My Chrysler A 318 poly head engine 3d printed at home

[my66s55]

I need this engine for my upcoming 56 Plymouth build and since others have expressed a desire for one, I started creating it. This version is for the 56 & 57 Plymouth. The A engine was only used in Plymouth for 56-58 models. There was an older poly head version used in other Chrysler lines through 58. The heads swapped out with hemi engine heads and and everything else except the valve covers were hemi. I am open to any thoughts, questions, suggestions and or comments on this project.

    The actual engine

My engine in it's current state

Shoing the stl. files

The printed parts starting with the head

valve cover

Timing chain cover and water pump- kindly excuse my thumb print on the water pump

The water pump pulley, fan and oil filter cartridge

The engine block in two pieces

The engine block shown as one piece. The oil pan, harmonic balancer and crank shaft pulley, starter, generator, intake manifold, and the 3 sections of  the Carter wcfb carb.

 

 

Edited January 14, 2017 by my66s55
missig picture

[PorkChopPaws]

Nice work

 

[Mopar - D]

Wow your designing and building this this with a 3D printer? Looks nice so far. 

[426-Hemi]

I agree with everyone so far..... what would it take to get one for my own uses??? I LIKE the work!!!! (I'd trade ya some of my resin engine parts for the heads and valve covers!)

[my66s55]

Thanks for the positive replies. Yes Dan, I designed these created the files and printed these parts on my 3d printer. It takes a different type of printer to print this type detail. It uses u.v. curable resin and a D.L.P projector instead of melting plastic in layers. John, I am creating this now because there has been an interest in being able to obtain this engine in scale. This version is only good for 56 & 57. 58 needs a different oil pan.

The heads and valve covers might not fit the engine block you want to use. What block did you want to use them on to create what engine year?

There will be more versions in the future as this block is only used from 56-61. I have the 62-66 Block already. The valve covers from 59 on didn't have the center screw bolt. The torqueflite A488 cast iron trans was used from 56-61 and is the bell housing is unique to the A engine. The trans from the 57 Chrysler 300 is not correct and has flaws.  I'm in the process of creating the A488 file currently. Past that, I need to do the exhaust manifolds and air cleaners. Future parts will be a single 4 barrel and a 2 barrel manifolds plus a 2 barrel carb and air cleaners to match.  

 

[MrObsessive]

Doug, you know I'm watching this!

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Very nice, parts look great so far. Are some of them Alcladded to enhance contrast in the photos, or do they come out silvery?

I'm always in the market for unusual engines, so this is particularly interesting to me.

Pretty impressive work, especially for a self-built printer.

[my66s55]

Bill, the parts are printed with a resin called deep black. As a suggestion from a member here, I started painting them with Rustoleum silver. Also, Plymouth engines of this era, except the valve covers, were silver.

[DRIPTROIT 71]

Looks great! I've been wanting one of these for a 66 project. Could this engine not be used in a 66 with the center valve cover bolt removed?

[Force]

We need the Poly Head engines in this hobby, both the A family like this one and the Hemi based Chrysler Spitfire, Dodge Red Ram and Plymouth Hyfire.
Mostly all of the Mopar kits has the LA, B or RB engines. but the Poly Head engines were available up to the mid 60's and the kit manufacturers has left a void there.

[426-Hemi]

Thanks for the positive replies. Yes Dan, I designed these created the files and printed these parts on my 3d printer. It takes a different type of printer to print this type detail. It uses u.v. curable resin and a D.L.P projector instead of melting plastic in layers. John, I am creating this now because there has been an interest in being able to obtain this engine in scale. This version is only good for 56 & 57. 58 needs a different oil pan.

The heads and valve covers might not fit the engine block you want to use. What block did you want to use them on to create what engine year?

There will be more versions in the future as this block is only used from 56-61. I have the 62-66 Block already. The valve covers from 59 on didn't have the center screw bolt. The torqueflite A488 cast iron trans was used from 56-61 and is the bell housing is unique to the A engine. The trans from the 57 Chrysler 300 is not correct and has flaws.  I'm in the process of creating the A488 file currently. Past that, I need to do the exhaust manifolds and air cleaners. Future parts will be a single 4 barrel and a 2 barrel manifolds plus a 2 barrel carb and air cleaners to match.  

 

I myself wasn't to concerned for "year" this time around, I wanted to put it in a '41 Plymouth all street'd out..... Just for something different!

