Helper Monkey Posted October 16, 2015 Posted October 16, 2015 I recently bought AMT's 1941 Plymouth Kit. It had the stock motor and a V8 in it. Someone on the boards mentioned that it was a LA Block. If I remember correctly, production on the LA was started in the mid 60s. Not exactly period accurate. I would like to put a V8 into the Plymouth but I am looking for something that would be available during the 40's. Does not need to be the early 40s, it can be from the 40s to the early 50s. A Chrysler engine would be great but not necessary. Basically any motor popular for a power gain. I am not looking to modify the body styling to make the engine clear a. I am not opposed to engine bay or frame tweaks. My goal here is to make a completely stock looking Chrysler but has a whole lot more power.
Art Anderson Posted October 16, 2015 Posted October 16, 2015 Well, given your desire to use a V8 engine available from say, 1946 to perhaps 1953, your options are quite limited: Ford flathead V8, Cadillac (you can get away with the engine from Revell's 59 Eldorado--it's basically the same engine as introduced in 1949, and the Oldsmobile Rocket V8, introduced in 1949 (the engine in the Revell '50 Olds kit). An early Chrysler Hemi isn't really available, although they were the same basic engine as appears in a Moebius '55 or '56 Chrysler 300, the AMT '57 Chrysler 300, and in numerous AMT kits, starting with the '53 Ford pickup.Art
unclescott58 Posted October 16, 2015 Posted October 16, 2015 The first factory V8s in Chrysler products was the 331 Hemi in 1951.
Ace-Garageguy Posted October 16, 2015 Posted October 16, 2015 Here's Wiki-p links to the commonly available V8 engines from the late '40s on into the late '50s. The Ford flathead was also buildable in various levels of tune, and a hot flathead could have easily found its way into a '41 Plymouth. By '55, the flathead was falling out of favor for serious go-fast.Chrysler Corporation "hemi" engines (Chrysler, Dodge, DeSoto) from 1951... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Hemi_engine The DeSoto hemi engine is in the AMT '53 Ford truck kit. The Dodge hemi engine is in the old AMT '29 Ford. The Chrysler hemi (first generation) is in several kits.Oldsmobile Rocket, from 1949... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldsmobile_V8_engineCadillac OHV V8, also from 1949... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_V8_engine This engine is available in the vintage Revell "parts pack".Buick OHV V8 "nailhead", from 1953... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_V8_engineFord Y-block, from 1954... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Y-block_engineChevrolet "smallblock", from 1955... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_small-block_enginePontiac OHV V8, from 1955... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_V8_engine
10thumbs Posted October 16, 2015 Posted October 16, 2015 I'd like to add that the Revell Parts Pack Caddy motor is very nice!
ZTony8 Posted October 16, 2015 Posted October 16, 2015 Add to the list the Studebaker V-8 in the '53 kit.
Helper Monkey Posted October 17, 2015 Author Posted October 17, 2015 Wow! Thanks guys. Everyone was super helpful. I am really diggin on the idea of the Caddy motor. I think I may order one from e-bay.
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