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EVOLUTION OF CHRYSLER, DODGE AND DESOTO HEMI ENGINES: A BRIEF HISTORY FROM ANDY BERNBAUM AUTO PARTS
EVOLUTION OF CHRYSLER, DODGE AND DESOTO HEMI ENGINES: A BRIEF HISTORY FROM ANDY BERNBAUM AUTO PARTS
Chrysler Corporation was late to the game with V8 engine power. While Ford and Cadillac had been mass producing V8 power plants since the 1930’s Chrysler continued to power their top of the line cars with flathead straight 8 power right up until 1950.
But when Chrysler finally did enter the V8 arena, they did it with a bang! The iconic Chrysler “Firepower” Hemi V8 came out for the 1951 model year and was a sensation, beating the overhead valve Cadillac V8 by 20 horsepower and powering the Hemi equipped Chryslers to Caddy beating 0-60 times too.
In one fantastic technical innovation Chrysler moved ahead (more…)
CHRYSLER FLATHEAD 6 CYLINDER ENGINES 1935-1959 PART 2
CHRYSLER FLATHEAD 6 CYLINDER ENGINES 1935-1959 PART 2
Previously, we touched on a few variations in design, but there are plenty more.
Almost all flathead engines had aluminum pistons with a 4 ring design; the top two being compression and the bottom two oil control. From 1935 through 1940 both compression rings were 1/8 inch thick (.125”) and the oil control rings were 5/32 of an inch (.15625”). In 1941, the top compression ring was changed to 3/32 of an inch (.09375”). In 1942, both compression rings were changed to 3/32. This configuration was used through 1959 in the US. Foreign built cars had some exceptions to this. When you want to order rings alone for your prewar car (more…)