How fast is a Hemi Charger or Hemi Cuda?

[Wakko]

What were they capable of in stock trim (including the bias ply tires)?

[Lowprofile]

How fast is a Hemi Car? It just might be relitave to how big your "sack" is!

Get in, Sit Down, Shut Up, and Hold On!!

[Wakko]

I'm curious how it would compete with the ZL-1 Camaro, actually.

[Lowprofile]

Try this

www.moparmusclemagazine.com/thehistoryof/75739/index7.html

Good Luck!

[Brock Samson]

well the '67 hemi Cudas/Darts ' were not exactly "stock"..
what's left of my memory says they did 10s as delivered to racers...
   But, that's with slicks and some lightening.
  I don't think the later E-Bods were nearly as quick as delivered to the dealers.  i'm gonna guess again and say low 13s and high 12s were within reach but the tires were/are probably the deciding factor. with a four speed, slicks and a good driver,.. 11s, in prostock tune, 10s..
I'll look it up... 

[Badbob]

In stock form they are slower than the Coronet I drove to work today.

http://www.musclecarclub.com/musclecars/general/musclecars-50fast.shtml

[1968 Charger B5]

lol   biad ply tires are futile

[Brock Samson]

Sox currently drives Bob Reed's four-speed '68 Barracuda that is painted in traditional Sox and Martin colors. "We run it mostly in Chrysler nostalgia shows, and it has gone a best of 8.84, 153 mph.


  http://www.nhra.com/50th/top50/R_Sox15.html

[Brock Samson]

speakin of "hookin up"..

http://www.hotrod.com/projectbuild/43678/

[69bananabeast]

what kind of milage does a hemi get?

[tecmopar]

To answer your question, in stock trim they were mid 13 sec. cars.

[cudaken]

 I remember when the SS mag came out with the track times for the 69 1/2 Road Runner. Ron Sox was the driver. For some reason me think's MR 4 speed was under the hood as well. Just sound's a littel to good for a bone stocker.

                          Cuda Ken

[last426]

A 71 hemi charger did 13.72 as I remember.  I believe that a six pack was a full second slower but there really was a question with preparation.  Kim

[PocketThunder]

what kind of milage does a hemi get?

you can pass everything but a gas station.....

[Stormhammer]

you know - a 1971 340-4spd Cuda was the fastest Mopar off the dealership floor ( lightweight ) with the hemi verison being next ( Superbirds/Daytonas dont count )

[LahTera]

To answer your question, in stock trim they were mid 13 sec. cars.

Actually, the 440 RT was an all-stock mid-13-second car.  The Hemi should be faster.

And fyi, the 440 was set at 375 HP -- old-style measurements, of course.

LahTera

[Telvis]

it's amazing what you guys know.

[Charger Aficionado]

what kind of milage does a hemi get?

you can pass everything but a gas station.....

I knew an old dude that said that Exactly about his SMALL BLOCK HEMI he had...  He did outrun CHP in it though...  So, now I wonder about a BIG BLOCK HEMI...  6mpg? heh...

[andy74]

my friend teddy has a stock all original hemi gtx,he bought new in 67.he told me it averages 7-9 mpg,never had it to he strip.his other gtx,he has run mid 12s,with tuning,slicks and headers

[bull]

what kind of milage does a hemi get?

It really doesn't matter, does it? I don't think anyone has every purchased a 426 Hemi car for good gas mileage. 

[RT DAVE]

Here's some info from my copy of the "CHARGER MUSCLE PORTFOLIO 1966-1974".   It's a compilation of road tests from back in the day.  I haven't found a single 440 powered charger that runs a 13 and most of the hemi cars didn't either.   Here's some brief stats:

67 charger 426 w/727, 3.23 rear   14.16@96.15, 10.1mpg  - Car Life Feb 1967
67 charger 426 w 727, 4.10 rear  14.20@103 , 8mpg    -Hi Performance Cars, March 1967
68 charger 426 w/727  unknown rear gear 14.06@105mph, 11.26mpg - Road Test, March 1968
68 charger 426 w/727 3.23 rear, 13.5@105, 9-12 mpg,   - Car & Driver September 1968
69 charger 500 426 w/727, 3.23 rear 13.80@105mph   - Hot Rod Feb 1969
69 Charger 500 426 w/ 4spd & 4.10 rear 13.48@109    - Hot Rod Feb 1969
70 Charger R/T 440/727 3.55 Dana  14.71@96.67       -Car Life May 1970

