The New Mopar Street Hemi (426 Hemi blocks)
Were you looking for the new "Hemi Magnum" used in 2003+ Dodges? Click here for details.... or did you want the Dodge Pro Stock second generation Hemi 99 (2006)?
When production of the street Hemi® stopped in 1971, enthusiasts were faced with a gradually decreasing supply of Hemi service and performance parts. Although Direct Connection (now Mopar Performance) and numerous aftermarket vendors produced various items throughout the years, the "big stuff," blocks and heads, became rarer and more expensive as time went on. The musclecar collecting craze of the early 90s sent Hemi prices through the roof, and since most elephant motors weren't exactly babied thought their life, buyers of used parts had to be extremely wary. Hemi racers also had to deal with gradually decreasing power output and the possibility of violating NHRA specs as blocks wore and numerous valve jobs sunk the heads deeper into the combustion chambers.
Fortunately all of that has now changed. In December 1992 Mopar Performance began production of new 426 Hemi blocks, and since then have added heads, standard bore pistons and other parts so that is now possible to build a "new" 426 Hemi from scratch! The new block maintains the same outward appearance as the original (except for a new casting number), but has a thicker deck for better stiffness and gasket sealing. A pleasant side-effect of the improved rigidity is about 25 extra hp. Main caps are cross-bolted just like the original. Mopar Performance has even produced a version of the block with B/RB engine mounts, so a Hemi can now be dropped into a big block car without searching for an expensive Hemi k-member.
New heads and pistons followed in 1995, and fortunately Mopar Performance thought to see fit to produce a set of heads with hardened valve seats, so they can be ran safely on unleaded fuel. Now the only missing major piece is the original 2-4bbl intake manifold, although a single 4-bbl version is available and is probably more streetable. Of course, there's also a magnesium supercharger manifold available for all top fuel wanna-bees!
Racers and restorers alike have been well-served by the reintroduction of the Hemi. Demand has been high and it looks like the elephant will live on into the 21st century as the king of the asphalt jungle. Way to go Mopar Performance!
| A Short List of Key 426 Hemi Part Numbers: | |
|---|---|
| P4529850 | Cast Iron 426 Street Hemi Block |
| P4529852 | Cast Iron 426 Street Hemi Block w/ B/RB motor mount ears |
| P4529898 | Cast Iron Street Hemi Head |
P5249524 |
Cast Iron Dual Plug Street Hemi Head |
P5249525 |
Cast Iron Street Hemi Head w/ hardened valve seats |
P5249206 |
Resto Crankshaft (others available) |
P5249436-37 |
10.25:1 cr. Hemi Pistons (others available) |
P4529315-6 |
Original Equipment Hydraulic and Mechanical Camshafts |
This page created by Steve Boelhouwer
