I could be wrong but didn't the early hemi's have the bellhousing cast to the block except for the later 392

 

OK gang, the easy way to tell, early hemi =distributor in the back, 426 =distributior in the front. The 392 is a relative of Mopar's A block. Mopar had a whole slew of displacements going back to 1953. Unlike the LA and B/RB blocks interchange was limited.
As far as prices go look at the cost of a tricked out Muskrat. A decent pain jane B body for around 5k and a 10k hemi and your still ahead of the game.

 

Also, early 352 and 354 hemis are still out there, same distributor reference as 392

 

Ready to **** yourselves?

Heres The Early Hemi Variants.

Starting with the first Hemi and First Chrysler Corporation V8s ever!

Chrysler: 1951 331ci "FirePower" Hemi 180hp 312ft lbs of torque 7.5-1 Compression 2bbl Carburetor Best Known to the World as the First Chrysler V8.


List of Chrysler,Dodge,Desoto Hemi Engines for passenger cars

Chrysler "FirePower" Hemi:

331ci 1951-1955 (1951-1954 with extended Bell housing and 1955 with removable bell housing)

354ci 1956

392ci 1957-1958

Dodge "Red Ram" Hemi:

241ci 1953-1954

270ci (Super Red Ram) 1955

315ci 1956

325ci 1957

Desoto "FireDome" Hemi:

276ci 1952-1954

291ci 1955

330ci 1956

341ci 1956-1957

345ci 1957

Early Hemi Production stopped in 1958 and surplus engines were installed in man applications from trucks to tractors to irrigation pumps up to 1959

Heres a Link to the Early Hemiidentification Charthttp://www.powerplayhemi.com/hemi_in...engine_id.html

Industrial Engines for Chrysler lived up to 1959 in 331 354 and 392 Hemi form