Chrysler, DeSoto & Dodge 1951-58 Hemi Motor Data

    The data below is for the three different hemi engine families manufactured by Chrysler 1951-58 for use in high-priced Chrysler, DeSoto and Dodge cars. Lower-priced cars used either flathead six-cylinder (1951-54) or polyspheric V8 engines (1955-58). With the exception of the 1957 Dodge D500-1 (which used a Chrysler 354 engine), all cars used their own brand hemi engines. Please note: there is no Plymouth hemi; the higher-priced Plymouths used poly V8 engines.     The engine families are grouped by bore center distance (last column in the table); engines with the same bore center distance have a common ancestor and similar (sometimes interchangable) parts. Very few parts are common to more than one engine family.

Motor

Deck Type

Weight

Year

Size

Bore
Size

Deck
Height

Rod
Length

Stroke
Length

Maximum
Com. Dist.

Bore
Centers

Dodge

Low

577 lbs.

1953-54

241”

3.4375”

9.290”

5.9375”

3.250”

1.727”

4.1875”

1955

270”

3.625”

Raised

611 lbs.

1956

315”

3.625”

10.380”

6.618”

3.800”

1.862”

1957

325”

3.6875”

DeSoto

Low

631 lbs.

1952-54

276”

3.625”

9.540”

6.067”

3.34375”

1.801”

4.3125”

1955

291”

3.72”

Raised

669 lbs.

1956

330”

3.72”

10.370”

6.625”

3.800”

1.845”

1956-57

341”

3.78”

1957

345”

3.800”

Chrysler

Low

697 lbs.

1951-55

331”

3.8125”

10.320”

6.625”

3.625”

1.882”

4.5625”

1956

354”

3.9375”

Raised

737 lbs.

1957-58

392”

4.00”

10.870”

6.956”

3.906”

1.961”

“RB”

Raised

675 lbs.

1964-*

426”

4.25”

10.725”

6.860”

3.750”

1.990”

4.800”

Hemi Valve Gear Data

Rocker Stands

Dodge

DeSoto

Chrysler

Exhaust stand height

2.0625"

2.5000"

2.8125"

Intake stand height

2.0625"

2.1875"

2.2500"

Head-Bolt Spacing

Outermost bolt spacing

16.7500"

17.3750"

18.2500"

Upper to lower bolt distance

3.4375"

3.5000"

4.3125"

Rocker Shaft

Diameter

.8750"

Length (intake & exhaust)

17.1875"

18.3125"

19.3125"

Rocker Arm Length

Intake

3.2500"

3.2500"

3.3750"

Exhaust

3.8750"

4.1875"

4.6250"