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Will 4 barrel intake manifolds from later year Hemi's fit on a 56? I don't have an interchange manual to look at. Other then the embossed numbers on the intake is there any major differences to be concerned about if I consider one off a Chrysler or Hemi other then a Desoto? I would like to change my 2 barrel to a 4 (I'm not at all sure why 
). What would be needed besides the manifold, carb and linkage?
Hola To All and a Happy New Year
I like questions that I can answer.
The only Intake Manifold that is an direct bolt on for any 1956 330 or 341 Cubed
De Soto Engine is one from an 1957 341 or 345 Cubed Engine.
2 bbls - 1956 330 and 1957 341
4 bbls- 1956 330 and 1957 341
2-4 bbls 1956 341 and 1957 345
There may be a couple of ya got the OEM A/C questions that may be asked, but
the question of what fits the engine is above.
If you are thinking of adding this part for a above 2,500 RPM Power Gain or a
MPG Gain it is not a very good cost to usage ratio ( cost of 4 bbl Air Cleaner -
cost of Air Cleaner To Carburator Gasket - cost of Carburator - cost of Carburator
to Intake Manifold - cost of Intake Manifold and cost of The Intake Manifold ).
It is now an "bragging rights" purchased and installed item.
Rodger & Gabby
COS
FltSgt@outlook.com
Oh RATS AND MICE. Guess I'll be spending my $$$ on something more sensible.
Thanks for the reply but most of all saving me money. 
You can bolt a '57 DeSoto intake onto a '56 DeSoto, but you can't use your stock '56 generator and PS mount. Oh, and good luck with the cooling system. '57 to '56 intake is a hot rod only exchange on a DeSoto. Direct exchange is one year only...56 to 56 DeSoto only.
Also, you will need to have your distributor rebuilt to match your "upgrade" (?) in carburetor.
Merry Christmas
Christmas Tree Steve
... Steve
Thank You for completing the information.
Rodger & Gabby
COS
FltSgt@outlook.com
Lets face it. By any modern standard, these cars are not fast, and the fuel economy is pretty poor. I think possibly the best "bang-for-your-buck" upgrade might be to slip in a four speed (overdrive) automatic. (I'm not real stuck on keeping anything other than the bodywork completely original, so I have no problems with mechanical "upgrades")
Hot Heads has adapter plates that allow you to install later model Mopar or GM transmissions to the early hemi engine. I think a GM 2004R transmission would be a match made in heaven on my '55 Firedome. Acceleration would be improved by having a lower first gear, and economy at highway speeds would be quite a bit better because the engine would not be turning such high revs. I think the 291 would have plenty of torque to pull the car along at lower revs. One trade-off would be the loss of the original parking brake. I guess you would have to rely on the park pin in the trans.
I know this type of "tampering" would not be approved by some of the purists here, but I'm considering starting the project. My biggest obstacles are likely to be: 1: crossmember fitment, 2: building a new driveshaft and 3: making the shifter work with the added detents.
Steve H.
Most of what you are saying about better 0-70 MPH pick-up/ fuel milage
happened when The Chrysler Corporation went to The Three Speed Automatic
( aka The Torque-Flight ) in the 1957 Production Year.
The 1957 - 1961 Three Speed Automatic from MoPar will bolt to your
bell housing and use the same Torque Convertor.
Rodger & Gabby
COS
FltSgt@outlook.com
The 55 had a shift lever,the 56-61 had push buttons
I used a GM 200-4R behind the 55 DeSoto in the last car I built...
You could swap an early Torqueflite into your car, but you'd still have a 1 to 1 top gear ratio so that wouldn't help your hi-way cruising.
Adapter kits are available for the GM THM 700-R4 transmission swap. You can also use these kits for many other GM transmissions. The 700-R4 has 0.7 overdrive and requires no computer. Here's the first one I spotted.
http://www.hothemiheads.com/transmissio ... _auto.html
I don't know what you'd do for a shifter. You must have an emergency brake so a rear axle swap to a MoPaR 8 3/4 should take care of that. That would also get rid of those tapered axles. The driveshaft can be made by any competent driveshaft shop with modern, cheap, and available U-Joints!
I'd stay stock and drive something else. But you can do these things and more. All it takes is skill, time, and a lot of money.
Good Luck
Steve
Steve, I guess what I have to decide is if I want a custom, or a stock car. I love driving the '55, but I just can't help thinking about how I could make it better. Changing the transmission leads to changing the rear end to the 8 3/4 with modern brakes. Then, the rear brakes will be better than the fronts! That leads to converting to disks in the front, which also means a modern master cylinder. Lots of time, lots of money! I do most all mechanical work myself and enjoy it, but if I do all the "upgrades" I may end up spending all that money and having a car thats worth less than it would have been stock.
What to do.......
Steve
BTW: Tony, I love your coupe!
Steve H.,
My opinion...you add all that modern gear to your DeSoto and pretty soon you are driving a modern car. I do that every day to and from work and running errands. When I fire up the old beast I want to relive what it was like to drive a car back in the day, even with the mushy ride, wandering steering and plan-ahead brakes. I'm a purist and definitely old fashioned, but as I said that's my view.
It's your car and you do what satisfies you!
BTW...you have totally hijacked Barbara's thread!
Mark
All apologies to Barbara!
