The Paddock is your source for Dodge/Plymouth Restoration
Let your Hemi or Max Wedge Breath with air cleaners from The Paddock!
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1966 - THE LINK BETWEEN RACING AND THE STREET
So successful was the race version of the Hemi
engine, so strong was the demand
to make it available to the general populace, so heavy was the pressure from
the various sanctioning bodies to make it a regular production piece or stop
racing it, that Chrysler did just that. The new Street Hemi was merely a
slightly detuned version of the race engine with a reduced compression ratio
and inline dual 4-barrel AFB carburetors, as opposed to the race engine's
Cross Ram intake configuration.
Dodge introduced the new Charger, a sporty fastback based on the Coronet platform
which quickly became the body of choice for Dodge NASCAR teams. The Charger
also proved popular with street car buyers with engine availability up to and
including the Street Hemi. The 426
Street Wedge continued to satisfy performance
enthusiasts looking for a warranty - which the Hemi did not have. Curiously,
little hype surrounded the new Chrysler and Imperial-only 440 RB Wedge-engine
introduced in 1966.
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