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Desoto First Year Hemi Question

Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 5:44 pm
by JamesSF
Hello,

Does the first year of the Desoto Hemi use the same bell housing as the flathead six ?

I have a 1947 Desoto Suburban and would like to get about 20 more HP.

I would like to keep the "Fluid Drive" and the current transmission. Some of my literature suggests that the fist year or two of production of the Desoto Hemi used an adapter when they went from the "fluid-Drive" to "fluid-torque-drive" to the automatic and that the flathead six bell housing will bolt up.

Can any one provide any information on this for me ?

Thanks, James

Re: Desoto First Year Hemi Question

Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 5:52 am
by George
All the Early Hemis used the same bell pattern.

Re: Desoto First Year Hemi Question

Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 10:55 am
by JamesSF
George wrote:All the Early Hemis used the same bell pattern.

Thanks George, but does anyone know if it is the same pattern as the flathead six or does it have a bellhousing that can accommodate a "Fluid Coupling",a 3-speed stick, and use the same rear mount positions ?

Thanks for the help, James

Re: Desoto First Year Hemi Question

Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 5:37 am
by George
JamesSF wrote:
George wrote:All the Early Hemis used the same bell pattern.

Thanks George, but does anyone know if it is the same pattern as the flathead six or does it have a bellhousing that can accommodate a "Fluid Coupling",a 3-speed stick, and use the same rear mount positions ?

Thanks for the help, James
The long bell Chryslers51-3 were for Fluid Drive, don't think it'll bolt up to the short bells.

Re: Desoto First Year Hemi Question

Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 8:51 am
by JamesSF
Hi George,

The Hollender Interchange shows that the 1953 Desoto six and Desoto Eight both used the same transmission. That is why I suspect that the bell housing will bolt up. The long top block on the chrysler is just a different bell housing, I do not think it is any longer than the others...

Anyone out there have a set of good photos of the back of an early Desoto Block ?

James

Re: Desoto First Year Hemi Question

Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 7:48 am
by George
The rear of all the short tail hemis are the same, so Google some hemi pics untill you see some tail! :D

Re: Desoto First Year Hemi Question

Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 10:52 am
by JamesSF
Hi George,

I have tried that...but people always seem to take photos of the front or they have them on an engine stand. Someone, I hope, on this forum must have a block sitting around and can take a photo from the rear with a yard stick across it for reference for me...


James

Re: Desoto First Year Hemi Question

Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2010 8:51 am
by johnny5
They may use the same tranny but the bellhousing is almost guaranteed to be different. Any short bell hemi housing will directly bolt to the Desoto. Just make sure your tranny will bolt up to it. This will require some trial and error on your end.

Re: Desoto First Year Hemi Question

Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2010 10:56 am
by JamesSF
johnny5 wrote:They may use the same tranny but the bellhousing is almost guaranteed to be different. Any short bell hemi housing will directly bolt to the Desoto. Just make sure your tranny will bolt up to it. This will require some trial and error on your end.

Johnny, Thanks for the heads up on this. On the Six, the standard bellhousing and the fluid drive bellhousing both bolt to the six block. The difference is that when using a fluid coupling the input shaft for the 3-speed stick is different depending on dry clutch or wet clutch.

Given what you stated, I guess I can assume (?) that the Desoto Hemi block will bolt up to a bellhousing with a fluid coupling and a 3-speed stick. I did see a photo last week of a Desoto Hemi with the first MOPAR 2-speed automatic and it had an adapter plate between the engine and the bellhousing.

Thanks, James

Re: Desoto First Year Hemi Question

Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2010 12:33 pm
by George
2 speed is the powerflite & 3 speed is the torqueflite. Any tranny that bolts up to the short tail hemi, hemi based poly or A poly through 61 will fit.

Re: Desoto First Year Hemi Question

Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2010 12:37 pm
by George
The 10 & 2 oclock hole are 8" apart & the 9 & 3 oclock holes are 14"

Re: Desoto First Year Hemi Question

Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2010 2:28 pm
by JamesSF
George wrote:2 speed is the powerflite & 3 speed is the torqueflite. Any tranny that bolts up to the short tail hemi, hemi based poly or A poly through 61 will fit.

George,

It is my understanding that they changed the bellhousing in 1954 and/or used an adapter plate. What I am trying to confirm is that a bellhousing from a flathead six with a fluid coupling and three speed stick will bolt up to the 1952 & 1953 Desoto Hemi Block.

James