Posted by Jonas on Sunday, December 30, 2001 at 1:53PM :
In Reply to: Will the small block hemi fit in the PW. no txt posted by Dave on Friday, December 28, 2001 at 9:58PM :
The 331-354- series are known as hi-blocks and they will fit in a flatfender but it's a very tight fit. If you have one you know how heavy it is also. You will need to machine the face of your steering gear box so it will fit up aginst the frame tighter to give clearance for the valve cover and you need to find a truck bellhousing. Hopefully you are using a WM300 PW so you have a little extra room forward for the radiator to clear the fan. Easier swap is the low-block series of desoto hemis. although aftermarket parts arent as readily available. Look for a '55 Desoto as it's the only year they came with a 4bbl carb. But you will still need to Fabricate/ find a bellhousing to mate up to a 4 or 5 speed trans. For the front motor mount, Ron Skala in Yakima, WA fabricated some to put a hi block in a '45 2wd street rod. The mounts may be the same as a PW and he has the templates. Biggest problem is going to be the clearance between the fan and the radiator, but it can be overcome with a little ingenuity. Fellow in midwest, put one in a '50 with dually rear end, lockers and 4.89 gears. He can get rubber and a little sideways going into 3rd gear at speed!
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