[6pkrunner]

I have many many magazines from the era ( 1966 to 1971) and as delivered from Chrysler they were like wounded buffalo. It would take a trip to Al Kirshenbaum and his gang to supertune them to make them bark.
The 1966, 1967 versions with the 276 degree cam would run mid 14 second quarter mile times. A tuned 1968 to 1969 284 mechanical liftered version  would run 13.05 on the bias plys. The hydraulic 1970 and 1971s were about the same.
The untuned versions....well how about a 1968 Charger R/T that would constantly cut mid 15 second times. Yup - slug city.
I read a few interviews with Tom Hoover ( still mainly regarded as the father of the RB based hemi) and he said it hurt to go to tracks to see the 426s cutting mid to high 14s. He attributed to guys not knowing how to set up the twin 4 barrel carbs. In 1969 he and a few other Chrysler engineers were working an a 6 barrel setup for the hemi. They lifted the carbs from the 440 six pack and had a couple of in-house tooled intakes. One setup was on a 1968 Coronet R/T and I guess all that drove it really preferred it above the standard issue.

The 1968 SS Darts and 'cudas were noticeable quicker, but I am assuming you meant street hemis.

[69bananabeast]

what kind of milage does a hemi get?

It really doesn't matter, does it? I don't think anyone has every purchased a 426 Hemi car for good gas mileage. 

Just wondering what to expect .   know im gona get around 10mpg with   mild 446 .  Gonna get a 70 cuda next and was wondering about Hemi seems tempting excepth the cost to build one (just dropped about 8-9500k for 446) , sounds like ill probably end up getting a mild 360 for it. Would like to have a hemi car one day , thought it doesnt seem likely now unless a big raise comes in the future. 

[Ghoste]

The ZL1 Camaro could hardly be called a stock vehicle.  Comparing it to a Street Hemi Charger is biased for the Chev.
That aluminum block full race monster in a 3000 lb car is better compared to the 68 Hemi Barracudas that others have used as a reference in this thread.

[RT DAVE]

The ZL1 Camaro could hardly be called a stock vehicle.   Comparing it to a Street Hemi Charger is biased for the Chev.
That aluminum block full race monster in a 3000 lb car is better compared to the 68 Hemi Barracudas that others have used as a reference in this thread.

That's the way they came when you bought them, so I don't know how you can say that's not stock.   Stock is stock regardless of fairness in comparison to other vehicles.   

[Ghoste]

Then you have to consider the 68 Hemi Dart as stock.

[hemihead]

The Hemi was developed for NASCAR.The Drag Racing thing was just a plus.The Hemi really didn't start to make power until the end of the 1/4.A 440 will take a Hemi 2/3 of the way down the pass.And not many people have the mechanical knowledge to tune one and keep them in tune.Many returned to dealers because people didn't understand them and were disappointed..Most people can't manage one today and expect some kind of magic and are disappointed when it doesn't behave in traffic like their SUV.They are a tempermental engine.

[RT DAVE]

Then you have to consider the 68 Hemi Dart as stock.

I do.  Stock but not street legal. 

[last426]

And not many people have the mechanical knowledge to tune one and keep them in tune.Many returned to dealers because people didn't understand them and were disappointed..Most people can't manage one today and expect some kind of magic and are disappointed when it doesn't behave in traffic like their SUV.They are a tempermental engine.

I just couldn't disagree more.  It is not magic to set one up, heck the carb linkage is the easiest part.  When I got mine it did run a little rough.  But I rebuild the carbs and set them exactly to spec and set the timing exactly and that was all that it took.  If I wanted to race it I would do what any drag racer does, adjust the distributor curve, play around with the jets, etc.  Granted I have a pertronix unit in there that does away with the touchy dual points, but other than that it is stock.  And it purrs, even though I hardly ever drive it -- at ldle it has the distinctive hemi lope and it screams on the road.  Lastly, it is the newer hemi with the hydraulic camshaft so that eliminates another variable, thank goodness.  But it is anything but temperamental.  Kim

[Ghoste]

Then you have to consider the 68 Hemi Dart as stock.

