Milestone Hemicars (History of the Hemi)

[Stevearino]

Back in the early 90's I decided to draw,licence,market and sell my own stock car related artwork. My efforts lasted about 5 years issuing my last print in 95. Some here may be familiar with one of my prints called "Wing Warriors" which was a bunch of profile drawings of many of the Dodge Daytona's and Plymouth Superbirds run on the various stock car series of the early 70's. While I sold close to $250,000.00 of my prints I unfortunately spent about $300,000.00 to do it. So I stopped producing prints at the end of 1995. I had hoped that my efforts would at least break even so that I could continue producing art prints. I had plans for quite a few more.
 Since I had established a licencing arrangement with Chrysler for my "Wing Warrior" print I thought another good poster along that line would be a short history of the the significant hemi cars up to 1971. To that end I got involved with Richard Ehrenberg out of Amawalk, N.Y. who provided me with the historical background and suggestions for cars to be illustrated. I hated to pull the plug on this project and I could sense Richard was disappointed also.
 Anyway looking through some old files I came across the text that Richard had provided me and thought I would transcribe it here. I had considered scanning the pages but I wasn't sure they would be legible with the low res picture requirement here. Anyway enjoy.

Stevarino.

Milestone Hemicars

By Richard Ehrenburg

Powering the Legends: Hemi's Through the Decades
                                (Cutaway drawing of Late Hemi engine)
1951 Chrysler New Yorker:
   With Chrysler's first-ever hemispherical -chamber 331 C.I.D. engine producing 180 horsepower, the '51 Chrysler is the car that began the horsepower race by out-gunning the 331 cube Caddy with it's 160 horses. The reason?  Free breathing, Dual -rocker-shaft cylinder heads.  The year's hot rod was the Saratoga, which was 200 pounds lighter than the New Yorker.

1955 Chrysler 300:
   Widely recognized as America's first " Muscle" car, the 55 C-300 was also the first car with 300 ponies. Chrysler simply crammed a dual-quad 354 inch Hemi into a lightweight Windsor body shell , adorned it with a grille lifted from the Imperial, and the "Beautiful Brute" legend was born.  All were white, red, or black, and all sported tan leather interiors.

1956 Chrysler 300B:
    With it's optional solid-lifter Hemi producing 355 H.P. from 354 cubic inches, this is the first production car to make one horsepower per cubic inch.  Outboard motor magnate Carl Kiekhafer fielded a team of 300's which dominated NASCAR with their 140-mph top end, and race averages over 90. For  $4419.00 even you "base" 300 would outrun anything with licence plates.

1958 Chrysler 300D:
    With the large-car market becoming increasingly competitive Chrysler needed a less -expensive power plant than the duel-rocker-shaft Hemi.  A new 413 wedge was nearing production, making this '58 392 Hemi the last of an era, but they surely went out with a bang: 156 MPH at Bonneville. Dragsters used the 392 for decades to follow, even now, an aluminum clone is being produced.

1964 Plymouth Belvedere (2-dr hardtop):
   Chrysler's 1962-63 "Max Wedge" race engine was successful ,but Chrysler wanted an "edge", so , for mid-'64, all new Hemi heads were adapted to the 426 wedge cylinder block.  Under the leadership  of legendary engineer Tom Hoover, the engine was an instant success.   At it's debut race, the '64 Daytona 500,  Richard Petty simply out-gunned the Fords for an easy win.

1965 Dodge Coronet (2-dr sedan):
     With a new "A-990" aluminum head Hemi, Chrysler puth their race cars on a diet for 1965. The intake manifold was cast in featherweight magnesium, and even the oil and water pumps were light alloy.  With mega-power and fly-weight, Chrysler dominated the drag scene for '65.  Advertised power stayed a 425, but performance numbers said "500 plus."

1966 Dodge Coronet 500 Convertible:
   The Hemi had been "outlawed" from the many sanctioned forms of racing in 1965 due to complaints that it wasn't a "production" engine.  Chrysler's response was to de-tune the engine and offer it to all takers with the 1966 "Street Hemi." You could order it in virtually any mid-size car from a stripper Belvedere I 4-door to this loaded Coronet 500 soft top, of which exactly 21 were built.

1967 Plymouth GTX  (hard top):
   Answering the challenge issued by Pontiac's successful GTO, Chrysler upped the ante in 1967 with the Plymouth Belvedere GTX and Dodge Coronet R/T. Equipped with a standard 440-inch wedge ,the only engine option was- what else?- The Street Hemi.  Two small "426 Hemi" call outs were the only warning, one that competing drivers soon learned to take seriously.

[Stevearino]

1968 Plymouth Road Runner (coupe, use stripper with hubcaps)
   With a lovable cartoon character mascot and a horn that went "beep beep" the $2896.00 (1/1/68 pricing) Road Runner coupe was an instant success-more Beep for the buck!  With a plain-Jane interior, beefy suspension, and a newly re-tuned Street Hemi (hotter camshaft) as a $714.30 option, it was one of the most popular Hemi cars ever: 840 coupes (and 179) hardtops) were built.  Styling cues were akin to a NASCAR stocker- for the street!

