If you could have any Hemi, which one?

[cudaken]

 
Been daydreaming about Hemi's today and hoping someday I will have my own. While I have never owned one, I have worked on a few and they are a blast to drive! Just knowing you are controlling a Hemi is a brain rush! 

  I have seeing a lot of newer Hemi's going into our beloved Mopars and was wondering why?  While you are very unlikely to find a used 426 Hemi today in a salvage yard, they are readily available for around $10,000 to $15,000 new. Have no idea what a current Hemi goes for from a salvage yard.

So, if you could have any Hemi listed above for free, which one would you choose and why? 

My self, 426 based block 528 Stroker Hemi by Ray Barton!

Cuda Ken

[JB400]

When you mention 392, you're talking about the old one, right.  They make the new 6.4 Liter 392 Hemi that's in the SRT's that replaced the 6.1.

[A383Wing]

don't confuze him more than he already is

[cudaken]

don't confuze him more than he already is

Bite me Bryan!  JB 400, yes I meant the first gen style Hemi. Yes Bryan, I know there where many different sizes of the first Gen Hemi from Chrysler and DeSoto

Thanks for voting.

Ken 

[polywideblock]

always wanted a 572 2nd gen hemi ,but lately think I would take one of the new 3rd gen 6.4 if it was up there to pick   

                  less weight and better handling for same hp easy pick 

[fy469rtse]

It's not on here , you need to add more options KB blocks , mega blocks ,
I'm like Ken, dreaming about owning KB block stroked , all alloy , big nasty and light !

[Steve P.]

An all aluminum 572" would be fine with me. You know, keep it lite.. 

[1974dodgecharger]

It's not on here , you need to add more options KB blocks , mega blocks ,
I'm like Ken, dreaming about owning KB block stroked , all alloy , big nasty and light !

theres actually a KB blocked stroked here in PHX guy claims its a 15:1 ratio which was high I thought....HEMI power!!!

[JB400]

An all aluminum 572" would be fine with me. You know, keep it lite..  

Kinda small engine for a Charger, isn't it?

[Steve P.]

I wouldn't put it in a Charger. Too heavy.. Like I said, keep it lite. I'd put it in my 65' Coronet 500....  Monster torque and HP in a nice lite package...

As I understand it, the all aluminum 572 fully dressed weighs in around the same as a factory small block. With just a little extra work I think I could get my car down to a 3300 pound car for the street.


Yeah, that's what I'd do.. 

[JB400]

This doesn't weigh all that much  5.3 inch bore spacing

[HemiFish]

I am sorta fond of a Ray Barton/Mega block 528 in an "A" body myself....   

[dyslexic teddybear]

426 [or bigger]

The best of the best.

Know it has downsides......but it's still a Hemi. The ultimate Mopar.

Kinda like Chryslers raised middle finger to the rest of the automotive world.

[Cooter]

655 C.I. RB style.

[John_Kunkel]

The last three are Hemis in name only. Only the Elephant and the Whale deserve recognition as Hemis.

[cudaken]

The last three are Hemis in name only. Only the Elephant and the Whale deserve recognition as Hemis.

I have to agree with John, to me they just look like any other modern engine. When I listed 426 or stroker, that included aftermarket blocks as well.

I thought the newer Hemi's would have a few more votes?

If I would ever get my dream engine, I would use fuel injection.

Cuda Ken

[Lord Warlock]

I have trouble thinking of the new 5.7, 6.1, or 392 hemi motors as being a real hemi, even if they are technically a hemi, they are basically a hemi small block instead of the 426 hemi big block of yesteryear.  Having said that, I really enjoy driving the new challenger r/t with a 5.7 hemi and would like it even more if it had a 392 or a 426 block in it and then supercharge it with a KB blower.  The new age Hemi is by far a better more streetable engine than the old 426 was.   The few hemi owners I knew of in the 70s were always complaining about keeping it in tune and the 440 seemed to run on the roads just as well as the 426 did but nothing compares when opening the hood and showing off those huge valve covers.   Having a hemi in the new mopars is totally different when all you have to do is push a button to start it and it will go 100,000+ miles dependably (not counting the timing chain recall I just had done).

The 66-71 426 street hemi will always be my dream motor that i wish i had in my charger.  Will always regret missing an opportunity to buy a complete 426 motor (disassembled but all there) for 600 bucks in the early 80s...about a week after I put a second 440 motor back into the charger.  Just didn't have the funds available at the time as i was in college and just did an engine swap and got the car running, didn't want to go through it all over again with a new motor. 

The old late 50s 392 was just too heavy and cumbersome to put into newer cars and didn't have the hp in comparison to the 426, unless set up for racing. 

[Mike DC]

 
I'd love to have an aluminum B/RB motor scaled down to smallblock size. 

IMHO the B/RB design is better than the LA.  But even an all-aluminum B/RB is just too heavy. 

[69wannabe]

I would love to have a 528 hemi like mopar offers with 610hp. I have heard many horror stories about crate engines from mopar tho... I would hate to pull a good running 493 RB out and put in a problem engine. Just the sound of having a real hemi sounds awesome tho... I worked on my buddys 68 fastback barracuda that him and another guy had shoved a 572 world block with Indy heads on it in there somehow and I was helping to get it up and running. I had to mount a holley race pump and run fuel lines, fix a valve cover leak and set the timing and I took it for a drive down the road and back and it was pretty stout but I was babying it at first but I could tell it had some giant balls!!!! Second trip I stopped and torqued it up at the beginning of my road and dumped into it and it was like nothing I have felt before. Spinning effortlessly so I put it in second and it never stopped spinning. It didn't have a tach yet so I was just winging it but it was still spinning so I stuck it in drive figuring it would grab and go but it just kept spinning and the engine sounded like it was getting faster the more I stayed in it. I was running out of road so I let out of it but it was impressive to say the least. Sadly he had so hospital bills and it got sold before we could get it to the strip. After my test run up the road I loaded it up and took it to him since he was done buffing my car so I dropped his off and picked mine up. I am not sure where the car wound up but I still wonder if it ever saw a time slip.

[c00nhunterjoe]

While hemis are cool looking, i am for the all aluminum B Motor. 572" indy, 900hp. I dont recall the weight but it was pretty surprising how easy it was to move around.

[rt green]

426 for me. maybe I'm just old school. I just want to experience what made them famous.

[tan top]

  OEM style 426 HEMI  Block !! not a world  block , no offence awesome piece superior to the OEM , but visually don't look right      i'm nut I know 

[XS29L]

My choice would be a A990 super stock 426 Hemi then I'd build a copy of the LO23 '68 Dart to put it into.  Be the way I would stick with the 440 that is in my Charger no matter what is offered .

[ws23rt]

The last three are Hemis in name only. Only the Elephant and the Whale deserve recognition as Hemis.

I agree ----I voted for the 57/58 392 because I don't have one now.  I had a few in the past including a chrysler 300C. I also sold one from a new yorker to a local fire department for their restoration of an old fire engine.

I wanted a hemi bike since the early 70s and chose a KB alum. block and Mopar alum. heads to keep the weight down.

[ACUDANUT]

The last three are Hemis in name only. Only the Elephant and the Whale deserve recognition as Hemis.

X2