One of our viewers Ed emailed us many months ago about the 1932 Fords that were owned by his father, both with New York drag racing history. Ray Stillwall purchased the 1932 Ford Roadster in 1948 and built the car in stages over the next 10 years. The roadster was raced at many local tracks, and even at the Allentown Fairgrounds back in 1955! Ed’s father was able to purchase the car back in 1970 and after a few other owners it ended back in the hands of Ed. The blue 1932 Ford Tudor was owned by Ed’s father and was also raced all over. This one stayed in the family and Ed continues to drive and race the car today. We enjoyed spending time with Ed and hearing all of the stories of the two 1932 Ford’s in his shop. Thanks for watching
Have you spotted a Mopar hot rod and wondered, “That thang got a Hemi innit?
Chrysler vehicles have long been renowned for their Hemi V8 engines, which are legendary for their power and performance. Remember the silly “That thang got a Hemi innit?” commercials from the aughts, with the two goofball fanboys interrogating owners of new Dodge vehicles about their engine status?
Most people know that a Hemi means performance, but how many people actually know what “hemi” means? That’s why we’re here. “Hemi” is a reference to the engine’s combustion chamber shape. It is short for “semi-hemispherical,” which means that the combustion chamber space cast into the engine’s heads looks like it was carved out with an ice cream scoop.
Chrysler vehicles have long been renowned for their Hemi V8 engines, which are legendary for their power and performance. Remember the silly “That thang got a Hemi innit?” commercials from the aughts, with the two goofball fanboys interrogating owners of new Dodge vehicles about their engine status?
Most people know that a Hemi means performance, but how many people actually know what “hemi” means? That’s why we’re here. “Hemi” is a reference to the engine’s combustion chamber shape. It is short for “semi-hemispherical,” which means that the combustion chamber space cast into the engine’s heads looks like it was carved out with an ice cream scoop.
“If you cut a ball in half, the rounded top is the combustion chamber shape,” explained Brandt Rosenbush, company historian for Chrysler, which is now part of a company called “Stellantis” following the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles with Peugeot.
A semi-hemispherical combustion chamber has the minimal possible surface-area-to-volume ratio, so less energy is lost as heat through the combustion chamber’s surface, said Rosenbush. It also enjoys good volumetric efficiency because the dome combustion chamber shape provides ample room for large intake and exhaust valves.
While many cars and trucks of the Eighties and Nineties dispelled the notion that American performance died off with the original muscle cars, it took an entirely new engine—one more powerful and less expensive to produce than its predecessor—to reignite the horsepower wars and usher in a new golden age. The Hemi V-8 has since become a standard-bearer for Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, and Jeep vehicles, and its basic engine architecture has spawned more than a dozen configurations, some of them difficult to discern from others. For that reason, we’ve put together this spotters guide to the third-gen Hemi family of engines.
What sets the Hemi apart
Teased in the 2000 Chrysler 300 Hemi C and the 2001 Dodge Super8 Hemi, the new 5.7-liter Hemi (Chrysler stylizes it as HEMI, but for expediency’s sake, we will not) debuted in the 2003 Dodge Ram pickups, featuring a deep-skirt cross-bolted iron block, aluminum heads, overhead valves, 4.46-inch bore spacing, the same bellhousing bolt pattern as the Chrysler LA-series V-8s, coil-on-plug ignition, composite intake manifolds, multipoint fuel injection, and that controversial head design.
Early (2003-2008) 5.7L Hemi heads, top; Eagle heads, bottom
Like the second-generation 426 Hemi, the 5.7L Hemi heads featured opposed valves for a true crossflow design, twin spark plugs, and rocker shafts. The third-generation Hemi did not, however, feature a full hemispherical combustion chamber. Instead, Chrysler’s engineers decided to flatten either side of the combustion chamber to improve combustion efficiency and emissions.
Some might argue that doesn’t make the engines true Hemis, but then again, the Hemi V-8s of yore were massive, heavy engines that cost a lot to machine and that wouldn’t meet modern-day fuel-efficiency or emissions requirements.
