Question/Interest Models of the "Poly-Head" engines?

Guys,
As you all know I got a plastic addiction and LOVE paint & glue..... Sadly enough to go a long with my love of cars. So, having said that, what better place to ask then here? -I also belong to a model forum too but, I seriously doubt any of them, would know anything on what I'm about to say.....

So in the modeling world, there are a LOT of Mopar cars, A bodies, B bodies, E bodies, even trucks...... SO having said that, I have this odd want/desire to set out and scale a Mopar "A" engine, a Poly-Head, question is, what you all think? I have yet to see ANYTHING made in scale, and well just a unique engine and its well......different.

Now, I know a few are gonna say, SO you design it, and make it, what ya gonna use it in? WELL, off the top of my head, there are several Resin trucks made that could use it, there is always the older AMT-Ertl kits for instance the early Chrysler 300's, a few "hot Rods" like the "Little Coffin" that uses a Desoto Hemi..... ANY of the '30's Fords, to be eye catching, Then you have what? The Plymouth Satellite said to be a Fury as "Christine", then you have the AMT's '59 Imperial..... Then you have the Lindberg Little Red Wagon A100, what they say that is a '65? Why not make it a stock "street" everyday driver '64? Put a Poly in it? You also have the Lindberg '64 Plymouth Belvedere, and even the Lindberg '64 Dodge Polara 330..... I haven't even got to the Jo-Hans kits yet.... Theres numerous ones still out there waiting, waiting to be built! Those dating to and or around to the Mopar Poly-Head engines!

See where I'm going here? -Question is, I need help what would be a suggestion to which "Poly" to make, and what would be my targeted kit that it could/should be used in? I know this opening a can of worms BUT what better place to get a discussion on such a thing going then here at a REAL car forum, in the winter time among other model builders.

And to follow, at the end, where can I find WHAT the Poly Engines were offered in for this? IF anything "list" type things exist. how do I find out what the poly was offered in, by engine size?

Any help, direction, knowledge on such odd, (INTERESTING) engines is a GREAT help and is much appreciated!

50s-60s Chilton manuals are some help....

mguner said:

50s-60s Chilton manuals are some help....

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Your right, sadly, no where local has them! (I've looked) terrible stock for stuff like that near where I live..... BUT theres always the 'net, know of anywhere to find them at a decent price?

OR might there be a way to download 'em on the computer instead for free by chance? See, these things, I'm not sure of, or if any such thing exists!

I may be able to shoot some jpegs of a few pages.... ;)

mguner said:

I may be able to shoot some jpegs of a few pages.... ;)

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I'd me buch appreciative if you would, PM them to me?

Cool idea...you might have thought of this, but couple kits came with an LA 273, maybe a good bottom end to stat with, Little red wagon reissue? I think, any how I might start with that and fab some heads try and do the rest of the details off that instead of starting from scratch. www.allpar.com has some ok info, not always 100% accurate and usually 50% complete. But serves as a good jumping off point for finding some things such as which colors, trim packages and drivetrains where available.

Check with parts supplies like Fel-pro, Victor/ reintz as a few. They should have application charts that should be pretty deep.

One of them......I think it was the Dodge Poly engines, had a seriously more exaggerated saw tooth lower valve cover rail and valve cover than the others. You could see it from a mile off. MUCH more defined than the later 318 Poly A engine. They always looked really cool to me.

Here it is. It is the 315 and 325 Dodge engines. Might be more.

View attachment DODGE POLY.jpg

Perfect project for a 3D printer.

IIRC Poly didn't fit in A100 series, but I could be wrong.
I've only ever seen 273 and LA 318.

Looks like a Chrysler Spitfire too... I am still trying to find the box with the old manuals.... this will re kindle the fire.





Gotta love Poly...

They have FSMs on CD-Roms, I had one for 73-76 A-bodies. Ask in the Open forum I bet someone could send you images from other years.

Thanks guys! I have been gone awhile and thought I'd go back and have a look at postings threads I've done, to catch up again!

Having said that, I was in a bad accident and under went several surgeries on my hands, and then my computer wound up not working right. BUT all is on the mend now, so back at it I go!

So to answer a few of you guys.... Rob, YES! you'd be right on the Dodge The "Saw-Tooth" lower edge was way more exaggerated, OR more a "scallop" edge, then say the Poly-Head 318. The 318 was more Saw-tooth like! -Thanks for the pics you posted!

ANY pics ANYONE can add here is a GREAT help!!!!

InItSwingIt said:

Cool idea...you might have thought of this, but couple kits came with an LA 273, maybe a good bottom end to stat with, Little red wagon reissue? I think, any how I might start with that and fab some heads try and do the rest of the details off that instead of starting from scratch. www.allpar.com has some ok info, not always 100% accurate and usually 50% complete. But serves as a good jumping off point for finding some things such as which colors, trim packages and drivetrains where available.

Click to expand...

I had wondered if the A100 HAD an "A" 318 Poly in it or if it was the LA 318 back in say '64 to '66.... As the LA 318 came out in what '67 right? So I wondered if the A 318 Poly was ever used in the A100, or the A108?

So having said that, I have to see the engines I have from ALL of the Little Red Wagon kits I have, (I got a few) so. to see if the stock 273 block would work for the wild-assed heads that would make it into a Poly..... As that would save time, BUT another idea, is I ALREADY mold a "LA" block.... (can be used for any of the LA motors from the 273 to the 360... BETTER detailed AMT unit too!) SO that might be a better choice and just one more use for the resin casting. As then, ALL I'd have to master is the heads and valve covers! I'll get to the intake, WHEN I decide what Poly engine I ave planned and got the heads done! I'll then focus on intake AFTER the heads are made, due to them being made to scale, and to fit and existing casting I already do! -Valve covers, are a "finish" product, to something like this, so they'll be made when all the major parts are done!

NOW question is, for those out there that are modelers, like myself, what kinda list of model cars we talking that this motor be used in?

I can think of a few,

Lindbergs '64 Plymouth Belvedere
Lindbergs '64 Dodge Polara
AMTs '58 Plymouth Saletlite (THEY call it a "Fury", as its the car "Christine")
Polar Lights '65 Dodge Coronet 500 (yes/no?) -I'm not sure a Poly was offered here!)

Thats just to name a few, any one else have any insight? I'm TRYING to dig up reasons that it be worth doing a model of one of them! MAYBE if there is enough want, I'll work on the other types, BUT I think for now, I'm gonna go a Poly-Head 318.... THEN later on, MAYBE a 301 or 326.... NOW sure yet! But I'm leaning toward the Poly-318 starting out.