1969 Race Dart w/ 426 Hemi- garaged for 45+ years
yes, it is the 500 cu in Hemi Butch Leal raced in his 1982 Horizon (pictured below / restored by Steve Atwell, Sr.). Butch named his engines, the one I have which currently in his Direct Connection Hemi Duster is called "Big Red". With around 16.2 to 1 compression it has a bark unlike most Hemis.
Once acquired I flew Butch to Detroit where he verified authenticity....then we spent 3 days freshening it up. I manned the gunk tank and paid attention.
engine pictured below of how I acquired it, you can see the bulge (#1 cylinder) in the drivers side valve cover. I bought the Hemi before Butch arrived and we (Butch, Steve Atwell and myself ) discovered it was his "Big Red". Gil Kirks (owner of the Rod Shop) son was bracket racing the Horizon with a more docile Hemi after Butch left the Rod Shop. Bob Riffle (Butch's former crew chief for the Horizon @ Rod Shop) told Butch there were some "good" engines with the package Steve got when he bought the race car. He was right.
yes, it is the 500 cu in Hemi Butch Leal raced in his 1982 Horizon (pictured below / restored by Steve Atwell, Sr.). Butch named his engines, the one I have which currently in his Direct Connection Hemi Duster is called "Big Red". With around 16.2 to 1 compression it has a bark unlike most Hemis.
Once acquired I flew Butch to Detroit where he verified authenticity....then we spent 3 days freshening it up. I manned the gunk tank and paid attention.
engine pictured below of how I acquired it, you can see the bulge (#1 cylinder) in the drivers side valve cover. I bought the Hemi before Butch arrived and we (Butch, Steve Atwell and myself ) discovered it was his "Big Red". Gil Kirks (owner of the Rod Shop) son was bracket racing the Horizon with a more docile Hemi after Butch left the Rod Shop. Bob Riffle (Butch's former crew chief for the Horizon @ Rod Shop) told Butch there were some "good" engines with the package Steve got when he bought the race car. He was right.
