Chrysler air raid siren

[coastalsyrolover]

Shoot... I wonder... And this would be a pain with both money and access... But I wonder if they don't have cars with that engine in it... Too bad for it to really be affordable it would either have to not work or be more rare than these sirens randomly showing up at you doorstep.

[Jim Z]

Shoot... I wonder... And this would be a pain with both money and access... But I wonder if they don't have cars with that engine in it... Too bad for it to really be affordable it would either have to not work or be more rare than these sirens randomly showing up at you doorstep.

oh, there are engines still around (though most of them are probably in show cars and hot rods now) and parts can still be found here and there.

[holler]

Oh yeah the Chrysler small block hemi still has quite an aftermarket following.

If the Hemi is damaged beyond repair go to the junkyard and find a 318 to stick in it.

[Unit of Civil Defense]

...Don't discount that original 331 C.I.D mill....parts are still available! Here's one place as an example: http://www.willysreplacementparts.com/1 ... parts.html

...Those industrial engines were built tough....the condition of the inside will probably suprise you. I've had plenty of experience with old engines...things like new wiring,starter, gauges, carb, fuel pump on the outside and rings,bearings and gaskets on the inside usually takes care of things. If you tear the engine down, get a valve job done as well...you will thank yourself later.

Keep in mind that if you try and replace the 331 engine with any other MOPAR engine you will have to find one that has the same bolt pattern on the rear of the block so that it can bolt up to the bell housing...or the area between the engine block and siren part where the coupling between the engine and siren takes place. I can find out from work from the resident MOPAR specialist on what blocks have the same bolt pattern if your interested....

[holler]

The Chrysler A, LA, 3.9 v-6 (318 minus 2 cylinders) and small Hemi all used the same bell housing bolt pattern. To swap to a 318 the motor mounts would probably have to be changed, since the A and small Hemi blocks are wider than the LA.

Both the 318 and the 331 are internally balanced and can use a neutral balanced flywheel. The 360 is externally balanced and requires a weighted flywheel.

[Unit of Civil Defense]

.....here's what I found out:
The Chrysler engines '51 thru '63 (331 C.I.D and variations) had a different cam than the same type/family of engines from '64 thru '71...as far as stock cams go, the later years are preferred over the earlier years due to the area on the front side of the cam being redesigned to resist cam walk due to thrust. The earlier cams can be reconfigured for the upgrade.
Any Mopar V8 engine 340 C/I and under built between 1951 and 1971 can be used in place of the original 331, but if I were you, I would do my absolute best to save the original engine...parts are still available to do a complete rebuild.

[Jim Z]

.....here's what I found out:
The Chrysler engines '51 thru '63 (331 C.I.D and variations) had a different cam than the same type/family of engines from '64 thru '71...as far as stock cams go, the later years are preferred over the earlier years due to the area on the front side of the cam being redesigned to resist cam walk due to thrust. The earlier cams can be reconfigured for the upgrade.
Any Mopar V8 engine 340 C/I and under built between 1951 and 1971 can be used in place of the original 331, but if I were you, I would do my absolute best to save the original engine...parts are still available to do a complete rebuild.

the block/mains and heads are the only irreplaceable* parts of the Gen. I Hemi. As long as those are salvageable, rebuild/overhaul parts can do the rest. Though it still might cost a mint depending on if it's a major part.

* by "irreplaceable" I mean "if it's bad you might as well go fishing for a new engine.

[Unit of Civil Defense]

....that brings up a good point.....Have the heads and block magnafluxed for cracks if it ends up at an engine/machine shop .....look and see if all of the freeze plugs are still in place ....they can be rusted thru...if any are missing it could be from frozen water in the block expanding and/or excess pressure in the block from a blown head gasket, cracked/warped head, cracked block.

My co-worker is quite versed in the old MOPAR engines...the 331 was perhaps the toughest engine that they ever built. If that block/heads and mains check out to be o.k , for a thousand or so that long block will be better than the original and be able to go for another 50+ years.

[hobbeekid]

The 331 and 354 chrysler share the same stroke,cranks,rods heads & cams will interchange.The bore is larger on the 354. Chrysler manufactured the early hemi for all kinds of different applications during the 50's from automotive & marine use to industrial use for irrigation & powerhouse purpose's to the aforementioned siren applications above. The 392 is the final variant of the early design, it shares nothing internally with the earlier 331/354 variants. It has a taller block , bigger main sizes and a longer stroke so cranks wont interchange, but I believe the rod journal sizes are the same as the earlier 331/354 models.Earlier heads will work on the 392 but spacers have to be run as the heads were cast for the earlier shorter deck engines. The 51 through 53 blocks had cast extended bellhousings which limited their applications & use. 54 and later blocks were cast without the extension. 51 through 53 heads had small intake ports, 55/56 had the best flowing intake & exhaust ports of all the early hemi design heads, kind of useless information for a stone stock siren rebuild and getting out of scope of this thread so I'll stop there. and yes ,there is a big aftermarket support for these engines so finding parts for these engines should be no problem.I used to collect 331 354 stuff years ago when it was cheap to obtain for Hotrod usage....

[Jim Z]

yikes. can't say I blame you for having second thoughts; that thing looks like a wreck.