[Jeff Higgins]

I'm an old MOPAR guy from way back, having been into them (and subsequently back out - marriage, kids...). Let me tell you about Hemi cars...

They are indeed quite rare, at least as original equipment. They added about half again to the cost of the car and were typically quite a long wait to get one. Insurance companies either charged a massive premium on them, or refused to cover them altogether, contributing to their lack of sales. The 440 cars were a relatively cheap and available alternative.

The 440 cars were nowhere near as fast as the hemi cars right off the lot. The 440 four barrel was rated at somewhere around 375 HP; the Sixpack (three, two barrel Holley carbs) got about 390. Those were realistic gross numbers. The Hemi was rated at 425 HP @ 5,000 RPM. It was well established that no Hemi ever left Chrysler that made less than about 550 HP @ 7,000 RPM or so. Driving a Hemi car and a 440 car leave no doubt as to the difference, believe me. The Hemi did make 425 HP @ 5,000, true enough, but that's like rating an early 911 S motor at 5,000 RPM. It is rather deceiving, and meant to be.

'71 was the last year for the hemi. Not many were made at all, even compared to earlier years. They had to continue to produce enough of them to homologate for NASCAR, but that's about all they made. The column shift in your friend's Charger must be for an automatic transmission; they simply never made a column shift manual hemi car. That would be a three speed, and MOPAR did not have one suitable for that kind of power. Their 727 Torqueflight automatic was used in all big block V-8 applications. It was renowned for its strength, with early nitro burning, blown dragsters and funny cars running them.

The '70 and '71 hemis are hydraulic lifter motors, easing some of the maintanence chores. MOPAR guys decry the fact that they were "dumbed down" for the masses from the old solid lifter motors, but they made every bit the power.

What is an original hemi car worth these days? A small fortune; your friend is right. I simply cannot believe what they sell for these days. Even the "clone" cars, built up from non-original hemi cars, are going well over $50k. Double to triple that for an "average" hemi car; several times that again for something unique. Original, unmolested hemi cars are the RS, RSR, and R's of the muscle car world. Same stituation; originals are out of reach, everyone is building copies, and many get sold as "original". Interestingly, the hemi is still a catalog item in the MOPAR Direct Connection catalog...