[my66s55]

 A 325 poly can be made with these heads and valve covers that fit on the hemi in the AMT 57 Chrysler 300. When used with the hemi duel quad manifold in that kit, you have the engine that came in a Dodge D500.

[Mopar - D]

With your ability to reproduce these engines have you thought about selling them for the rest of us Mopar builders? With the loss of Ross Gibson resin engines there is a void in the market for a lot of the old Mopar engines. 

[my66s55]

Brian, the 62-66 block was just a slight bit different as it mated with the 727 trans. The starter mounting changed position. I already have this block.

Dan, the rtv and casting resin was on my doorstep bright and early this morning. Lets see how I do with that.

[Force]

One thing with the older Poly Head engines before the A family.

The 1955-58 Chrysler Spitfire was based on their 331-354 Hemi, no Poly Head engine with the 392 block.

The 1955-56 Dodge Red Ram and the 1955-56 Plymouth Hyfire was based on the much smaller Dodge 241-325 Hemi, so if you want to do a correct Dodge or Plymouth Poly Head engine you can't base it on the Chrysler block as the Dodge Hemis are quite a lot smaller than the Chrysler's.
A Dodge Hemi can be found in the Ala Kart kits.

DeSoto also had a Poly engine in 1957 but it was also based on the Dodge, so no Poly head engine based on the DeSoto Hemi

[charlie8575]

Thanks for the positive replies. Yes Dan, I designed these created the files and printed these parts on my 3d printer. It takes a different type of printer to print this type detail. It uses u.v. curable resin and a D.L.P projector instead of melting plastic in layers. John, I am creating this now because there has been an interest in being able to obtain this engine in scale. This version is only good for 56 & 57. 58 needs a different oil pan.

The heads and valve covers might not fit the engine block you want to use. What block did you want to use them on to create what engine year?

There will be more versions in the future as this block is only used from 56-61. I have the 62-66 Block already. The valve covers from 59 on didn't have the center screw bolt. The torqueflite A488 cast iron trans was used from 56-61 and is the bell housing is unique to the A engine. The trans from the 57 Chrysler 300 is not correct and has flaws.  I'm in the process of creating the A488 file currently. Past that, I need to do the exhaust manifolds and air cleaners. Future parts will be a single 4 barrel and a 2 barrel manifolds plus a 2 barrel carb and air cleaners to match.  

 

Sign me up for a whole slug of this stuff!

If your own casting work isn't successful, I'm willing to bet that at least one of the aftermarket companies will be happy to use these masters. I'd give first refusal to the DRAG guys, and then possibly Fireball Modelworks.

Charlie Larkin

[geetee66]

Incredible!

These 3D printers are a goldmine.

Your parts look so crisp and clean. Did you need to do much clean up after printing?

[my66s55]

hOne thing with the older Poly Head engines before the A family.

The 1955-58 Chrysler Spitfire was based on their 331-354 Hemi, no Poly Head engine with the 392 block.

The 1955-56 Dodge Red Ram and the 1955-56 Plymouth Hyfire was based on the much smaller Dodge 241-325 Hemi, so if you want to do a correct Dodge or Plymouth Poly Head engine you can't base it on the Chrysler block as the Dodge Hemis are quite a lot smaller than the Chrysler's.
A Dodge Hemi can be found in the Ala Kart kits.

DeSoto also had a Poly engine in 1957 but it was also based on the Dodge, so no Poly head engine based on the DeSoto Hemi

This is true, but that the 57 300 hemi is much nicer in detail and has the A488 trans. I have a Dodge hemi and a Desoto hemi from the Amt 29 Ford roadster and 53 Ford pickup.  Based on the availability of someone using an existing kit engine, the 300 engine makes sense. Comparing the size of the 3 kit engines, they are the same length. In real life, going by the 1956 dimensions that I could find when I started this project, the Chrysler width-height  are 25"x30". Dodge was 23"x27". Plymouth used the A engine. I'll use the Chrysler. I could modify the A block to the correct specks, but just doesn't make sense to me.

[my66s55]

Incredible!

These 3D printers are a goldmine.

Your parts look so crisp and clean. Did you need to do much clean up after printing?

No. Just light sanding to get the bottom of the print even and rid support residue. There is no need for surface sanding as the surface is smooth.

