Topic: Whaddyacallthisengine #491 - Solved! 1954 Plymouth Explorer's 110 hp Six

[Ray B.]

Ever seen this engine ?

If you did, please respond below and let us know what car he powered.

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Thanks!

[tuatank]

is this a Dodge from the 1940's?

[Ray B.]

Not a Dodge, and not from the 1940's.

[chapel]

hmm... straight six, side valve... looks to be early 30s?

[Ray B.]

Nope. Tuatank was closer.

[MG Manic]

'53 Chrysler Flathead six?

[Ray B.]

If you mean as a group, and not as a make, yes, almost to the year too.
Now the question was ......

[MG Manic]

Ok Ray, are you talking Chrysler, Plymouth, Desoto, Dodge models specifically, or a specific car built by someone else with a transplanted Chryco Flathead?

[Ray B.]

Ok Ray, are you talking Chrysler, Plymouth, Desoto, Dodge models specifically, or a specific car built by someone else with a transplanted Chryco Flathead?

Correct. And the car it powers is not a common model. I made things harder in changing the photo to black and white. I the original picture it's a light green.

[MG Manic]

Light green? hmm.......Not correct color for any "standard" production Mopar flathead six during the period. Should be silver. Was it a showcar or just someones personal preference? Let's narrow it down. Plymouth?

[Ray B.]

You're narrowing it down quite fast. 
The photo is a recent one and I can't tell if the engine was originally silver, or if it's someone's preference.
But Plymouth is correct, showcar too

[MG Manic]

1954 Plymouth Plaza?

[Ray B.]

The year is correct, but not the car, the Plaza being not a showcar, as we've established, but part of the production model line.

EDIT:  As you are rather close, this puzzle is locked for you one week.
I know its long and that some will scream their head off, but I'll soon move it to the experts, and I don't want the pack of wolves there to deprive you of your prey. You'll be one of hem soon anyway.

[MG Manic]

OK Ray, thanks for the lock, this is driving me crazy. 

 Let me throw this out, Plymouth's two show cars for 1954 were of course the Belmont and the Explorer Ghia. I know that the Belmont was powered by a 231 CI V-8 and the Explorer Ghia by a stock 110 CI flathead six. I've been trying for 2 days to find a picture of that cars engine bay with no luck, so is it the Explorer?

[Ray B.]

Yes, this IS the Explorer, and you're quite right (except that its stock flathead had 110 horsepower from a 230,2 ci displacement.)

I don't understand how you couldn't find it. If I google " Plymouth Explorer" I soon find pages with that green restored car and its engine.

And this makes you an expert.

[MG Manic]

Yes, this IS the Explorer, and you're quite right (except that its stock flathead had 110 horsepower from a 230,2 ci displacement.)

I don't understand how you couldn't find it. If I google " Plymouth Explorer" I soon find pages with that green restored car and its engine.

And this makes you an expert.

You are of course right, I knew after I posted that both figures were for HP and not cubic inches, would have been a small six. I got tons of photos of the car itself, but couldn't find the engine bay......oh well.

[Ray B.]

What may add to the confusion is that many sources are mistaken, and date this car from 1952. Some ( where I took the picture) give  its  "updated" engine as a 217.6 cid for 97 hp. This was the 1949 Plymouth engine! I rather trust my source (The Crestline Plymouth book). And, by the way, the Belmont's V8 only pulled 150 hp for 241 cid, more in the period figure for such a car.