early 331heads

Discussion of the 331-354-392 HEMIs.

Moderators: scottm, TrWaters, 392heminut

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olkyhippy
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2009 9:08 pm

early 331heads

Post by olkyhippy »

my 331 hemi is out of a 54 newyorker im gonna build it for my 65 coronet just as a cruiser my problem is my heads are the early version that dont have the water outlets in the front of the heads i would like to use a after market 4v intake ive got the original cast iron 4v intake but i dont want to use it . how can i fix a water cross over with a thermostate houseing and top rad hose location . thanks guys :)
TrWaters
Posts: 390
Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2001 6:00 pm
Location: Vermont
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Re: early 331heads

Post by TrWaters »

Most aftermarket intakes will have access to water between the first and second intake port on each side. You can plumb from each side to a remote thermostat housing.

I have this kit which I designed primarily for use with truck heads. It would also work on the early car heads as well. These mount to the ends of the heads.
Image

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Early hemi to late sb Mopar trans adapters. Precision billet parts for early hemis.
olkyhippy
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2009 9:08 pm

Re: early 331heads

Post by olkyhippy »

well i guess i,ll have to plumb from the intake then too bad i dont have the later heads with the front out lets then i could use your kit oh well. by the way this old late 54 331 has an aluminum plate bolted to the back that the old 2speed automatic was bolted to does your adapter to a sb727 bolt to that or will it come off then bolt the adapter on thanx so much for your help sir :D
DblAdigger
Posts: 86
Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2004 1:40 pm
Location: SoCal

Re: early 331heads

Post by DblAdigger »

I think, if you look at the end of your heads AND the pictures Mr. Waters posted, you will see what his plates do. With them you do not need front outlet heads.
Chuck Stevens
Some people can break a cannon ball, in a sand box, with their bare hands.
olkyhippy
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2009 9:08 pm

Re: early 331heads

Post by olkyhippy »

ok now im confused i thought his kit was for the heads that had the out led plates if not how would you use them drill and tap the front of the non out let heads please explain thanks so much for your help.
392heminut
Posts: 488
Joined: Sat Nov 30, 2002 2:16 pm

Re: early 331heads

Post by 392heminut »

His kit is designed to convert heads that originally had no front outlets. If you go down to the T R Waters Early Hemi Parts forum at the bottom of the Forums page and check it out, there's some more pictures of the kit that would probably help clarify how it works.

BTW Tom, nice parts! :D
Owner of the Poor Man's Hemi Cuda
TrWaters
Posts: 390
Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2001 6:00 pm
Location: Vermont
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Re: early 331heads

Post by TrWaters »

Thanks guys. Yes, these plates can be mounted to any Chrysler early hemi head which does not already have water outlets. ( I havent fit them to a Desoto head yet)
The install is not hard at all. The head pictured had a small area milled, but the same could be done with a small grinder and flat file. The heads are cast relatively flat from the factory. The adapters are O-ringed, so there is a little forgiveness there.
I also have these on the way which will exit the water out the side of the adapter block, instead of straight out.

My trans adapter does not use the stock aluminum plate that you mentioned.
Early hemi to late sb Mopar trans adapters. Precision billet parts for early hemis.
olkyhippy
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2009 9:08 pm

Re: early 331heads

Post by olkyhippy »

thanx for clearing that up on the rear engine plate and the water out let kit those are neat. i really appreciate all your guys help and advice. maybe when i get a little farther along i will order some things from ya. :D
budmspeeco
Posts: 133
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2004 5:35 pm
Location: South Houston, Texas

Re: early 331heads

Post by budmspeeco »

Why can't you just drill a hole in the head and tap it to the same size pipe thread on the adapter plate? Just curious. Buddy
'48 anglia
TrWaters
Posts: 390
Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2001 6:00 pm
Location: Vermont
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Re: early 331heads

Post by TrWaters »

budmspeeco wrote:Why can't you just drill a hole in the head and tap it to the same size pipe thread on the adapter plate? Just curious. Buddy
By all means, you can Buddy. Guys have done it that way for 50 years. But personally I would prefer to see the fitting in something a bit more substantial than the 3/16" or less cast iron on the end of these heads.
Early hemi to late sb Mopar trans adapters. Precision billet parts for early hemis.
mart
Posts: 536
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2005 2:06 pm

Re: early 331heads

Post by mart »

TrWaters wrote:
budmspeeco wrote:Why can't you just drill a hole in the head and tap it to the same size pipe thread on the adapter plate? Just curious. Buddy
By all means, you can Buddy. Guys have done it that way for 50 years. But personally I would prefer to see the fitting in something a bit more substantial than the 3/16" or less cast iron on the end of these heads.
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I agree. The amount of meat in the end of the heads is *extremely*
marginal to tap for a pipe fitting. Even *if* you can get the threads to
hold, they usually leak. "Back in day" -ie - late '60's-early 70's
- we used to bore a hole in the end of the head and then braze in a 1/2
inch NPT internaly threaded pipe coupler. But we didn't have these slick
'bolt on' kits available back then. In my opinion that'd definitely be the
way to go now.

mart
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