Installation Issues for Hemi Transplant

[Elephant Man]

Hey, kids. I'm considering installing a 426 Street Hemi in a 1971 Dodge Polara 4-door sedan which originally came with a 440 (former patrol interceptor). I anticipate a certain amount of hair pulling, gnashing of teeth and rending of garments, but is there anyone who can enlighten me as to any particular issues I may encounter that I should be aware of? Thanks.

 

[413]

Motor mounts and exhaust. Possible steering column in the way. 426 hemi is large and wide on the cylinder heads.

 

[tallhair]

Hey, kids. I'm considering installing a 426 Street Hemi in a 1971 Dodge Polara 4-door sedan which originally came with a 440 (former patrol interceptor). I anticipate a certain amount of hair pulling, gnashing of teeth and rending of garments, but is there anyone who can enlighten me as to any particular issues I may encounter that I should be aware of? Thanks.

Please document here with a build thread. Will be watching.

 

[tallhair]

I believe on B bodies they also moved the brake setup over further to the drivers side by a little.

Are you going for an if they had done it look, or I’m just gonna shoe horn it in here look?

 

[413]

I believe on B bodies they also moved the brake setup over further to the drivers side by a little.

Are you going for an if they had done it look, or I’m just gonna shoe horn it in here look?

This is false info. On Disc brake E& B bodies with 426 hemi the booster and MC was moved UP to clear the valve cover. It was not moved over.
Manual brake MC is in the stock position.

 

[tallhair]

This is false info. On Disc brake E& B bodies with 426 hemi the booster and MC was moved UP to clear the valve cover. It was not moved over.
Manual brake MC is in the stock position.

I stand corrected.

You are a better man than I.

I apologize for misrepresenting.

Please forgive me.

I will probably never do it again, on purpose.

I will defer to you for all officially sanctioned correct information on Hemi specifics in future.

P.S. I’m sure you are correct.

 

[413]

No need for all that BS just clarifying what they did.

This is not measuring who is better, it’s ALL about the cars.

 

[tallhair]

No need for all that BS just clarifying what they did.

This is not measuring who is better, it’s ALL about the cars.

Sure. I agree.

No worries mate.

you were perfectly cordial in your response.

My mistake. I’ll try to do better.

 

[Elephant Man]

Now, now, boys. Take it easy. We’re all among friends here. It goes without saying that when a Hemi enters the picture, EVERYTHING moves over. Or under. Or out.
In response to Tallhair’s question, the plan at this point is to create a “what if” project. You know, what if a bunch of old Ramcharger racers were sitting around the table in the Hamtramck break room back in ‘71, and someone said, “here’s what we oughtta do. Build us an interceptor for the ages. A real balls-out take-no-prisoners pursuit special that will violate most of the laws of physics, and that absolutely

 

[Elephant Man]

(oops) no one, I mean no one in their right mind would want to mess with. Who’s in?”

They all look at each other. Someone clears his throat.

“So when do we start?”

 

[tallhair]

Now, now, boys. Take it easy. We’re all among friends here. It goes without saying that when a Hemi enters the picture, EVERYTHING moves over. Or under. Or out.
In response to Tallhair’s question, the plan at this point is to create a “what if” project. You know, what if a bunch of old Ramcharger racers were sitting around the table in the Hamtramck break room back in ‘71, and someone said, “here’s what we oughtta do. Build us an interceptor for the ages. A real balls-out take-no-prisoners pursuit special that will violate most of the laws of physics, and that absolutely

Love it.

And I’m cooperating here. I’m trying to work with you here. Darn tootin.

i say this my wife every time she gets mad at me btw for no reason lol

 

[Elephant Man]

So I look around the Denver area and find a Mopar resto shop that has a nice vibe to it. After talking to the owner and describing what I had in mind, I asked him if he thought I was crazy. “No,” he said. “I think you’re a visionary.” So I sat down at my computer, and after the meds kicked in I hammered out what I intended to be a quick outline of my project for his review. Well, several hours and 62 pages, plus photos, plus Table of Contents later, I sent it to him. His reply consisted of “WOW!” And

 

[Elephant Man]

So I told my wife about it. “Are you serious?” She replied. “Darn tootin’” I responded, grinning like that kid in “a Christmas Story” when he talks wistfully about his Red Ryder BB gun. “Well that’s not going to happen,” she said.

It couldn’t have been worse had she said, “You’ll shoot your eye out.”

