[FWDLK] The Real D500-1 was [FWDLK] '56 D-500 2x4 Air Cleaners

The Dodge 2 four barrel air cleaner was part # 1734944. It is a large round dry element air cleaner that was adapted from a very early Purolater unit specifically for the Dodge and has relief for the heater fan motor. I also have an earlier dry element 56 Chrysler unit it does not have the relief. I believe there was enough clearance on the Chrysler so a relief wasn't needed. Furthermore and perhaps more important for D500 history is the continuing claims that the dual carb option was an in the trunk deal. It is very certain that as the very first D500-1 Maximum Duty cars were being produced that the only available carb set up was a single 4 barrel. So as I have said on the list many times there is a good possibility that you could locate a Dash One car and find it is a single 4 and still correctly a Dash One. The initial bulletins that show the upgrades to the Dash One models show a long list of upgrades from the D500, for instance the HD 11 Borg and Beck clutch and HD taxi manual transmission were stock. It came to pass that Dual Quad were needed for maximum performance and who could argue this point, could you imagine the Chrysler 300 of 55 without Dual Quads an engine that was a mere 16 cu in larger that the 315 Dodge. Danny Eames Carl Kiekhaffer and many others contributed to what became the Known as The Dual Four-Barrel Carburetor Group. The DFBCG was a collection of parts that transformed the D500 Hemi into a true race hemi of it's time. Now many people may remember that the introduction of the aluminum manifold was hurried to be available for Speed Weeks and was passed out to racers to retro fit to their racecars, this is not to be confused with the DFBCG, racers were given only the intake carbs and linkage. The DFBCG was first introduced with part numbers and content before Speed Weeks on Jan 12 1956 while some of the parts most notable the exhaust manifolds were not even in production, Dodges intent was to get a Nascar assembly approved ASAP which required options be released to the public for 30 days before they could be used in racing. It wasn't until March that all the intial DFBCG components were assembled for the complete package for production. This included the high flow 2.5 in exhaust and MUFFLERS and the aforementioned air cleaner. Dodge was still making advances however and subsequent upgrades were not far behind including on March 14 when Dodge amended the DFBCG to include 10.1 compression cylinder heads and shorter intake and exhaust pushrods. I have all the Dodge division bullitens with all the part numbers and Dates. For me the big issue here is that Dodge created a race hemi and it was not something that was sent to the dealer in the trunk, Dennis Kennedy was a big Historian on the 56 D500 and this was his contention but it doesn't sound true when the facts are laid out, the DFBCG was a collection of many parts including an entire exhaust system. The factory was offering the DFBCG as a special order option by their own brochures. It doesn't ring true that Dodge would build the D500-1 Chassis and send it to the Dealer to install an elobrate and extensive changeover of parts. Granted the cars were not produced until late March 56 and Ceratinly were rare. It's also true that earleir cars may have got the parts over the counter or in the truck but lets put the DFBCG myth to rest. Too many restorers are thinking that they add the dual quads and they have a Dash One, THIS IS SIMPLY NOT THE CASE. The DFBCG was a final touch to the Dash One that put it on a level only the 300b could compete with and it was a full level above a standard (but HOT) D500. No testing was ever done by any magazine of a D500 with the DFBCG option, however it was noted that the cars were available by all sources. Hope this helps put some clarity to the Real D500-1. Tim in Golden