De Soto Frank, can you help?

[dave38fastback]

Hi DeSoto Frank

I noticed your comment about speed parts for flathead 6 (230) on the Plymouth forum

I have a 38 Dodge Fastback and am keen to perk up the performance with a few speed parts of the era, yet can not find any websites or anyone that sells this gear.

Can you point me in the direction of where I can get this stuff.

I live in New Zealand but have a brother in Reno with a 38 Dodge coupe (does that make us genuine "Dodge Brothers"?) who can buy and ship bits to me that you simply can not get down here.

I tried to e-mail you but it bounced right back

Thanks

Dave

[Guest De Soto Frank]

At the risk of incurring the wrath of the AACA Forum police... <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />,

Try checking-out these sites:

www.inliners.org

www.P15-D24.com

www.cliffordperformance.com

Inliners is all about "souping" in-line engines; P15-D24 is the site for '46-'48 Plymouth & Dodge enthusiasts ( but All flat-head MoPar-ists are welcome), and many of the guys there have done dual carbs, split exhausts, to full race sixes (and there are a few blokes from "Down-undah" lurking there <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />); and Clifford Performance manufactures multi-carb intakes etc for older sixes.

Generally speaking, "no one"(?) is presently making bolt-on intakes & such for the 25-inch "big block" Chrysler Corp. flathead six. Unless you commision someone to custom fabricate stuff for the big-blocks, you're going to be limited to old speed parts from "back in the day", wherever you find them ( E-bay, etc).

There were a lot more goodies produced for the "small-block" 23-inch Chrysler Corp. six

(Plymouth, Dodge), and there are still companies producing intakes and headers for the "small" six...

When you get into non-U.S. MoPars, you begin to find an interesting variety of MoPar stuff thrown together to make an "export model" ( like the '46-'48 De Soto "Diplomat", which was a Plymouth body & engine ( 23"), but had a '42 De Soto grille adapted to the front clip, etc.); and most Canadian MoPars used the 25" big-block throughout, but de-bored/de-stroked them to keep the displacement below that of the Senior cars.

I'm sure there are many more nuances to this story, but you'll definitely get some direction from the guys at P15-D24...

Good luck !

[Rusty_OToole]

Start by measuring your cylinder head. Most Australian MoPars came by way of Canada to take advantage of preferrential Commonwealth customs duties. Due to the low production numbers, Canada only made one type engine where the US made 2.

US made Plymouths and Dodges got a smaller flathead 6 that measured 23" long while the DeSoto and Chrysler 6 got a 25" long engine.

In Canada, they made only the larger engine and juggled the bore and stroke to make smaller versions for Plymouth and Dodge. The smaller versions got a 3 3/8 bore while the DeSoto and Chrysler got a 3 7/16 bore same as they did in Detroit.

If you have the larger engine it was also used in trucks and was made in different versions up to 265 cu in 116HP 3 7/16X4 3/4. The big boy was used in Chrysler Windsor 1952-54 and Dodge trucks up to 1960 military vehicles to 1968 and marine industrial and farm engines up to the early 70s.

[dave38fastback]

Hi Guy's thanks for the infomation, the plan is to "hot" the engine up with replica stuff used at the time and the websites will help a lot. If I go ahead any changes will only be done if easily reversable back to standard. Pics of the beast attached.

[Rusty_OToole]

Would help if you told us what engine you have.

[dave38fastback]

Hi There

The engine is a 230ci bored 30 thou over, it was fully reconditioned 2000 miles ago so will be ok for a bit of tweeking. I have attached a picture of what I want to do, all standard MOPAR speed equipment of the era, all stuff that can be undone in an afternoon and will not corrupt the car. Any ideas would be appreciated.

[Rusty_OToole]

There is a lot that can be done without importing any parts. You can have the head milled .065" for more compression. Some go up to .100 off.

You can make your own dual carb intake by welding 2 pipes and flanges onto your old intake. Likewise, you can split the exhaust manifold to make dual exhausts.

If you are on 12 volts, you can convert to electronic ignition by adding the control box off a 1972 to 85 Chrysler electronic ignition. This is the only stock electronic ignition that will work with points.