1968 Plymouth Barracuda:69
   Along with it's close cousin, the Dodge Dart, Chrysler sold exactly 70 1968 'Cudas powered by the awesome race Hemi.  Designed specifically for Super Stock drag racing, these cars remain the quickest factory-built cars ever.  Delivered less a color coat-just primed(!), they still dominate the S/S drag scene today,running consistent sub-9-second E.T.s.

1969 Charger 500:
   With a flush grille (pirated from the Coronet) and a flush backlight, the '69 500 was Mopar's first serious attempt at building an aerodynamic car since the 1930's Airflow.  Aimed at NASCAR racers, only 67 were built with Hemi power.  Later in the year, and ever more outrageous design would appear-the Daytona,with a huge wing and wind-slicing pointed beak.

1969 Coronet Super Bee (hardtop,show with K-H wheels):
   Cashing in on the Road Runners success, Dodge division soon added a clone in the form of the Super Bee.  It's name taken from the engineering "slang" designation, the car was, literally , a super "B" body.  Optional Kelsey Hayes cast aluminum wheels had a fatal flaw, and were recalled before the car's  official intro date.  Today, they are valuable collector's items. The Hemi hardtop build totalled 92 cars.

1970 Plymouth Road Runner Superbird:
   Expanding on the success of the '69 Charger 500 and Daytona, the 70 Superbird was another highbank highflyer.  Contrary to the reports of fiberglass, the wind-cheating nose was all steel. The 440 Magnum was standard; of 1,920 produced, only 135 were built with the Street Hemi powerplant.  The big bird won no less than 21 NASCAR events for the season, and enticed Richard Petty back from Ford.

1970 Challenger R/T Convertible:
   Chrysler's all-new-for-'70 line of ponycars was topped off by this Challenger ragtop.  With the R/T nameplate designating the performance version, exactly 9 were built with the third-generation Street Hemi (hydraulic cammed). Outrageous options included retina-melting paint colors, Shaker hood induction, functional hood pins,and eslatomeric bumpers.

1970 Charger R/T:
   In it's third year of a successful Coke-bottle styling theme , the Charger received a mild freshening for '70, including rear-outlet door scoops, a full-loop front bumper (with a return to the '68 non-split grille.) 112 received the awe inspiring , but emissions-legal hydraulic Hemi mill.   It was $648.25 well spent. Today, a pair of well-used Hemi carbs bring more than that!

1971 Plymouth Barracuda 'Cuda Convertible:
    Few knew, but at Chrysler 1971 was to be a year of famous "lasts:" the last RWD convertibles , the last Street Hemi, even the last big-block ponycars.  But, as with this Hemi Cuda , they went out with a bang!  Universally regarded as one of the wildest ponycars of all time. Just 7 lucky individuals took home a new Hemi Cuda rag top.

1971 Dodge Charger R/T:
    With a dizzying array of options -everything from a "Tuff" steering wheel , pistol-grip 4 speed, and enough stripe options to do a prison's uniforms, the newly styled '71 Charger R/T had it all . But three forces were at work: Insurance, emissions, and safety, which conspired to make this the end of an astonishing era. Only 63 1971 Charger R/Ts  were Hemi powered.

(pix of assembled single-quad hemi engine)
     After a 20-odd year hiatus, Chrysler's Mopar Performance division recently re-released a complete line of Hemi parts, including the rare iron cylinder block.  A complete factory " crate" engine is available.


KEEP IN MIND THIS WAS WRITTEN IN 1995 SO THERE ARE A FEW OUT OF DATE THINGS SAID HERE.  WOULD HAVE MADE A GREAT POSTER I THINK.

Stevearino

[Bob T]

Great info Steve, Thanks 

[wingcar]

I for one would like to thank you Steve for the posters you did as I purchased the "Wing Warriors" poster as well as the 1992 NASCAR Champship lineup (Petty sure it's your work as well).  I was told that that poster was pulled due to licensing issues with the varoius teams and sponsors (If that is indeed the reason, but either way it's a cool poster).

[crj1968]

Cool stuff. I'm assuming there are pictures of your artwork on the net somewhere?     Would like to check it out.

[Stevearino]

 Wingcar, Thanks for buying my stuff back then. I enjoyed that little period of time and got to connect with a lot of folks who loved those wing things as much as I did as a kid.  R J Reynolds sent me a pretty forboding cease and  desist letter threatening all kinds of horrible stuff because of my unauthorized use of the "Winston Cup" on the top of that free poster. That poster was and still would be impossible to licence with all of the drivers and corporate sponsors so I thought I would give it away for free as a promotional tool. NOPE.

crj1968 You know there are a few pictures on the net of my stuff and I have no idea where they came from as my business came and went before the internet got big.  Here are a couple of not-so-good shots of my Wings print and my best seller "The Thrones of King Richard".

[BROCK]

I too bought 1 of your Wing Warriors posters back in the day.   

Glad I kept it safe n sound (my kids got a hold of a few of my posters as
they entered their teen years)

[Stevearino]

I too bought 1 of your Wing Warriors posters back in the day.   

Glad I kept it safe n sound (my kids got a hold of a few of my posters as
they entered their teen years)

Thanks from back in the day BROCK.

[crj1968]

Oh man- those are cool. WANT!

How to get?

[Stevearino]

Oh man- those are cool. WANT!

How to get?

PM me. I have some left.