Torque Wrench,

Here is a link to the 1954 Shop Manual , showing the type of puller to be used. As others have said, make sure that the center bolt of the puller seats on the end of the crankshaft snout, and does not get hung up on the pulley hub. As Drew and others say, tighten the center bolt, whack the bolt head, repeat. I've never seen it fail. I recently pulled a pulley from a 1954 261 that had sat outside since 1962.

Hoyt