HI all. I'm writing a feature on the top 20 saloon cars from the last few decades for a UK magazine. I want to include a couple of hundred words the (1964?) mid sized drag race specification 426 Dodge because we didn't have anything like it in the UK and it will blow the readers minds. Frankly, I don't know anything like enough about them, not even the correct model name. Rather than stab in the dark, use the internet and make an arse of myself I'm asking for help I know you guys will know more than anybody Can you help with a brief spec, exact model designation etc. Huge thanks Jerry
I have a 63 , The engine is called the 426 max wedge and was a race only engine or at least intended to be . Some of the motors "leaked out to the street. I did an article years ago for a magazine. I keep my photos and I think I can find them (Motor internals.) I did in that article a piece on comparing the 426 Max Wedge to the 426 hemi so if you are going to need pics and info on it now wolud be the time to say so as they are in the same file. The 426 Max Wedge began life as a 413 in 62 and morphed into the 426 size when the cylinder size was enlarged to 4.25" The stroke remained the standard 3.75 which Mopar used for all Rb (Raised block B series engines aka RB engine.)The engine came in three variations. There was the 13.5 to one 425 HP engineusing the crossram intake with two huge carter AFB four barrels. There was the 11 to 1 engine with the same set up producing 415 HP and there was the single four barrel Nascar engine using a single Holley four barrel. It was rated at 390 HP. It is the rearest of all. That is what mine is and here is a picture.(The white car is my 426 NASCAR Max Wedge and the grey car is my old mid sixties race car with a 426 Hemi. I am sure someone else will supply a crossram pic for you. If not I know folks who will. While the 426 Max Wedge is still the terror of the drag strips it was overshdowed in its day by the release of the 426 hemi in 1964. The Hemi dominated racing so badly the nascar restricted it carburation to the point it ws uncompetitive against its non restricted brands (Ford and Chev). NHRA put a weight penalty on cars powered by Hemis which amounted in some cases to over 750 pounds . This killed the hemi as a nascar motor and hurt it bad in Drag racing too. That gave the 426 Max Wedge another kick at the cat and many nascar cars wearing the 426 numbers in later years were running the 426 MAX Wedge or at least the heads in fact . In 65 and 66 the 426 Wedge was produced for passenger car use in what we Mopar guys used to call a street wedge. It was dropped to 10 to 1 compression and used normal heads like its 383 cousin and a hydraulic cam. Original max wedges before this time had a couple of cams. Solid lifter cams first ".509 lift (around 312 duration i think)and later ".520 @ 320 duration. If you would like to hear what one sounds like I will provide a link very shortly. In Max Wedge form they were not really a streetable engine per say but we dont care. They are fun despite the noise and lack of decent oil control on original versions. They did not come with waranty either. I have an original owners book but lent it to a friend with a 64 Dodge. I will retrieve it asap. Don
http://www.dropshots.com/Dolmetsch#date/2006-10-30/20:44:48 Come on for a ride! http://www.dropshots.com/Dolmetsch#date/2006-11-02/10:26:56 Some close up sound just to get a taste of what a monster they were . Hard to believe even today they built such wild and fast cars almost 50 years ago. I am still amazed everytime I squeeze the pedal. It is your lucky day! I had one in for repair about 20 years ago and I remembered I had taken a picture of it . This is a 426cu in, 11 to 1 engine from the 3rd version or stage III. It was in a 64 Plymouth Sport fury. Don
Are you asking about the Hemi or the Wedge? Don gave you a good overview of the Max Wedge, but I have a feeling you are asking about the legendary hemi and the '64 lightweight drag program. Suffice it to say, the boys in racing at Chrysler knew that they had taken the Wedge as far as they practically could and needed a bigger hammer to stay on top. From the early hemis, they knew how well the hemi design could breathe, so they put engineering on it and a star was born. The incredible part is the turnaround time for the project. I think it was November 1963 when they went ahead with it and they had race ready engines just in time for Daytona in February. I reccomend these two books to get the whole story: Maximum Performance: Mopar Super Stock Drag Racing 1962-1969 Author: Jim Schild ISBN-13: 9780760321928 ISBN: 0760321922 Catalog ID: 139629AP available from MotorBooks.com http://www.motorbooks.com/ProductDetails_32797.ncm We Were the Ramchargers: Inside Drag Racing's Legendary Team Author: David G. Rockwell ISBN-10: 076801932X ISBN-13: 978-0768019322 http://www.amazon.com/We-Were-Ramchargers-Racings-Legendary/dp/076801932X
Great, it's all starting to make sense. The 64 lightweight cars are the ones I want to tell the readers about as the concept is so strange to the UK. There is no way that I can get even a fraction of the information into 200 words, so I'll engineer it so that they get into the top three, that way I can include a little more about them and get some stuff in about the wedge engines. Thanks again chaps. jerry
Email or call Dan Dvorak. Got to his site at www.dvorakmachine.com he is the guru of everything concerning lightweight Dodge and Plymouths.
If there had been no Max wedge there would have been no Hemi. Same bore and stroke water pump,oil pan, oil pump bolt pattern etc etc. Don I reworked the one pic. It isnt a 64 but the under hood is the same. I was 22 years old. I had a 426 street hemi engine but only a 63 Dodge 2 dr post car. What was i to do? A real 64 hemi would have a crossram and i did have one on this for awhile but actually could get this setup to perform just a wee bit better. What I always remember about this car was the MPH . Even though it only ran 12 0s 120mph and even the odd 121 were the norm. If I had it now I would be dangerous (again!;>)) Had no money and was too young to understand what else is needed in a race car besides HP. Sorry i was rambling . Don
The Max wedge was doing great at the drag strip however it was lacking on the big oval tracks. In 1962 Pontiac's big 421 was 10 mph faster than the 413s so Chrysler in 1963 went to 426 c.i. which was a big improvement since it unshrouded the exhaust valve and did gain a little top end however in 1963 Ford came out with their 427 and Chevy came out with their 427 which was buzz'n around the big ovals at over 163 mph when it held together. Chrysler found themselves in about the same situation as the previous year so the decision was made to come out with King Kong. Another excellent book on the development of the 426 Hemi is the Motorbooks International Muscel Car History collection HEMI by Anthony Young, very well written and gobs of photos.
Tis true. I had the Hemi first just after I was married. I never expected ever to have a MW426. Loved them both. My old hemi is still alive too after all these years. I remember watching the 64 Daytona race. Also in the early days of prostock. Hemis everywhere! My hemi even after I put it in a dart a few years later would pull in the eyes like a frieght train. Almost scary, the top end charge. I remember running the Dart years later with the hemi upgraded. i would have to give the Camaros almost the whole tree. At the 3/4 mark they would be looking back grinning unaware of their coming fate. About 15 to 20 feet from the finish line the hemi would blow by them like they were standing still. (If i had a nickel for everytime I heard "Where the H did you come from?" I could buy a hot dog at least. ) The max wedge , in fact all the wedges were mid range motors. When we set those cars up we had to get it done early and hang on for the finish. Two very different engines with very similar parts and dimensions.
Really interesting stuff! I'm sure the OP can use this to help shape his article. Me...I'm just enjoying the tales because its all too cool. Hope there's more to come and some additional Mopar guys to chime in.
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