Thanks for making this readable Ray!
I think that Chrysler was measuring the overall length of the block casting so the flywheel shroud would add a lot and those early engines had more metal in front as well because the chain to the cam also drove the generator, which had a tension adjustment. The block extended out in front to keep oil on this assembly, and to make a mount on the front cross member. They had a different idea about space utilization back then. Some sporty two seaters had 12ft wheel bases.
The rods in the eight are offset at the bottom so that there is more bearing on the side facing the center of the engine than on the side facing away from it. This was done to get the bores a little farther apart with out redesigning the whole bottom end. Apparently this was done to the smaller six cylinder engines as well, but then they got a complete redesign in 1937 that eliminated this feature. I haven’t ever seen the bottom end of an eight to verify this and my 1948 Motor Manual doesn’t mention it, so I can’t swear they had this right up to 1950, but it seems like they did.
Here is a picture of a model 77 six:
(I wish I could make these things come up the right size; I don't know what I am doing wrong)
