When did hemi's first come out?

[Todd Wilson]

What year  and size was the first Hemi engine from Chrysler?!


Todd

[Vainglory, Esq.]

The 426 first came in the 1964 model year, but it was a race-only engine.  The 426 street hemi came out in 1966.

The early hemis went through many iterations - not counting the tank and airplane engines for WWII as I'm limiting this to passenger car applications - the first was introduced in the fall of 1950 for the 1951 model year.  It was called the "FirePower" and it displaced 331 cubes.  It was put into the New Yorker, Saratoga and Imperial.

[Todd Wilson]

The 426 first came in the 1964 model year, but it was a race-only engine.   The 426 street hemi came out in 1966.

The early hemis went through many iterations - not counting the tank and airplane engines for WWII as I'm limiting this to passenger car applications - the first was introduced in the fall of 1950 for the 1951 model year.   It was called the "FirePower" and it displaced 331 cubes.   It was put into the New Yorker, Saratoga and Imperial.

You are close!      1927   AIrplane!


Todd

[Vainglory, Esq.]

I'm limiting this to passenger car applications

Anyway, this thread is worthless without pics!

[Todd Wilson]

I'm limiting this to passenger car applications

Anyway, this thread is worthless without pics!

So post some pics!   


Todd

[Shakey]

I was gonna guess in the mid to late 50's.  There were 392 Hemi's wern't there?  Obviuosly I haven't done any searches as of yet!

[Troy]

We had this discussion on the old board didn't we? Dodge produced Hemi headed airplane engines long before they were put in cars. The "early" Hemi car engines were around in the 50s.

Troy

[TeeWJay426]

The first Hemis were produced in CARS in1951; they displaced 331 cubic inches, were standard in the Chrysler New Yorker & the Imperial, and optional in the Saratoga. DeSoto got a 276 cubic inch version in 1952, and Dodge got a 241 cubic inch version in 1953.

[2fast4u]

   With TeeWJay!!

[Todd Wilson]

1927  the Wright Cyclone  9 cylinder engine 525hp.   They went on to develope the B29 engines in a hurry up deal for WWII.

http://www.allpar.com/history/military/b-29.html



Todd

[golden73]

1927   the Wright Cyclone   9 cylinder engine 525hp.     They went on to develope the B29 engines in a hurry up deal for WWII.

http://www.allpar.com/history/military/b-29.html



Todd

Very interesting read. Would love to throw one of those puppies in my charger 

[Lowprofile]

Some of those old Hemi's

[Lowprofile]

And some not so old.......

[6pkrunner]

Chrysler's first hemi heads were designed for the Wright 3350 engines for the B29 Superfortress. For automotive use it was in 1951 as mentioned above with the 331 that made 300 horsepower and gave birth the the Chrysler 300.
The first hemi engine was designed and built in 1901 by Peugeot.

[Afflyer]

Guys I hate to burst your bubbles, but a colleague and I had this very conversation just yesterday.  He claimed that Ford made the Hemi before Chrysler and I told him he was higher than a kite.  We did some research via Google, and we were both stunned to find that the French POS car company, Peugot made a racing engine in 1912 with hemispherical heads.

Damned Frogs! 

Bradley

[6pkrunner]

See post above yours. The first example Peugeot had running was 1901.

[John_Kunkel]

History has given the nod to the 1904 Welch four-cylinder engine as the first with a hemispherical combustion chamber to power a passenger car. The 1908 Franklin also had hemispherical chambers

[Afflyer]

See post above yours. The first example Peugeot had running was 1901.

Okay, so maaaaaaybe I was ten years off the mark.