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Happy 426 HEMI Day -A retrospect of 426 HEMI® powered machines from the last 50 years

57K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  Runner2go 
#1 · (Edited)


By David A Hakim, photos from David A. Hakim and quartermilestones.com

Yesterday, we gave you some details on how the infamous 426 HEM® came together in just 10 short months beginning in March of 1963. We also gave you the lowdown on what made the 426 HEMI a force to be reckoned with on the race tracks for 50 years. Even today, the 10,000 horsepower NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car engines that propel their drivers to speeds over 300 mph in under four seconds within a 1000 feet are still based off the original 426 HEMI.

So, with this being 4/26, we want to go back and look at some of the awesome cars that had this mighty engine nestled between the fenders. We also want to give a shout out to some of the men and women that hurled them around the high-bank ovals or the quarter-mile strips with reckless abandon as the competition ate their dust while inhaling HEMI exhaust fumes.




The King and his HEMI powered machines ruled the Super Speedways and ovals for many years.
Unfortunately, NASCAR officials had enough and banned the 426 HEMI by the mid 1970s.





Built during an era when engineers didn't have to ask for permission, the HEMI-powered
Dodge Daytona driven by Buddy Baker set the racing world on it's ear for being the first stock bodied
car to exceed 200 mph. Once again, NASCAR had enough of Chrysler cars beating the competition like a drum and banned the wing wonders after the 1971 season.







The Sox & Martin team dominated the NHRA and AHRA Super Stock and Pro Stock classes with their HEMI powered
Plymouths from 1967 to 1971. With master mechanic Jake King spinning the wrenches, Buddy Martin's executive
management style and Ronnie's cat- like driving reflexes in reaction times and shifting gears, this team was a terror
on any drag strip. Unfortunately, NHRA wasn't amused and factored the HEMI Pro Stockers with additional weight by '72
to "level the playing field". Sore losers.










Leading the Dodge Boys and the Scat Pack to victory was Dick Landy and his awesome stable of HEMI Dodges.
From Chargers, Coronets, Darts and Challengers, Landy's fleet of high-horsepower muscle machines ran as good
as they looked and took home their share of trophies during the 1960s and early 70s. His unlit cigar,
linebacker build and professional appearance were his trademarks.








Shirley Shahan made history as the first woman to win a NHRA national event as she drove her 1965 Plymouth HEMI Belvedere
to a Super Stock class win at the '66 Winternationals in Pomona California. The following year, Dodge made her an offer she couldn't
refuse and soon the "DRAG-ON-LADY" moniker was painted a the door of a '67 HEMI Coronet and then her '68 Super Stock HEMI Dart.




Another lady racer who shocked the boys when she pulled up to the line was Judy Lilly.
Her "Miss Mighty Mopar" Super Stock HEMI Barracuda earned many wins and was so popular among
the fans, model kit maker MPC offered a scale down plastic version for young gearheads to assemble.





Finally, who could forget the infamous Ramchargers and their candy striped HEMI Dodges
that ruled the strip. Their reign of terror started out with the 413 Max Wedge in 1962 but when
the 426 HEMI came out in '64, the gloves came off. These guys conquered the the Super Stocker
classes and would expand their domination into Factory Experimentals, Dragsters and Funny Cars.
This group of dedicated Chrysler engineers spent their evenings working on race cars and weekends
at the track proving to upper management the meaning Win on Sunday, Sell on Moday. It certainly worked.


 
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#2 ·
The Sox and Martin pic with the Twin Plug is cool!When I was in High School my buds dad had one.I got to drive it once and was just nuts!
 
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