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Bill is probably right,but I,ve never heard if it was adjusted or a seriously underbored 331. Ron Ganster (229)599-0062 has expierience conv. them to hemi. Should be source for info,pistons. Might be neat to build a "hemi that never was".

What W/P? where do you have alt.? There's various ways to set up things,lack of info! At this point I could say bolt it on & see if any line up.On my 331 I got 1 belt W/P,crank, alt, & P/S.

Summit, PAW & others have oil for posi units. I filled a dry 9" a few yrs ago, seems that it was 4 qts. Fill hole can be on the front or rear of dif. depending on yr. If someone did a mismatch it"s possible to not have one!

The # doesn't show in my book. It should be noted that beside the 270 that can be converted ,they also made 277 &303 that can't be in 56.

A good book to pick up is Tex Smiths hemi book. A few errors but over all a good one www.hotrodlibrary.com 1-800-513-8133. heads while the 55 331, & 354 heads flow better than 392s you probably wouldn't notice on the street. Rods 440,426 7426 NASCAR rods can be used, w/ custom pistons and/or cra...

You can get rid of some of the front clutter by using a 51-54 car front cover. ind. heads tend to have a narrow tall water passage that goes across under the carb. Automotive heads have a square passage, so the intakes don't interchange.

If there is no rusting on water jacket side of cylinders, or core shifts, it's borable to .125. I saw where some guy in Australia supposedly bored one to 4", hopefully for drag racing only. I prefer as much wall as possible, had mine done .030

I just named those off the "usual suspects" list. The Volare is popular because you can easily adjust ride hight,then take it to alignment shop. You need to measure track width, center of tire to center of tire, besides frame width. Check Hemmings, there are a number of junkyards listed ou...

In this case I ment the standard big P.A.W. catalog. There is a carb guy linked to the hotheads site that has rebuilt carbs, linkage, ect. As I said get a Chr. to Mopar A/T adaptor.The Short tail Chr.,Dodge & Desotos all have the same bell pattern. It'l fit the S/B 727. You'll get better perform...

The polisphere, known as "polys", was an economy move by Chrysler. used the hemi block & wedge chamber canted valve heads w/ single instead of dual rocker shafts. Chr. polys used Chr. blocks & Dodge,Desoto & Plymouth(ply 241,259 & 270 only) used Dodge blocks. They can be co...

for car engines "Ultimate American V8 Engine Data Book 49-74" by Peter Sessler has casting # for blocks, heads, intakes & exhaust manifolds. Comp. ratios for tuck engines are U/A. Hardend valves/seats. There is a lot of conflicting info on this subject, even on car engines. I've read/h...

The cam is set up to run at one set RPM. It'll have to be replaced/reground. many have extra water holes in front, so you would have to use the bulky front cover that came on it. Check & make shure the heads have the oval exhaust ports,instead of the small round ones

My book shows standard 354 car heads. Ind. engines are set up to be off or run at a set RPM. You'll need to regrind/replace cam w/automotive cam.

D553 is 2 bl 270. Try Bob Walker at Hot Heads, or Quality Engeneered Components

Basic info 55 270 Dodge Came in 2bl (183 HP)& 4bl (193HP)versions 7.6 comp ratio for both. To get higher comp. ratio you gotta get forged custom pistons. Any Chr. hemi trany adaptor will fit. Limited info in Tex Smiths Hemi Book from Hot Rod Library

The heads are for a 55 331. Many consider 55 heads on a 392 to be the best flowing setup. you have to use spacers on the intake. If the 331 is complete I would build it & look for 354,other 55 331, or 392 heads for the 392. I've got a 55 331 in my 48 Plym,great engine! a good book is Tex Smiths ...

Chrysler gave it the appropriate name "valve tappet cover" in my 54 shop manual. As you said its main job is to seal top of engine. No idea why it's hollow.

The 55 331 doesn't have the cubes of a 392,but don't sell it short,it'sa great engine.

A guy at a swap meet had a NOS marine intake for the early hemi. It was a 4X1, two logs with a 1 bl carb at each end with a cross over hose. Intake was still on original shipping board. Assuming this was made by Briggs Cunningham, never heard of this before. Owner said he'd seen one on E-Bay and tha...

The block code NE55 is a 55 331,the head # is also. The casting # doesn't show in my stuff.

There should be a casting # on passenger side between head & valley, near the back usually 6 digit, & a code at front left of block ahead of valley. If it has 4" bore & no water crossover it could be a 354 bored out,or a 392 w/ 331/354 truck heads. many truck heads were made like th...

Have you tried asking Bob at Hot Heads? I have a dim memory of something simular. i had a car that only seemed to get ignition as the attempt to start was ending. During the brief moment that power was no longer going to the starter,but before key was all the way off, there was ignition briefly. See...

probably best to ask your machinist. I've been told by other hemi guys that if the heads have seats they're hardend. supposedly chrysler just machined the head itself & didn't use seats or installed hardend seats, 1 or the other,don't know for shure.

My 55 331 heads came with factory hardend valves & seats,you might want to check yours before replacing. Hot Heads has adaptors for long tail blocks, look under new products

Deja vu seems like this was posted recently. Both times the OEM engine was the responce. I think it wise to post casting/code #s. 40+ years is a long time in the marine enviroment,those might not be the OEM engines.