hemi olds?

[40 2dr sed]

okay I never thaught I would ever be faced with a problem like this! I have had every intention to put a 303 or the like in my 40 olds however, I was talking to a buddy about helping me to find a good runner and boy did he spin me for a loop! he said why dont you just buy my 331 Hemi? I said what Hemi? he said I have one out back that I havent started in a couple years. I know most everybody is gona say something like anything is cooler with a hemi, however like I said I was realy wanting to keep it with a olds mill. He also had a cadillac 331 that made me think. what kind of problem is that you may ask? I dont know at this point? I have never built a hemi before and I would like the build to a budget. give me your feedback I'll post a few picts. so you can get the idea.

[TexRiv_63]

The Oldsmobile people will hate it. The restoration purists will have a cow. Even the Mopar folks will foam at the mouth! But if none of that bothers you you should do it because it would be very cool. On the practical side I'd be a bit leery of a motor that has been sitting outside for a couple of years with a rag stuffed in the carb, check it out carefully. Let us know what you decide.

[mrpushbutton]

The 331 hemi would probably be more expensive to rebuild than the two GM engines, they are a little more complicated.

Trivia for you: look at the displacement, Bore, stroke, compression ratio, length of block, length of each cylinder bank, dimension from crank center to TDC, cylinder bore spacing (and many more dimensions) of the Chrysler 331 Hemi and then compare to the (1949-up) Cadillac 331 OHV-V8.

Chrysler engineers "borrowed" a Cadillac hearse from a Highland Park (MI) funeral home and dissected the engine. the First Chrysler Hemi is, with the exception of the cylinder head, is a copy of the Cadillac OHV-V8, the first modern (bore larger than stroke) V8. Chrysler got more power out of that displacement after the first year of the Hemi than the Caddy, but the Hemi head was where they could truly depart from the "borrowed" design and set it apart as their own.

Great engines, these are now in demand, the 392 cu. in. engines in the later models are the most sought after.

You could put the hemi in the Olds and have something unique, just don't put a small block Chevy in it!

[Guest palosfv3]

Check out the HAMB ( Hokey Ass Message Board) message board

At the Jalopy Journal web site. This site is dedicated to traditional Hot Rods and Customs. Please be warned I assume no responsibilty for how much time you spend there or if you become addicted to it.

Here's the link.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=5

http://www.jalopyjournal.com

Try this Hemi link it should tell you all you need to know about them. or just do a thread search under Hemi.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=118811&highlight=ultimate+hemi

[Oldsfan]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TexRiv_63</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The Oldsmobile people will hate it. </div></div>

He's right. Put a 303 in it (or a 324, or a 371, or a 394) and put a J2 setup on it.

Paul

[alsancle]

I vote no. Somethings just don't go together. At some point everyone has to part with their car and you will find the market very small.

[keiser31]

Being a Chrysler raised kind of guy, I say go the Hemi route, but first go to the Hemi Owners Association website and research the 331s. I rebuilt one as a kid centuries ago, but for the bang and buck combo they will more than likely steer you to a 354 or 392 Hemi. Then....yes. Cram that into your car. I am sooooo tired of seeing Chevy 350s in everything with the hood up (at shows, I mean).

[40 2dr sed]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: keiser31</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Being a Chrysler raised kind of guy, I say go the Hemi route, but first go to the Hemi Owners Association website and research the 331s. I rebuilt one as a kid centuries ago, but for the bang and buck combo they will more than likely steer you to a 354 or 392 Hemi. Then....yes. Cram that into your car. I am sooooo tired of seeing Chevy 350s in everything with the hood up (at shows, I mean). </div></div> I would soonerrun the flathead 6 that runs great than a small block chev!

[Bob Kinker]

HEMI & Budget (unless it's very large) rarely go together. I'm a Mopar guy & say this. But, if you do it, you will have a unique vehicle!

