To build a hemi on a budget is going to be a challenge. The 354 I am building is only having to do street rod duties. I don't need to have drag strip strength. Which means a strait forward rebuild with the right combination of new and used parts to come up with an engine that is strong and reliable with mega eye appeal. I plan to use a 55' 331 (which I bought through the internet). I hope to bore it out to 354. I also bought a 58' 354 poli for parts. Which gave a good usable set of 10:1 354 pistons (I will have to slightly modify the valve reliefs). I was able to buy the 354 for half the price a new set of piston would have cost. I will be adding pictures as progress continues. Stay tuned....
Part of the fun of building a hemi engine is the hunt for parts. You have to be willing to go out to oldest auto junk yard you can find and rummage around in weeds looking for parts. Usally this is in the bad area of town, so take a friend. He or she has to be a car nut also, or the whole experance will be ruined. You can identify a true car nut by holding a old greasy 1950 car part and say hay look at this! If they have to touch it, then they ARE a true car nut.
<- A car nut!
Signs of an old junk yard ^
My little helper