52, 54 desoto with a firedome hemi

[Dakotaacres]

I have an opportunity to checkout a 52, 54 desoto with a firedome hemi. It's been sitting in a private salvage yard and I don't know what to expect. With this limited information anyone have a estimated value?

thanks

 

[MoparLeo]

It would have to run and have all trim. No parts available for the Desoto Hemi's. 52-54 will have the smaller engines. 276 c.i. .160-170 HP.

 

[Richard Cranium]

It's worth what scrap steel is going for per pound these days.

 

[matthon]

Early hemis, not sure which ones, have part of the bell cast into the engine block.
Found this out last weekend.
Also found out there's an early 345 DeSoto hemi, one year only.

 

[Dakotaacres]

This is the hemi.

 

[Budnicks]

Most parts on Gen 1 Hemi's won't interchange between brands either
DeSoto, Dodge & Plymouth Hemis, all different 'cid's' too

have no idea on value
not really highly saught after/popular body styles especially,
but could be worth something, 'the engine/trans' (?)

 

[Budnicks]

Dragzine.com just had a write-up on
Hemi History --10 facts of early Gen-1 Hemi engines"

sorry I didn't save the link

 

[POMONAMISSEL]

i have a few desoto hemis they are hard to get parts for and speed parts are hens teeth , you end up making alot of your own stuff . the nice thing is the litte dodge hemi intakes are close to bolting up , but still need port and mounting holes mods to mount correctly . yes that would be a 276 the smallest ci motor desoto made , 55 was a 291 ci , high deck began in 56 330 ci , and so on . desoto had factory high performance versions , but there far from being common place .

 

[matthon]

Hot Heads has parts.

More hemis, two are 4 barrel, two are 2 barrel.

I know I can bolt hemi heads on my 58 325 Dodge, has to be Dodge heads.
Iirc, valve covers don't even interchange.

 

[POMONAMISSEL]

315 or 325 dodge hemi heads

 

[Gus chiggins]

Most parts on Gen 1 Hemi's won't interchange between brands either
DeSoto, Dodge & Plymouth Hemis, all different 'cid's' too

have no idea on value
not really highly saught after/popular body styles especially,
but could be worth something, 'the engine/trans' (?)

Plymouth had no 1st gen hemi engines. They had polyhead engines.

 

[Budnicks]

Plymouth had no 1st gen hemi engines. They had polyhead engines.

yeah that was supposed to be DeSoto Dodge & Chrysler
I'm so used to talking about Plymouths typo

 

[#41]

It really depends on how rusty and complete it is, and is it a 2-door, hardtop, or coupe? Parts are very hard to come by for these, so if it's rough .....likely not a good candidate for restoration and you should probably pass at even just hundreds of dollars.

Here are two comparisons:

1. I just bought a non-running 53 Desoto Powermaster (flathead 6) 2 door club coupe, straight, complete, and not much rust for $1200. It will be a chopped, bagged, sled, not restored.

2. There is 53 Chrysler New Yorker hemi 2-door coupe for sale in my area right now for $1000, not much rust, a little banged up, with no title. It looks like a fair deal, but I really wanted the desoto teeth so I have been holding out!

1953 Chrysler New Yorker