Hemi Crate Engine
If you want massive horsepower potential, you get a Hemi. The original 426 Big Block Mopar Hemi was an unbelieveable monster. While they had good power off the showroom floor and won a lot of races for Mopar owners, the potential was even better than that. For my money, there's nothing better than a 426 hemi with a blower sitting up on top polished up. The combination can hit 1,000 horsepower pretty easily.
Mopar Hemi engines have been 331, 354, 392 and 426 cubic engines and the new 5.7 Liter hemi. The 426 being the most well known of the monster horsepower hemi's. Hemi engines are named because of their hemispherical combustion chamber design. 426 Hemin valves are not side by side as most other V8 engines. They are across from each other. You can also fit bigger valves in the 426 Hemi because of this.The shape of the bowl allows the air fuel mixture to flow across the cylinder, which increases overall flow on the head. Spark plugs are in the center of the combustion chamber so fuel and air experience very full combustion. Because the cylinder combustion chambers are hemi shaped, the pistons are often domed to increase or decrease engine compression.
426 Hemi engines from the 60's found their way onto NASCAR and NHRA tracks and were very successful. They also made in onto the street in several Dodge, Chrysler and Plymouth cars. Original Hemi Cudas and Challengers are among the highest dollar muscle cars at auction. 426 Hemis came with 2 Carter 4 barrels and made about 425 gross horsepower. It didn't take much to up that horsepower big time because the heads flow so well.
