Larry writes:
> I believe the current "Hemi" motor is just a marketing phrase. Its just a
> typical regular motor design.
Nope, it's a true hemispherical head motor with two plugs per cylinder. IE:
It's not just another V-8. Alloy head, deep skirt pistons, several other high
perf additions. Very efficient airflow due to the head design.
Chrysler never lost the high performance V-8 genes, and mostly kept it alive
in the truck division. For many years in the late 70's and early 80's the
fastest US made production vehicle was a dodge truck, and even in the early
90's re-chipped V-8 Dodge Dakota's were smoking Mustangs and Firebirds at the
drag strip.
Anyway, the new Hemi is a 345 HP truck motor with 375 ft lbs torque, etc. From
345 cubic inches displacement bone stock. (more with some tweaks). It would
give most of the 60's small blocks serious competition and beat them in
emissions and fuel mileage along the way. It's not the 426 "elephant" hemi
which you reference, you have to go to the Viper motor or the truck V-10 for
that level performance. (Or order a new hemi crate engine)
> Hopefully, after being taken over by Mercedes, the
> quality of the cars themselves has improved.
Their quality had significantly improved prior to the Mercedes merger, and is
really starting to become quite good. The big difference is you are now
starting to see Mercedes components in Dodge/Chrysler vehicles and some very
nice engineering. Some of the vehicles are largely reskinned MB platforms
which present quite the value. (Similar to the GM badged Toyotas, sell at a
significant discount for the same car)
Have fun!
Alan
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