 

[tallhair]

So I look around the Denver area and find a Mopar resto shop that has a nice vibe to it. After talking to the owner and describing what I had in mind, I asked him if he thought I was crazy. “No,” he said. “I think you’re a visionary.” So I sat down at my computer, and after the meds kicked in I hammered out what I intended to be a quick outline of my project for his review. Well, several hours and 62 pages, plus photos, plus Table of Contents later, I sent it to him. His reply consisted of “WOW!” And

Please lay out your vision for us in the peanut gallery

 

[tallhair]

Hey, kids. I'm considering installing a 426 Street Hemi in a 1971 Dodge Polara 4-door sedan which originally came with a 440 (former patrol interceptor). I anticipate a certain amount of hair pulling, gnashing of teeth and rending of garments, but is there anyone who can enlighten me as to any particular issues I may encounter that I should be aware of? Thanks.

Can we see some pichers of this car in its present or former state btw?



There’s no option for this forum, or thread anyway, for the ‘this thread is worthless’ without pichers thingy unfortunately lol

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Welcome to the group.

What you want to do has been done before, at least twice that I know of. There was a Hemi 1970 300 Hurst that would be at Carlisle every year, but I probably haven't seen it for over 20 years now. There's also a 1970 Plymouth Gran Coupe. A member here owns the Plymouth, but he's not the one who did the conversion. It would still be worth while to message him, as he may know many of the details of the swap, or at the very least could get you some good photos of the work done.

1970 Plymouth fury hemi

Jeff

 

[tallhair]

Btw



On this forum this is a friendly symbol

 

[Elephant Man]

The photos of the engine bay of the 1970 Fury are precisely what I was intending. That is spectacular, and represents what it is about our joint obsessions regarding these cars - and this hobby - that keep us reliving our youth, and our spouses in therapy. Regrettably, I don’t know that my project is going to happen at this point. I was on the verge of buying the vehicle when I had to put the brakes on. So, no photos I’m afraid. I can summarize my vision, though, if anyone is interested in drifting off to sleep early.

 

[tallhair]

The photos of the engine bay of the 1970 Fury are precisely what I was intending. That is spectacular, and represents what it is about our joint obsessions regarding these cars - and this hobby - that keep us reliving our youth, and our spouses in therapy. Regrettably, I don’t know that my project is going to happen at this point. I was on the verge of buying the vehicle when I had to put the brakes on. So, no photos I’m afraid. I can summarize my vision, though, if anyone is interested in drifting off to sleep early.

Im interested

 

[Elephant Man]

Fair enough.
I’ve always liked the 1971 Polara police pursuit, since I stumbled across one for sale while attending college in 1973. It was fresh out of the body shop and pristine. Rebuilt 440 to outrageous specs. I test drove it and buried the speedo. Suspension so stiff you could feel driving over a gum wrapper. They wanted $600 for it. I was in college and didn’t have $6. I’ve been looking ever since.
I’ve owned a couple of ‘77 Gran Fury pursuits, but nowhere near the visceral experience. I retired after 40 years as a criminal trial lawyer, and I needed a project.

About a month ago I found my Polara. Completely restored and refurbished. Showroom condition. I was a goner. My plans were to contract a resto shop to do the build. They’d get the Hemi built, shooting for about 550 - 600 hp. Fuel injected. Remove all cop decals and emergency stuff. Keep the 2 spotlights. Install a bull bar bumper. Add Unity driving lights on it. Install a fully modern police radio console with scanner, stereo, cb and radar detector. Install whip antenna and others. Also include a number of SW gauges to monitor half a dozen various fluids. Remove the front bench seat and install true buckets from a ‘71 Charger, with matching interior police trim. Install vinyl floor. Try to modify a 200 kph Canadian A body speedo to mph. The visual impact alone would be worth the effort. Repaint the entire car in Dodge G8A Dark Gunmetal Metallic. Cop dog dish drilled hubcaps, and Dodge cop slotted wheels. Paint to match car. Fairly wide blackwall tires, but able to fit nicely under wheel wells. Car should have a nice aggressive stance and rake. 3” exhaust. Stock sounding exhaust. 2.76:1 rear gears, with Sure Grip. Hotchkis suspension mods. Quick ratio power steering. Disc brakes. Create fantasy build code sheet, fender tags and window sticker, as well as a modified yellow warranty waiver sticker similar to those affixed to the ‘68 Super Stock Hemi ‘Cudas and Darts.

The crowning touch: install an AutoMeter tach that perfectly replicates the factory oil pressure gauge.

So what do you think? Is it the new Bluesmobile or what? The lighter even works.