Anyone have any opinions on a 331 hemi?

[jeryst]

A friend of mine is a real hemi nut. He has several top custom show cars (has won Mopar Nationals, etc). He has at least a dozen or so hemis laying around, or in use. I bought a 331 off of him for a good price, because he wanted to get it out of his way.

Anyway, I was thinking of having it rebuilt (he will help with the labor and know-how), because I have several projects I could use it for. Some people have told me that they are just too expensive to rebuild and don't run that well. I'd just like to know what others think.

Is it worth it or not? I don't do any racing, and am more interested in the sound, and the WOW-factor than anything else. I'd just like to get other peoples opinions before I spend any money on it. I can always get rid of it for at least what I paid for it.

[Chryco Psycho]

They make good power & run well especially in light hot rods etc
 WHat do you want to use it in??
in an E body you are wasting your time it wil barely fit & you will need custom headers & mounts & an adapter palte to hook up  a tranny

[SilverChally]

We got a 392 stashed away here, cool looking engines, but weigh alot!  Id agree, cool for a rod, but not an e-body or similar.

[EVIL72]

  Go find yourself a 40-41 willys and drop it in. 

[Pistol Gripper]

Great motor for a period Hot Rod.  If memory serves me ( usually not ! ) it was a 331 in Milner's rod in American Graffiti.  Of course if you no longer want it.........................

P.G.

[moper]

I dont have much 1st hand knowledge. Suffice to say, the ones I've seen are wicked cool. I wouldnt put them in a muscle car, but it would be first choice for a street rod or T buckt.

[HP2]

I seem to recall watching some cable show where they built a 331.  There are actually a number of LA small block parts that interchange with it and they ended up with a pretty decent sized stroker.  The 331 should weigh in a fair amount less than a 354 or 392 and be closer to small block weights. Only gotcha would be if it has the integrated bell housing or not. With is not much good, without is defintly good.

Check out Hot Heads. They specialize in early Hemis.

[jeryst]

It does have the integrated bell housing, but they now make adapters to fit a 727.

I have a 68 Dart, and a 70 Charger that do not have engines. I was considering putting it in one of them. Might be a really tight fit in the Dart, but I don't know if it will have enough power for the Charger.

[Chryco Psycho]

it will be a tight fit in the Charger too , & as I said you will need cusom mounts & headers to make it work , you can get decent power from it but but a 440 or 451 would be far easier & cheaper in the long run

[Pistol Gripper]

I have to agree, a 440 would be an easier and cheaper swap.  While the Hemi looks cool, it'd be better off in a rod.  That's my opinion.

P.G.

[flores_57]

Jeryst, I've got a '73 Barracuda with a 392 Hemi in it. YES it will fit but it will be a tight fit. As far as the WOW factor, you can't beat the look of a Hemi under the hood...Any Hemi! HotHeads has everything you'll need to complete the project but it won't be cheap. I've got over $13,000. invested in Hemi but that's with the best of everything. There's an excellant book on rebuilding the old 331,354 & the 392 ; The Complete Chrysler Hemi Engine Manual by Tex Smith.

[Chryco Psycho]

The Tex Smith book is excellent

[dimples]

Even being it is a HEMI, the heads don't breath any better than a LA, the the block is about the same as a LA. The heads, from what I remember, are HEAVY!

If I ever turned my 46 plymouth into a street rod, I would use a 331, or maybe the smaller HEMI's. They look cool. There is just something about a valve cover that says firedome!

[heminut]

I seem to recall watching some cable show where they built a 331.  There are actually a number of LA small block parts that interchange with it and they ended up with a pretty decent sized stroker.  The 331 should weigh in a fair amount less than a 354 or 392 and be closer to small block weights.

There is some misleading info in this thread. The only LA parts that will interchange is the timing chain and gears and the intermediate shaft bushing, and the 331 weighs basically the same as a 354 (only difference between the two other than the extended bell on the early 331 is the bore size) and not much less than the 392. They all weigh more than 200 lbs. more than a small block!

Even being it is a HEMI, the heads don't breath any better than a LA, the the block is about the same as a LA. The heads, from what I remember, are HEAVY!

The early 331 heads probably don't breath any better than LA heads, but the '54 331 heads (hard to find) and the 354 heads (much easier to find and will bolt on) will breath quite a bit better than the LA heads. Yes the heads are heavy, they weigh right at 75 lbs. apiece!

[Chryco Psycho]

I saw an injected 354 in a rail , no blower running high 7 second times , I will bet that swapping a 354 for a 318 in that rail you would never get near 7 second runs