426 Hemi information

[HersheysHemi]

This is an interesting conversation.
My uncle bought my block through dodge parts department in the mid 70’s and had it in his 73 cuda for a short time and then I bought it from him and it’s been in my 70RR ever since. Been honed once but is still standard bore and has about 15,000 miles on it. I put the blower on late 90’s.
It has WT stamped in the pad by the distributor.

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Cool setup

 

[70Hemi-RR]

Thanks, good luck on your project

 

[rickseeman]

I guess I shouldn't say that I have no idea what a good Street Hemi block would cost. In the last 2 years I've seen 2 of those new Street Hemi short blocks that Gratiot Auto was selling for $795 in 1976. Those 2 were 1969 casting dates. They were around $25,000 each. And one of them was only 60 miles away from me (and that's saying something when you live in rural Arkansas). But there's no way I would pay that much for one because the rotating assembly is worth nothing to me, so it was really $25,000 for a new block. For me, I would much rather have a 90's Mega block so I can have 4.500" bore. (Some of the 90's block were siamese bore.) I love the power of the big cubic inches.

 

[AR67GTX]

As someone noted above, the 1966 cast blocks were in the system for a long time. I think my block came out of a 68 car with a 66 casting date.

 

[Runcharger]

My opinion. Either a block is the original one or it's not. However I can tell you a lot of those 66 blocks had cracks on the main web. On my 66 Hemi Coronet I didn't want some burnt up, ex racer, patched nightmare. So I bought a new and correct looking 90's MP block. It made sense to me but the ex Corvette collector types wanted nothing to do with the car when I sold it because they would have preferred a patched up 66 block instead of the solid piece in the car.
Next time I do it, I'll be putting an aluminum block in the car.

 

[6PKRTSE]

I have had 2 iron Hemi blocks in the past. Both were 66 blocks. My current Hemi block is a Mega block. I also have 3 KB aluminum blocks for future twin turbo builds.

 

[AR67GTX]

I have a friend with a 69 Hemi RR who sourced a dated replacement block, had an experienced Hemi builder build it and only upon the dyno test did they discover a crack in the valley. With the cost he already had in it he had the crack pin stitched and the builder said it would be good to go for street use. It’s been on the road for about 6 years now and he’s not afraid to run it hard so seems to be holding up OK.