'64 Race Hemi Horsepower ?

Discussion of the 426 Street / Strip HEMIs.

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chuckbrandt
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'64 Race Hemi Horsepower ?

Post by chuckbrandt »

Hello,
My name is Chuck Brandt and I am writing a book about mid engined sports racing cars of the 60s and am currently working on the chapter on the McKee Mk5 Hemi car.

Anyway, I'd like to include a realistic horse power estimate. One source says 610 Hp, I just would like to know if that is about right or not.

The engine was obtained directly from Chrysler's Racing Division in late '64 early '65. It's a 426 Hemi with A-990 aluminum heads and a magnesium cross ram with dual list #3116 Holley 780 cfm carbs. I don't really know any more about it than that.

Thank you for any opinions you'd like to share on the topic. I'm also trying to find any articles, mechanics who worked on the car, stories about it, etc.

Thanks,

Chuck Brandt
www.chuckbrandt.com
chuck@chuckbrandt.com

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Bailiesdad
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Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2001 6:00 pm
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Post by Bailiesdad »

I would imagine that a motor setup for motor cross racing was a full roller motor and without knowing what the compression, cam specs, what head work was done, rpm range, and stroke it would be difficult to estimate horespower. 610 seems low for a full race motor.
john
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Joined: Sat May 04, 2002 9:00 pm
Location: phoenix az

Post by john »

I had the privilege of seeing the car & talking to the restorer here in Phx where I live shortly after the resto. His opinion was that the car made somewhere betwen 550 & 620hp but no one really knew for sure as the car was too powerful for the availible drivers (back then) to really push it & now it's too valuable. The story I got was a local car Mopar dealership here (still around by the way) knew McKee & wanted to develop a sportscar with the new motor. The car was built, used a few times & allegedly crashed & that was it until someone realized just what it was (the only Hemi powered Can-Am car) & dug it out of mothballs & restored it. The car is beautiful in a simplistic sort of way (I love that :lol: ) & is a GREAT car representative of the "good 'ol days"
While the 600hp figure may seem low,keep in mind this was in the 426's early development stages & the motor was originally built as a stockcar,endurance type motor & this car was an experiment for a private dealer, so he probably wasn't going to sink alot of money into it.
Bailiesdad
Posts: 433
Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2001 6:00 pm
Location: Maryland

Post by Bailiesdad »

In my expirence with dealers from Dodge, GM, and Ford when they build a racecar they will usually spend what it takes to get to the top with their Name on the side.

They write the whole thing off in their ad budgets.

Back in the days Banning/Lowe/Koons would spend what it took to be on top and the motors were massively built with insane HP numbers.

Bannings Dodges were close to 700HP AT LEAST. The Ford Thunderbolts were right up there and the couple of GM L88 vettes and the one ZL1 were right there also....

Money was no object, with those egos being involved.

With todays tech on tires, fuels, and suspension all those cars with properly tuned and reinforced chasis would be in the 8s.
john
Posts: 49
Joined: Sat May 04, 2002 9:00 pm
Location: phoenix az

Post by john »

Having seen the car & spoken to the owner I could see 600-650hp. It was basically a "stock" Nascar motor (circa mid 60s) with the crossram added instead of a bathtub manifold. They fired it up at the car show and it really wasn't all that radical sounding. Powerful, yes, but considering its exhaust was like a set of zoomie headers it wasn't too bad. I'd give my first-born for a ride in it 8)
desotoman
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Post by desotoman »

Nice car. I hope they don't drive it anymore, especially with the roll cage 3" below the top of the drivers helmet. :)
iron cross
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1965 A990

Post by iron cross »

I finally got back to this site after a absence. I have a 1965 A990 426 straight from a crate.I installedm it in a 1970 Cuda convertible. The car with pictures and engine sound is available to hear at Http://www.nitroalley.net under the Cuda page. It was also a feature car in Popular Hott Rodding and at the Detroit Autorama as a class winner.
The engine is approximately 600+ HP and is a flat tappet cam. Not roller.
National Champion NHRA
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