Posted by Eric B. on Sunday, May 13, 2007 at 12:26:32 :
In Reply to: Engine ID help - VT5XX posted by Joe Cimoch on Sunday, May 13, 2007 at 09:26:49 :
VT538 is a 1957 315ci motor from a D300, or at least that is what the parts books show. It is not a Hemi, only a Poly block. The Hemi was not offered in 1957 until the 1 1/2 ton trucks.
The D500-8374 is a 1956 (315? I do not have the 1956 service manual to check) or 1957 325ci engine, and could have been either a Poly or a Hemi I think. It was pretty common in the middle 50s for both the Hemi and Poly motors to have the same engine number when the displacement was the same, regardless of which heads were on the block.
The D500 number is less clear as the car books I have do not break things down as clearly as the truck books do.
I hope this helps.
Eric
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