Need new short block or engine for 46 - 48 Dodge

[Guest Hockeye]

Hey, guys, HEL-L-L-LP!

I have a 46 Dodge business coupe which we now find has a cracked/broken block which my mechanic says is not repairable. The rest of the car is nice, and should not be junked out.

I don't care if it is not a show-stopper Pebble Beach correct replacement, but I need something which will fill the spot ahead of the Fluid Drive transmission and work, which I guess means a flat-head six Mopar engine.

What do I need to ask for?

Do you know where I can get one?

I'm too young to put a pistol to my head, so help me get this thing running.

Merry Christmas to all!

[Guest Twunk Rack]

Those simple but durable six cyl. Chrysler blocks continued in production for MANY MANY years after your car was built. You can find em in all kinds of machinery (boats, fork lifts, etc.). You may have to scratch around a bit, but be assured there are plenty still around.

[ply33]

Is that a Canadian built Dodge or US?

The US Dodges used the 23 inch long block while the Canadian Dodges used a Canadian manufactured engine that was 25 inches long like those used in the US built Chryslers and DeSotos.

For the "short block" (i.e. 23 inch Plymouth/Dodge block) almost 6 cylinder from 1933 through 1959 will bolt in. And I understand, as Twunk Rack wrote, that it was also used in other applications. I believe into the early 1970s for industrial applications. So you have nearly a 40 year run of engines that are candidates. There were bore, bearing, stroke, accessory and other changes through the years so I'd stick to an engine close to the same vintage as your original to minimize grief with needing to swap out more parts than you'd like.

The Dodge version in the post war era typically had a longer stroke than the Plymouth and might have an eight bolt flywheel flange for fluid drive rather than the four bolt pattern found on standard transmission based cars. So make sure your flywheel bolt pattern is compatible and you should be well on your way.

PS: http://www.p15-d24.com/ has a forum specifically for people with 1946-48 Plymouth and Dodges. A wealth of information there.

[hddennis]

It's been a few years but we used to get military surplus 6 cylinder Mopar flatheads from contruction equipment and war surplus dealers. They used these engines for a long time and you should be able to still find military rebuilts in the crate. Not all civilian parts are the same but since you have all the civilian components you can swap them onto the military long block.

Howard Dennis

[Steve Braverman]

Where are you located? I have a shop here in NY that specializes in welding cracked blocks.

[MCHinson]

Where are you located? Shipping blocks is not cheap. With that said, I would try Ebay. Just a real quick check found this. More searching will probably find something appropriate near you...

46 Dodge Power Wagon 4x4:eBay Motors (item 320457314780 end time Dec-09-09 14:59:26 PST)

[Rusty_OToole]

There are still a lot of those engines around in junkyards and other places. If you look at the Dodge and Plymouth boards there are several threads by people scrapping good engines to swap in V8s.

American Dodge used basically the same engine from the late 30s to 1959 in cars, 1962 in large trucks, and as industrial engines in farm machinery, pumps, welders, compressors etc to 1972.

This engine measures 23 inches long at the head.

Canadian Dodges used a version of the Chrysler/DeSoto block which is 25 1/4 inches long.

The bigger engine is a direct bolt in to a Canadian car. It will fit an American car with a little reworking. It bolts up to the transmission but the engine mounts are farther forward. Some Dodge frames are even drilled for the extra bolt holes.

The ultimate would be the 265 cu in 120HP engine used by Chrysler Windsor 1952-54. It has a full flow oil filter and the extra displacement and horsepower are nice.

[1939_Buick]

The ultimate would be the 265 cu in 120HP engine used by Chrysler Windsor 1952-54. It has a full flow oil filter and the extra displacement and horsepower are nice.

Going by the list in Hockeye's signature he own a 1952 Windsor. Edited December 11, 2009 by 1939_buick (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

Great, so he knows what one looks like. Same engine with the full flow filter was also used in Dodge trucks to 62 and industrial and marine engines to 72. Old farm machinery is a good source of engines. Combines made by Massey and others used Chrysler industrial engines.

[Rusty_OToole]

Go down to the Dodge or DeSoto forum below, some bozo is trying to sell a good 48 Dodge or DeSoto power train so he can throw in a Chev V8.

[Rusty_OToole]

Here you go.

http://forums.aaca.org/f153/1948-desoto-motor-tranny-rear-end-265123.html

Might be worth a try but don't get your hopes up. The guy seems to think the flathead out of his car is a worthless piece of junk, not even worth trying to get it running. But he won't sell it unless he gets big $$$$$ bucks. What a douchenozzle.