Early Hemi into an B-Body

Anyone done it? 392 Hemi, what K-Frame and or Engine mounts?

Thanks for the help!!!

Oh God, no....... Years ago I saw a 1969 Plymouth Belvedere station wagon that someone had shoehorned a 392 into with the matching cast iron TF. As I recall, the biggest challenge was keeping the front bumper from dragging. I can't remember if it was a PB, PS car but I can remember thinking that just because you can do something doesn't necessarily mean it's a good idea.

I’ve seen a few out there. But, I’d go with a modern 392 over the old one.

A 392 in a rod or kustom... or a 3G in your B, which is a relatively easy swap now..... but this would be different.

I have some pictures around here of a 70 Charger in an Indiana junkyard with an early hemi in it from maybe 12 years ago. It struck me as interesting but odd at the time.

Early is wider than the gen II

I think the 426 gen 2 hemi is heavier than the 331,354 and 392
I have no idea what the gen 3 hemi weighs

It fits. I had a friend put one in a 64 Polara [B body}. The motor mounts are easy. a 57-58 392 use the same mount ears as a 318. Small block mounts are a direct bolt on. An aluminum 727, or 833 4 speed bellhousing is a direct bolt on too, but, you need a spacer kit because the 392, like all 61 and earlier Mopar V8's, has a crank flange that sticks out further than a 62 and newer V8. Most of the early Hemi specialist shops sell these adapter kits.
Yes, an early Hemi is heavy, but if you use aluminum parts like intake, water piump etc, plus tube headers, it will be no heavier than a 440.
Width isn't an issue, if the engine is installed from above. The 57-58 392 is wider than a 426, but it does clear.
One of the main reasons the 426 was made narrower than the early Hemi's, was for assembly line installation. It had to be narrow enough to pass up, between the frame rails of a B body.
All Mopars of this era had the body dropped over the engine, so whether it was a 225 six or a 426 Hemi, the engine and trans was mounted to the assembled K frame, and the body dropped over top.
In fact, the 392 Hemi has a superior cylinder head design in several ways, compared to a 426 Hemi. The 392 has a virtually direct flow from intake through exhaust, where the 426 has some bends and bumps, necessitated by the intentional narrowing of the package, for assembly line ease.

As for performance, just look at all the records set in the 50's and 60's by 392's. These engines have incredible performance potential, so depending on budget, you can make it as fast as your wallet allows.

it is a wide engine, always wondered how width compares to the newish mustang DOHC v8s?

Imagine lifting the hood and seeing a Firepower 354, very cool!

I like the idea, something different. At the least he didn't ask about swapping an LS in it.

hi
saw a 70 cuda with one at the carlile mopar show !

There's a thread in the Race section of one in what appears to be a '71 Charger. I just bumped it up.

I saw a '68 Super Bee clone with one in it - a local guy. It was well done but it looked odd and ugly in there. Keep in mind that those old hemis cost a forture to build to make any power - they were very low compression motors. Hell, it'll cost you $500 just for an adapter for a more current transmission! You'd be far further ahead to drop in a basically stock big block and dress it up if you're after eye candy. Price everything out before you toiuch a wrench to a bolt !!

If you want a cheap way to see those Hemi valve covers under the hood of your B body, a fairly stock early Hemi can accomplish that at a reasonable cost. But it's impractical if you are going for high performance. The Gen 2 Hemi is so superior to the early Hemi in so many ways. It's almost impossible not to make 700 horsepower with a nearly stock, naturally aspirated, stroker Gen 2 Hemi build. With an early Hemi, you will spend a lot of money, spend a lot of time chasing hard to get parts, and work really hard to get 700 horsepower.

When my Son first move up to Bend, OR in 1992 there was a 1968 Charger with a 1957 New Yorker 392 C.I. Hemi motor in it, it looked like it was made that way, it was for sale but I don't remember the costs now. I was hoping it was a 426 hemi car but no such look
I've own several different original 1957 and 1958 Chrysler and Imperial that had those motors in them stock including two Chrysler 300 car that came stock with solid lifters and in line dual quads, those 300 motors ran a lot better with a single four barrel dual plane intake off of a regular 392 with the stock 392 Carter WCFB four barrel drive ability wise on the street The dual quad intake was a simple log type single plane intake manifold with progressive linkage on the
dual 4 barrel carbs.
They ran and drove okay at light part throttle operations and better at WOT
Those cars were very heavy and handled like a big boat, not well at all

What's "hard to get" ??? Hot Heads carries anything you'd possibly need. http://hothemiheads.com/

perhaps it's better now, back in 20 15, getting a custom cam took a couple months, the missile rockers took over a month, finding someone with a program to CNC port the heads and get it done took months. Took over a year to find a 5/8 stroker crank. If you just order everything out of a catalog, I'm sure it would go quicker, but then it is unlikely that you will make 700 horse NA either.

hi

well why do you need over 700 hp ? why ot make that limit min 1500 hp ?

i built a trans for a guy that has one that has 600 hp in a 55 dodge .

street driven ! nice car !

Well who said anything about 700 HP ... other than you ?!?! The OP was just about the feasibility of the installation.

Not even sure how where you get your parts makes a difference to the build. Not like the Mad Scientist of Mopars has a stash of makes more than 700hp NA goodies in the Cave of Doom only available only to supplicants that arrive upon mule back to receive the imparted wisdom.