Will any Chrysler flathead 6 work with Fluid Drive?

I have a 1941 6 with Vacamatic Fluid Drive. My engine may need to be
replaced,and I was wondering if any Chrysler flathead 6 would fit and
work. The size of my engine is 245.1 and I know that in 42-49 the
size was 250.6. Other sizes were in Dodges, 230, but would any of
them work with the Fluid Drive?

 

Does Dan Stern still follow this newsgroup?

Or perhaps his knowledge doesn't extend back that far?

 

Haven't seen him here in a long time - I think he posted once in the
last year.

 

I'm guessing that if you measure the length of the head it will be 25",
as opposed to the 23" for the 218/230 inch motors used in Plymouths and
Dodges. If it is 25" long, then there are a number of versions of this
engine, getting all the way up to 265 ci in some applications. All
should work in your application, although you should confirm that the
flywheel bolt pattern is identical, as Ma Mopar sometimes changes them
unexpectedly (like the different bolt patterns between the 218 and 230
23" motors).

Marty

47 Plymouth with a hopped up flathead 6

 

I stay in touch with Dan on and off, but I don't think that falls in his
expertise. After all, the flathead doesn't slant... ;-)

I actually own a 1949 215 flathead, but I don't know if there are
compatibility issues between different versions and the Fluid Drive
system. IIRC, Fluid Drive uses engine oil for the clutch, so at least
plumbing to the oiling system has to be available. The Flatheads all
have an external partial-flow oil filter, though, so two ports are
indeed available on all of them. But I don't know if the engines
intended for use with Fluid Drive got a different setup or not.

 

Steve,
The Chrysler Fluid Drive is a separate unit attached to the flywheel,
you might be thinking of the Plymouth version that used the engine oil
for the transmission also. I have the Vacamatic 4 speed,
semi-automatic. My engine is 241.5 cubic inch, and I know that bigger
sixes with Fluid Drive were used up to the 265 in the DeSoto before
all went to the V-8. I hope that my block is OK, I have been trying
to locate a spare engine somewhere, I am a member of the Walter P.
Chrysler Club, so hopefully, it will not be that bad. Someone said
that I could use the 250.6, as it was used in Chryslers from 42-52
with the same Fluid Drive torque converter.