up for a SBC and the frame was powdercoated, I just couldn't take the cutting torch to it.  This will replce my Dodge as a semi-daily driver so I guess it doesn't matter.

Edited April 27, 2020 by Adam H P15 D30

[MackTheFinger]

2 hours ago, Adam H P15 D30 said:

First one I built with my pops 25 years ago and back then it was just the way it was done.  Some sentimental value is attached to this one and I would not change it easily.

Second is the 56 Panel.  It came set up for a SBC and the frame was powdercoated, I just couldn't take the cutting torch to it.  This will replce my Dodge as a semi-daily driver so I guess it doesn't matter.

 

Nothing wrong with any of that. I like SBC's. They're outdated by today standards but otherwise they're okay. One of these days I'll recount a story about Brother Bob from 30+ years ago. That'll get a bunch of people looking for their nitro pills.. ?

 

 

Edited April 27, 2020 by MackTheFinger

[Dartgame]

I understand the economics when swapping motors, but if I do it, I swap in a same make motor. Ford in a ford, mopar in a mopar. Its just me. I see so many SBC's transplanted into other makes I get tired of seeing it....

[Loren]

I've owned a 49 two door and now a 52 Suburban. I like my Plymouths, even with their old stock engines. They were as the banner reads great cars. Yes you can not go Autobahn speeds but that's not why you own one now days.

My choice of engine is the Chrysler 265 (1952-54 model years but made as an industrial engine til 1968). In Canada Plymouths came with the 25 inch long blocks so it's not really an engine swap.

My roots in the car hobby go back to the brass era so I appreciate what they did in the time the car was built. I want the best combination a hod rodder could put together within 5 years of the car's manufacture. In 1952 they had V8s of course but Plymouth didn't. So a V8 powered Mopar was not a Plymouth. In my mad mind a Plymouth is a 6 cylinder car and a Plymouth I own will have a 6 cylinder (albeit a really big one!).

Without question of all the cars of the early post war period the Plymouth benefited the most from an Overdrive transmission. Surprisingly it took until May of 1952 for one to be offered. Chrysler must have realized this because they offered a dealer installed retro fit kit. So along with the 265 my wagon has an Overdrive and a 3.73 rear axle. I don't believe that's too big a mountain to climb with a 4.75 inch stroke.

The idea is your car should be fun. It should take you to your happy place. There's no wrong way to build one if it does that.

My Dad had a friend by the name of Doan Spencer (famous for a 32 Ford roadster among others) who bought a new Thunderbird in 1955. Over the time he owned it, he put just about every hot rod Ford engine known to man in that car. (and a few combinations less commonly known) The point is he had fun with that car. It was the best it could be for the era, he made sure of that.

 

[MackTheFinger]

If you're going to change motors from stock in a D24 nothing else will fit without a bunch of work. Use a 230, runs smooth, lasts a long time. 

 

 

[blucarsdn]

Re-powering an old car can be a very controversial subject. If you want a vehicle to just putt around town in with an occasional trip on the open road at 50 mph, keep the stock engine. If you want improved performance, ease of driving and reliable parts supply up grade to a modern power train, which will lead to improved braking and steering.

Many people in the DPCD world can only relate to the Hemi engines, 'Mopar or No Car'.. The Poly motors were not that good of engine and they are very old and hard to find parts for. The original 318's had a lot of problems, therefore they should not even be considered. I'll skip over the 383's, 413, 440's. and slant six etc., they two are very out dated and hard to deal with.

The short list is either a Jeep 4.0 L , V8 318, V8 340,.  A Jeep 4.0 L (which has been a Chrysler engine since 1991) would be a great addition to any vintage DPCD. Beforef you go crazy with a late model electronic controlled engine/trans, keep in mind that you open up a very big can of worms. Been there done that.

I opted for a SBC engine/trans to re-power my 39 Plym conv because of the compact size, availability of new crate motors/transmissions and reliability. I wanted to keep the car all Chrysler, however it just was not practicle at the time. To confuse people I picked up a set of HP 318 valve cover decals, most people compliment me for putting a Chrysler  engine in the car. Wm.

[Adam H P15 D30]

Just to add to the post above, if you want a modern automatic overdrive but are put off by electronics, there are good options out there.

 

Chevy: Less than 400 HP, the 2004R can be used with a 2 wire hook up, no computer.  A 700R4 can also be used with a simple stand alone unit with a 2 wire hook up or no electronics at all with a couple of internal modifications.

 

Mopar: SB LA engines can use an A 500 or A 518 from the early 90's with a 2 or 3 wire hook up to engage OD and TC lock-up (if equipped), no ECU.  For early A, Poly and Hemi engines only the A 518 can be used with appropriate adapters, again no ECU.

B and RB transmission choices are more limited.  I THINK there is an adapter to a LA bell housing allowing an A 518.

 

Options are endless....

[blucarsdn]

An additional thought for re-powering a D24 '48 Dodge.

Several years ago I picked up a very nice barn find '48 Dodge 4dr. For some unknown reason the engine/trans was missing from the car. Within a few weeks I encountered a 48 DeSoto, a field car that was so badly rusted out the front seat had fallen through the floor.

With a little TLC the Spitfire 250 CID engine started right up, it ran great.

The Spitfire engine and Fluid Drive trans bolted right into the Dodge, by simply moving the radiator to the front of the core support.

The Dodges were badged as Chrysler's in Europe and other countries, therefore they came with the Chrysler 250 CID engine, Chrysler drilled, etc. many of the  Dodge frames for use in the Chrysler/DeSoto cars. Wm.