I have a question that may not belong here. But it concerns a 1949 Chyrsler product. Maybe. Son just called and someone gave him what he was told is a 1949 Dodge V-8 with auto tranny. My first car was a 1949 Dodge. I don't remember them having a V-8 until 1950. Son has not seen the engine yet but the other man said it had fat valve covers. I was thinking that in 1949 Chryslers and a few other Mopars had the first small Hemi. What do you guys know about the early V-8 Mopars? Son wanted to someday put my old 440/torqueflite in something like a Model A. Now he's thinking this little "Hemi"???? would be better. Like me he's always dreaming.
Chrysler had the first Hemi in 1951, then the other divisions followed (Dodge and DeSoto) in '52. NOTE: Plymouth NEVER had an early Hemi of their own!!! Anyone claiming they have a "factory" Plymouth Hemi in the '50s, either did the swap themselves or a dealer did it. Sounds like someone did a swap at sometime. From allpar.com...Dodge's first V8 was the Red Ram Hemi in 1952...Shown with bore/stroke and precise displacement in cubic inches, and years it was available: Dodge hemi/poly (1952-1958) [Dodge -> corporate] 241 - 3.4375 3.25 241.3 1952-1955 /// 259 - 3.5625 3.25 259.2 1955 /// 270 - 3.625 3.25 268.3 1955-1956 /// 315 - 3.625 3.8125 314.8 1956 /// 325 - 3.6875 3.796875 324.4 1957-1958 Original is at Engines used in Chrysler, Plymouth, and Dodge vehicles http://www.allpar.com/mopar/list.html#ixzz2Udxz5Lou Follow us: @allparcom on Twitter | allparcom on Facebook
Thanks Patrick80. Son has not seen the engine/ tranny yet. All he knows is it is around 1949 and has an automatic with wide valve covers. Not in a vehicle. Supposedly lt ran not many years ago and sounded like an old Harley. This is what our son was told by a man who came in the motorcycle shop where he works. Offered it free to get it out of his place. Son will probably drag it home this weekend. Just what I need around here! I did tell him there were no V-8's as early as 1949. I was thinking maybe in 1950. I also told him they were called Red Ram V-8's I know little about Chrysler engines even though my first was a 1949 Dodge six and I have been driving a late Hemi truck since 2004. Again thanks.