[MrObsessive]

Some may think of this as a bit radical, but THIS is the future of our hobby!

I know we've talked about this before, but the time is quickly approaching when one can simply make their own parts if they're so inclined, instead of waiting/hoping someone will come out with said part/body. 

[Force]

This is true, but that the 57 300 hemi is much nicer in detail and has the A488 trans. I have a Dodge hemi and a Desoto hemi from the Amt 29 Ford roadster and 53 Ford pickup.  Based on the availability of someone using an existing kit engine, the 300 engine makes sense. Comparing the size of the 3 kit engines, they are the same length. In real life, going by the 1956 dimensions that I could find when I started this project, the Chrysler width-height  are 25"x30". Dodge was 23"x27". Plymouth used the A engine. I'll use the Chrysler. I could modify the A block to the correct specks, but just doesn't make sense to me.

I believe the engine in the old AMT 29 Roadster is a bit too large for a Dodge Hemi, same as the engine in the more recent AMT Ala Kart kit is slightly too small for a Dodge Hemi.
if the difference between the real engines is 2 inches it's 2 mm in 1:25th scale, and 3 inches is 3 mm in 1:25th scale so it's quite noticable.
A Dodge Hemi in real life is a lot smaller physically than a 392 Hemi wich is what's in the AMT 57 Chrysler 300C (57 was the first year for the raised deck 392), so I wouldn't use the Chrysler 392 Hemi to replicate a Dodge Hemi based Poly Head engine as it will be too large.
The Dodge Hemi's have the smallest bore spacing (center to center of the cylinders) of any hemi engine at 4.1875" and they do not share any major dimensions or components with the larger Chrysler and DeSoto hemi engines.
The Chrysler Hemi has 4.5625" bore spacing so it's 0.375" difference in bore spacing between the Chrysler and the Dodge, there wasn't any Poly Head based on the DeSoto Hemi so they are not relevant in this case.
The Dodge Hemi has 9.29" deck height for the low deck 241-270 and 10.38" for the raised deck 315-325 and Chrysler has 10.32" for the low deck 331-354 and 10.87" for the raised deck 392, it's nearly ½ an inch difference in deck height between the raised deck Dodge and the raised deck Chrysler, and over 1 ½" difference between the low deck Dodge and the raised deck 392 Chrysler.
There were no Poly Head engine based on the raised deck 392 either, just the low deck 331-354 blocks, Dodge on the other hand had Poly Head engines based on both the low deck and raised deck blocks from 1955 to 58 used both in Dodge, Plymouth and DeSoto cars.
 

Edited December 26, 2016 by Force

[my66s55]

This is true, but that the 57 300 hemi is much nicer in detail and has the A488 trans. I have a Dodge hemi and a Desoto hemi from the Amt 29 Ford roadster and 53 Ford pickup.  Based on the availability of someone using an existing kit engine, the 300 engine makes sense. Comparing the size of the 3 kit engines, they are the same length. In real life, going by the 1956 dimensions that I could find when I started this project, the Chrysler width-height  are 25"x30". Dodge was 23"x27". Plymouth used the A engine. I'll use the Chrysler. I could modify the A block to the correct specks, but just doesn't make sense to me.

For the life of me, I don't know why you made that long post. If you read my post, you will clearly see what I said. Many times, modelers will use something available to complete a build. Personally, I don't see any demand for the older poly version in scale. 

Chrysler did use a 354 in it's low line and Plymouth only offered a 270 older version in 56. The A engine was designed for Plymouth because it was cheaper and simpler to manufacture and was offered in the 56, 57 & 58 models exclusively. No hemi based poly engine was offered as standard equipment in 57-58. Notice I said standard. This doesn't mean that it might be available on special ordered or wasn't used in Canadian and other markets.

[my66s55]

I used Aleene's tacky glue to do a mock up to check major parts for proper size and fit. The intake manifold appears to need widening. The carbs have not had their bottom sanded yet. This is just a preliminary before fine tuning.

 

 

Edited January 3, 2017 by my66s55

[my66s55]

I got the intake manifold scaled right so it fits perfect. Here's a better picture of the Carter wcfb carbs.

 

 

 

Edited January 12, 2017 by my66s55

[Atmobil]

Wow, why did I not see this before!! I guess I just did not scroll around on the forum enough for that. Great work you are doing here, will be following this for sure.