Hi guys, I picked up a 1957 Hemi from a 57 Dodge truck and I'm trying to learn a bit more about them. I also have a 1956 354 from a Chrysler imperial and have noticed quite a few differences between them, casting numbers, etc.. Can anyone enlighten me to the goods/bads on the truck version as compared to the passenger car versions?

Ask these guys:

http://powerplayhemi.com/

hi scott

i recently had one of those

from what i recall its not that easy to use in a rod application, the original intent i bought mine for , but learned of the difficulties, so i resold it

it is based on a chrysler 354, but the heads are different along with the waterpump system

yes, all of the parts are available to convert from either hot heads or PAW

but any and all parts needed for the early hemis are very expensive, by the time i was done pricing the items needed to make it usable in a street rod with some mild hot rod parts, it was very expensive, like over 5k in parts alone, not including machine shop work

the valves in that motor are sodium filled and need to be replaced for use, valves are very expensive too

a member here trwaters is into those and makes some parts for them

i think the trans adapt kit is close to $400 alone

its easier starting off with the 56 chrysler motor you have, but still expensive, i believe thats the first year without the built in bellhousing to the block, so thats easier to use

but that 57 dodge truck is just one of the more costly ones to hot rod

i believe it should have a 2bbl motor with a governor on it

you can call hot heads, they are very knowledgible and helpful, but parts are expensive

good luck

Thanks Tony,

Yea I called Hot Heads today, pretty much what you said.

They said the blocks are good for builders, nothing oddball except that they accept the earlier 331 style timing covers, water pumps, and other accessories rather than the 56 354 style. The heads are fine as well, they said that the sodium filled valves are a must replace deal but that when replacing them to switch to the bigger/better 392 valves which also cost half as much

The only other thing that's odd is that this one has a full length oil pan sump (they said much have been from a LARGE truck) could be a good thing depending on the car it's eventually used in, either that or just swap it out for any 331/354/392 aftermarket pan and it's good to go.

He said he and the other guy he works with both run 354's rather than 392's in thier Hot Rods because they are narrower, have more low end torque, rev quicker, and can make comprable HP as well.

I'm happy because I only bought it for the exhaust manifolds anyway, it came with the larger dia 4 bolt style flanges (pretty desirable amongst Whale Motor enthusist circles) so I'll keep those and sell the long block and just keep the other complete 1956 354 (Imperial engine) I have. As you said, not a cheap build, but the words "Cheap" and "Hemi" aren't normally found in the same sentence.

Tony, the 54 331 is the first year that they did away with the extended bell housing.

Scott, does that 354 truck engine have the intake spacer plates?

I bought one of those 354 truck Hemis back in the early 1980's and it had alot of odd ball stuff, mine came out of a 1957 Dodge bus and it had the 4 bolt exhaust manifolds and that huge oil pan you mentioned.

I remember buying 2 seperate 2x4 intakes for that engine, the first one was a stock 354 Hemi iron intake with out the t'stat housing which I couldn't use and the second one was an old Edmunds aluminum 2x4 intake from a 331 application.

When I took the stock intake off the 354 truck Hemi it had a spacer that went between the intake and heads. I couldn't find replacements gaskets so I had to reuse them, plus the water cross over was larger on the heads then the intake so I had to put metal block offs in there to keep water from leaking.

If I remember correctly, I was told that 392 heads were used on the 354 block so that was the reason for the intake spacers.

Mine has a 2 barrel intake and no unique spacers. The heads are not 392 heads, they are a unique 1957 truck/industrial 354 head casting. Maybe yours had some mods done? The head spacers were common when adding various heads to different blocks to make up for the differences in deck hieght some of them had.

Mine also had the 2 bbl intake and I believe the spacers were about 1/4" thick. The heads had the water pump bosses on the ends like the 354/392 car heads but they weren't machined.

Does your engine also have the relocated oiling system on it?

That was another neat feature mine had as well and I was able to use an aftermarket relocation spin filter kit and mount it on the firewall of the car.