I do.   Stock but not street legal.  

It's as stock and street legal as an aluminum block 427 that didn't appear on any salesmans order form and didn't meet the corporate rules regarding engine size.

[RD]

what kind of milage does a hemi get?

an article a couple years back showed a hemi with two holley throttle body setups on it.  I do not believe it had the gearvendors od unit, but it may have.  anyways it got 15-17 mpg on the highway doing 75-80mph.

[Wakko]

Wow!! Impressive!!! I'd have expected 10-12 tops.

[Lowprofile]

Then you have to consider the 68 Hemi Dart as stock.

I do.  Stock but not street legal. 

It's as stock and street legal as an aluminum block 427 that didn't appear on any salesmans order form and didn't meet the corporate rules regarding engine size.

The Aluminum Head, cast block 427ci Camaro's are known as COPO Cars [Central office production orders] These cars were available from dealers around the country. These cars were sold to racers who could not afford the more exotic and Pricey ZL-1. These Camaros were also the base models for such Collectables as Yenko SC's, Baldwin, & Motion Performance Group.

The Hemi Dart was definitely along the lines of the ZL-1, The Ford Thunderbolt with the 427ci "Sideoiler", and the famous A/FX Cars from Mother Mopar. The 69' Boss 429 Mustang is also in this group.

If you get the chance Wakko, go by Big Daddy's drag racing museum in Ocalla. Lots to see and learn there.

[6pkrunner]

My '68 Hemi Coronet R/T had a 3.54 Dana and could get between 13 and 16 on the highway cruising. The slightest thought of stepping into it would drive those numbers down substantially.

[Ghoste]

Even though it's purely conjecture on my part, I would also offer another point on the COPO topic.  Although they claimed to be out of racing, it's commonly accepted that Chev was heavily involved with it through the back door.  The COPO loophole meant that any dealer who ordered a fleet of vehicles  (minimum 50 I think) could get any custom group of options they wanted. This way, they kept some high performance on the street and to the racers without the liability of actually making those cars.  GM was always afraid of being sued after an antitrust investigation at the beginning of the 60's.  I think it was this fear of the government and Nader that kept their racing activities on the very down low.
I would place the COPO's more on a par with Mr. Norm's offerings except that in the case of the big block Darts, Dodge eventually made them a regular item.
If I'm not mistaken, the first of the COPO's to go to Yenko, came with the equipment in place but he still had to do the actual engine swap.
And, the ZL1 was another monster altogether.  How many were there?  I have a part time job with a restoration firm and auction house so I see a lot of cars in a year and I have only ever come across one ZL1.

[Brock Samson]

rather then start an entirely new thread I'm gonna attach this Tom Hoover Interview from You Tube to this thread...
Seems appropriate... 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvZt4nTaYzk

[RD]

rather then start an entirely new thread I'm gonna attach this Tom Hoover Interview from You Tube to this thread...
Seems appropriate... 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvZt4nTaYzk

wow!! awesome.. thanks for sharing dave!

[Hemidoug]

There is a very small "window" of tune that will make a Hemi scream....the further you get away from that "tune window" the worse the engine runs. The stock intake manifold is not the greatest and as a matter of fact a good quality 4 bbl manifold will make all the difference in the world, however a Hemi with only 1 carb is like finding out the honey you just picked up at the bar has an Adam's apple for a reason (lol). If you own a Hemi (especially if it's a solid lifter one) you better know how to wrench...no doubt about it. Now, the best I've been able to get out of mine is 12.1 @ 116 mph.The car will run into the mid 11s, but it will require more work then I am willing to do to the car to get it there. Quick times are much more then engine power for sure.

As far as mileage...WHO GIVES A CRAP? If you are feeding a Hemi that means you are driving a Hemi.....like I said WHO GIVES A CRAP! When the gas gauge says "E" you feed the bitch if you want to DRIVE the bitch....it's very simple......

[mauve66]

dayclona will make you a 6pak intake for the hemi for $2500

[Hemidoug]

Don't need it......I can tune just fine  .