[Guest Bob Call]

Ron

I'm a first generation hemi guy. I'd like to see a 331, 354 or 392 or the Dodge and DeSoto "baby hemis" in anything. Be forewarned that properly rebuilding a hemis is a very expensive undertaking. Look at a minimum of $5,000 for a proper rebuild. If you want high performance at least $10,000. I have a 331 and a 354 in my garage right now accumulating the money and parts to build them. Check www.hothemiheads.com.

Since the 40 Olds shares the body with Chevy, Pontiac and the small Buick, I say stay with a GM engine. They are much cheaper to acquire and to rebuild. I would go with the 394 or 350 Olds, not the 350 Chevy dressed as an Olds. Although the 350 Chevy is the easiest and cheapest to acquire and rebuild but everyone has one. I've got one sitting in my garage right now.

Stuffing the big Olds engine in that car can be done but it will be tight. Lots of hot rodders dress their 350 Chevys as Olds'. You can buy new 49 Olds rocker arm covers that fit Chevy heads and you can buy new Olds-Cad "bat" air cleaners to finish off the Olds look on your Chevy.

KEEP YOUR OLDS ALL OLDS IF POSSIBLE! IT'S YOUR GRANDFATHER'S OLDS!!

[40 2dr sed]

well I did it now! not only did I buy the hemi but Im also just closed the deal on a 1953 olds 303 that I will be starting on the tear down sence there is no history available on that motor. WOW I didnt think that would happen! Ill post some picts of the 303 after I pick it up in the next few days. also may be looking for a set of manifolds if he cant find the ones that came off the motor. it also has the hydromatic still atached. what will I have to change? (cross member.. motor mounts?

[1937hd45]

Go for the HEMI! I can't think of a more volumptuous engine, except for an ARDUN that Chrysler stole the head design from.

[Guest Bob Call]

Ron

Mu suggestion is use the Olds 303 and hydramatic. You will have to fabricate motor and transmission mounts. I doubt that the stock exhaust manifolds will work. They will probably interfere with the steering and/or frame, etc. Probably have to make custom headers. Sell the hemi to pay for the the overhaul parts and farbication that you can't do yourself. Even the Old 303 will put some real life in the little 40. You'll need a custom radiator as the stocker isn't big enough for either of the V8's.

PS. Chrysler didn't steal the hemi head. Chrysler was doing research on the hemihead prior to WWII. European car makers were using the hemis deasign as far back as 1905, maybe earlier. The Miller straight 8 racing engines in the 1920's were hemi's. T

[Rusty_OToole]

The Olds V8 is a better choice for your Olds. If you aren't going to restore it, the Olds in the Olds will make a cool fifties style rod.

Early hemis are great engines, very well made, and can usually be rebuilt with a minimum of new parts and machine work. I have seen articles on rebuilding them for racing, that were published from 1956 to the 1990s and they all agree, that they were so well made and precisely machined that they don't require the usual "blueprinting", just truing up the cylinders due to normal wear.

One thing to look out for. The bellhousing cast into the back of the block. This indicates the engine was made between 1951 and 1953. These years they were only available with Fluid Drive. This was a good transmission in its day but best avoided if you want to enjoy your hemi's performance. Other transmissions can be adapted but you are much better off with a 1954-55 engine, these were made for a Powerflite transmission and have a conventional type block, much easier to adapt to a manual trans or more modern automatic.

Either can be used, the 54 up motor is easier to adapt but the early motor can be used with a little more work.

[Guest Bob Kerr]

Why not put an Olds Hemi in it, now that would be neat! They are pretty rare and very big $$$. Olds made them about 69-70 and were loosely based on the 455 block with single overhead cams, Double overhead cams, single and twin turbos. They were used in Can-Am race cars, some were used in racing boats but were never put in production cars. The Olds museum in Lansing used to have several on display, but I think all but one were taken back to Olds Warehousing and now to GM historical center. I bet there may be a few floating around in some old Can-Am race teams owners shop.