Re: IML: 426 Hemi Imperial

["A. Foster" <monkeypuzzle1@xxxxxxx>]

Hi;
  As far as I know the last Hemi equipped Imperials left the factory in
1958, how many of those were fitted with 392's built to Chrysler 300 specs
is unknown. There is a common misconception with the early Hemis that the
300's had just a regular Hemi with a dual quad manifold on top but they were
actually a race engine almost as much as the 426.
  As for the Imperials of the later 60's I would very much doubt it, the
type of buyer that these cars attracted were usually wealthy order people
who wouldn't know Richard Petty from Gloria Vanderbilt's gardener. The 426
Hemi is a race engine, noisy, rough running,  violent, and high maintenance,
all of the things that a 440 is not. On the other hand I wouldn't sell the
440 engines short when it comes to power, they have more then enough to move
these cars around, even the detuned ones from the 70's.
As powerful as the 426's are they were never designed for low RPM torque to
move a 7000+ pound car around, in that respect the performance gain would be
negligible.
 The 440, even in the Plymouth and Dodge cars, was never developed to its
full potential for performance by Chrysler as they had it in the bag with
the 426 Hemi, but it is still a well designed engine capable of making lots
of power with minimum upgrades. Most of the cop cars that Chrysler sold in
the 60's and 70's used 440's and that was in the muscle car era. If Chrysler
had taken the same path with this engine that they had with the earlier 413s
we wouldn't be having this discussion.
Best Regards
Arran Foster
1954 Imperial Newport
Needing A Left Side Tailight Bezel and other trim parts.
1975 Chrysler Newport
Complete with 440 engine soon to get dual exhausts.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <r.villanueva@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, October 07, 2005 4:21 PM
Subject: IML: 426 Hemi Imperial


Back in the 60's car companies were willing to build a car according to the
purchaser's wishes-to some extent, has there ever been any Imperial fitted
with
a 426 Hemi engine from the factory?, or has someone out there modified an
Imperial in such a way?, it would be an awsome sight if done properly to
look
like a factory job, not to mention the improved performance. Chrysler lost
the
edge to Dodge/Plymouth when it came to specialty cars once the Letter series
300s were shelved, would have been the ultimate Imperial!

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