Hemi Yes or No

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skypower

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Well I would like to get some opinons on running a Hemi on the street with 4/speed and 4.56 gears. Are any of you doing this? How much work to keep it running i.e. valves adjustments, things like that, I know the older 426's were kind of cantankeras on the street, are the new crate motors any better. When I bought my car I just wanted a Hemi Cuda but now I have confused myself looking at all your guys wedge setups. This will be a street car run at the track maybe once or twice a year just for fun. I will put maybe 2-3k a year on the street. Any input would be helpfull. I want to get started on my engine setup soon.

Thanks in Advance
Bob
 
The new piston designs are way better and Ray Barton does all the Hemi engines for Dodge now. Buy one from Ray with the good rocker set up and it will be perfect. Buy a 528 with the aluminium heads. (1-610-693-5700)
 
Yes or no.. for me no..i'm a small block only kind of guy...
 
Be careful with Ray!! i would just use a good local engine builder if you do it,
 
I say YES to the Hemi but don't run 4.56 gears unless you want 10 gallons per mile performance and don't want to go on the highway.
 
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc1V4BLsOt8&feature=related"]YouTube - Ray Barton's old hemi car[/ame]
 
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYQB1lWCaOY&feature=related"]YouTube - Ray Barton street Hemi on the engine dyno[/ame]
 
As far as valve adjustment there's no reason I know of that you couldn't go hydraulic. Even the last of the street hemis had hydraulic lifters.
 
I know they can make good power my main concern was durability and how often I would be tweeking it like the valve adjustments carb adustments things like that. I just don't have tons of time to work on it but do want to drive it regularly and have fun. Wife is ok with going to a cruise in on friday night but not me staying late at my shop all the time working on the car. My shop is an hour from the house so I don't get home till late anyway so lots of time there tends to lead to cranky wife and no fun.
 
depends totally on your combination, tire size, induction set up, camshaft, compression.

Any hemi that makes real power is gonna be more maint than a wedge, even w good parts they seem to be alot more sensitive to things like valve lash, spark plugs, tuning, etc.

i run a 4:56 on the street w/ my 4 speed. drive the car all over the place. With the cross ram i wouldn't want anything less, its pretty much a pig till you get it revved up a little. when it has a automatic in it i could probably get away with a 4.10 or 4.30

that being said you could build a bad *** wedge a lot cheaper that'll make the same power, just doesn't look as cool
 
depends totally on your combination, tire size, induction set up, camshaft, compression.

Any hemi that makes real power is gonna be more maint than a wedge, even w good parts they seem to be alot more sensitive to things like valve lash, spark plugs, tuning, etc.

i run a 4:56 on the street w/ my 4 speed. drive the car all over the place. With the cross ram i wouldn't want anything less, its pretty much a pig till you get it revved up a little. when it has a automatic in it i could probably get away with a 4.10 or 4.30

that being said you could build a bad *** wedge a lot cheaper that'll make the same power, just doesn't look as cool


Yes….. We all know you can run 4.56s on the street.

But….. Better options are out there especially if you like going 65+ on the highway.
 
Yes….. We all know you can run 4.46s on the street.

But….. Better options are out there especially if you like going 65+ on the highway.

like i said, it depends on the combination & what your doing.........

thats why i built a 68 barracuda with a 3.23 and low compression SB for going 65+ on the highway :thumbrig:
 
I also have run several cars with 4.56's on the street not as worried about that don't mind 45/50 mph cruise. Just worried about all the maitinance issues does anybody have some suggestions on a setup that might work good with my setup. Tire size 29.5 but I think I have room to go taller if I need to. 68 Hemi GTS what's your engine setup like if you don't mind me asking.
 
I also have run several cars with 4.56's on the street not as worried about that don't mind 45/50 mph cruise. Just worried about all the maitinance issues does anybody have some suggestions on a setup that might work good with my setup. Tire size 29.5 but I think I have room to go taller if I need to. 68 Hemi GTS what's your engine setup like if you don't mind me asking.


i have my combo listed at the link, that was with the automatic. i'm going back to a 4 speed this year. how fast do you want to go with it??


http://www.bigblockdart.com/forum/showthread.php?17452-500-quot-pilots-please-check-in-here/page2
 
Was hoping for low 11's high 10's pump gas I can run fuel if I need to but much more convient to pull into station on they out than bring fuel home from work in a can. I ran 10.40 car on the street 25 years ago was just hoping tech now adays may make it less work.
 
Was hoping for low 11's high 10's pump gas I can run fuel if I need to but much more convient to pull into station on they out than bring fuel home from work in a can. I ran 10.40 car on the street 25 years ago was just hoping tech now adays may make it less work.

It should easily pull 10 sec quarter mile times.
 
Was hoping for low 11's high 10's pump gas I can run fuel if I need to but much more convient to pull into station on they out than bring fuel home from work in a can. I ran 10.40 car on the street 25 years ago was just hoping tech now adays may make it less work.


not really to much of a issue. spend money on good valve train, put a solid roller in it. build as big as possible. in all honesty i don't really do much work on mine now that its dialed in. i pull the valve covers about once a month weather it needs it or not. i usually put a set of plugs in it at the same time. seems to be real hard on the electrodes. mainly its just a pain in the *** to work on. i think the issue you'll have w the stick if you really race it will be breakage problems. at least thats been my hang up with the 4 speed. im putting a adjustable clutch in it this year. should help it get off the line and not be so hard on parts.
 
you'd be surprised, There's alot of hemi's running around that are flat pigs.
I agree that was one of my concerns with bying a crate motor. What kind of $'s to get simalar engine setup you have seems to work for well for you.
 
not really to much of a issue. spend money on good valve train, put a solid roller in it. build as big as possible. in all honesty i don't really do much work on mine now that its dialed in. i pull the valve covers about once a month weather it needs it or not. i usually put a set of plugs in it at the same time. seems to be real hard on the electrodes. mainly its just a pain in the *** to work on. i think the issue you'll have w the stick if you really race it will be breakage problems. at least thats been my hang up with the 4 speed. im putting a adjustable clutch in it this year. should help it get off the line and not be so hard on parts.

Not too worried about breakage won't be driving it to hard only once in while I have Dana 60 with ladder bars going to add coilovers I will however put scatter shield in the car and good driveshaft. How do you like your caltracs kind of still debating the coilover setup with the ladder bars on the street.
 
Was hoping for low 11's high 10's pump gas I can run fuel if I need to but much more convient to pull into station on they out than bring fuel home from work in a can. I ran 10.40 car on the street 25 years ago was just hoping tech now adays may make it less work.


this hemi went mid 10's easy ans i think he had 4:10 gears. drove the car ont he street a lot. i'd get something other then that MP heads though. everyone i know (this motor included) had big problems with them.

http://www.abodyjoe.com/dannyshemi/thehemi.htm


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