David Kimble cutaway illustration of the 5.7L truck engine.
Winter’s last grip on Detroit had started to loosen. Little by little, the slush piles at the edges of parking lots and the last few pockets of white in the corners of flowerbeds had receded, replaced by shoots of life anew – buds on the trees, green on the grass, a few more minutes of sun every day.
Gregory Qualls stood in front of the garage door at his father’s house once again, this time with only the memories of his father on the other side of the door, memories wrapped up in a black unrestored Hemi-powered 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T SE that had sat for nearly 40 years.”I did get a chance to ride in it,” Gregory said. “I remember it was so loud, it’d shake the whole entire house, even inside. I asked my mom what that noise was, and she said, ‘Oh, it’s just your dad starting the car.’ He then said, ‘C’mon, let’s take a ride.’ He took off and the car pulled me back into my seat. I was so scared, but it was something I’ll never forget.”
There are few things as satisfying as watching an old motor undergoing a fresh rebuild, amiright? There’s just something about a vintage cast-iron block and all those imperfections being perfected that warms an otherwise blackened gearhead heart. The aroma of assembly lube and fresh hi-temp paint, gasket sealer and metal polish…those are pleasures that mere mortals will die before ever experiencing.
And especially with an old mill like a ’51 – ’53 Chrysler 331-cu.in. V8: these early Hemi blocks were cast with their bellhousings, which makes them just a skosh more readily available, these days, than their later, bigger 392 cousins. Which also means there’s a better chance of you finding one and experiencing the sheer joy of owning, rebuilding and running your very own early Hemi. That’s just bucket-list stuff, right there.
This trio of Mopar display engines, owned by Steven Juliano, head to auction next month in Indianapolis. Photos courtesy Mecum Auctions.
Once upon a time, auto shows were important events for manufacturers, giving them a venue to reveal their latest models — and latest technology — to an eager buying public. Display engines were a part of this, giving the average person a passing understanding of the internal combustion dark arts, while teasing enthusiasts with the latest high-output options. On Friday, May 17, a trio of Mopar display engines from the Steven Juliano Collection will head to auction in Indianapolis, giving buyers an opportunity to own a unique piece of Chrysler high-performance history.
Five years ago, we asked on the cover of Hemmings Muscle Machines whether this 1970 Dodge Charger was the world’s most documented Hemi car. It’s no idle question, either: Documentation can make or break a car on the marketplace, and the value of this particular Charger’s documentation will soon be revealed when the car goes up for auction at Mecum’s Indy event.
To begin with, Dodge didn’t build all that many Hemi-powered four-speed Chargers in 1970: 56 total, and only 10 in R/T trim with the SE package. After decoding its broadcast sheet and fender tag, owner Steven Segal figured he knew as much as there was to know about the Charger when he bought it from ibaey role in discovering the rest of its backstory. Segal restored the Charger with a non-numbers-matching but era-correct Hemi to replace the original engine, long since scattered in a street race by the original owner. By coincidence, a subsequent magazine feature on the Charger landed in the lap of the man cleaning out old sales files at Suburban Dodge in Metuchen, New Jersey, where its original owner bought the Charger. A muscle car enthusiast, he found the car’s file, saved it from disposal, and sent it on to Segal, who found within it the car’s original dealer order form, Chrysler invoice, notes from the negotiating process, delivery paperwork, and dealer prep work order.
Segal didn’t keep the car babied, either. At the time we photographed it, we took it out for a spin and got to hear the Hemi clear its throat through those over-the-counter headers, still with the car. Sometime later, Segal has located and installed the Cragar mags and Parnelli Jones tires that the original owner put on the car, giving it an authentic Day Two vibe.
Since our article appeared, we’ve yet to hear of any Hemi car with more documentation than Segal’s Charger.
Mecum’s Original Spring Classic Auction in Indianapolis will take place May 14-19 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. For more information, visit Mecum.com.
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