OK... So could they really make a...

[georgethedog]

Design a V-10 Viper engine that has the hemispherical head design? I know it would be massive, but heck, they put a 426 hemi in a Dart back in the day. Just imagine the possibilities with a real Hemi designed Viper V-10. I have seen HP tests on stock 426 hemis from the 60's that were putting down 700+ HP at the crank all stock. The 425hp rating those got was so ficticious for insurance purposes. Could this be done and would it fit? Sorry, just being nostalgic tonight thinking about my old muscle cars.

 

[Paul Hawker]

Could be done, but not gonna fit.

Called them Elephants for a reason.

 

[Camfab]

Stock Hemi's never made that kind of power, that's just old timers BS'ing after a case of beer. The real power potential of these engines was and still is in forced induction. Muscle car mags love to lay the folklore down. Seems like every few years they up the numbers just to keep pace with todays superior engines. Let's face it, we are living in the greatest muscle car era of all time. The old car mags have products to sell to nostalgic baby boomers.

One other note to remember, dyno #'s on pre '72 cars were based on a very artificial set of rules. In fact similar to many aftermarket engine builders. Engines were set up with virtually no accessories and typically did not use complete exhaust systems, this gave very unrealistic HP numbers.

 

[Camfab]

Sorry double post

 

[VYPR BYT 94]

Its a neat idea but if you made it fit, you would loose the balance you have now with the current bodies vipers have ... it would end up looking like something out pf a hotwheels cartoon... can't imagine that thing taking corners at high speeds.

 

[Matt162]

Stock Hemi's never made that kind of power, that's just old timers BS'ing after a case of beer. The real power potential of these engines was and still is in forced induction. Muscle car mags love to lay the folklore down. Seems like every few years they up the numbers just to keep pace with todays superior engines. Let's face it, we are living in the greatest muscle car era of all time. The old car mags have products to sell to nostalgic baby boomers.

One other note to remember, dyno #'s on pre '72 cars were based on a very artificial set of rules. In fact similar to many aftermarket engine builders. Engines were set up with virtually no accessories and typically did not use complete exhaust systems, this gave very unrealistic HP numbers.

Very informative! This is why these forums rock!

 

[Flying Viper]

Stock Hemi's never made that kind of power, that's just old timers BS'ing after a case of beer. The real power potential of these engines was and still is in forced induction. Muscle car mags love to lay the folklore down. Seems like every few years they up the numbers just to keep pace with todays superior engines. Let's face it, we are living in the greatest muscle car era of all time. The old car mags have products to sell to nostalgic baby boomers.

One other note to remember, dyno #'s on pre '72 cars were based on a very artificial set of rules. In fact similar to many aftermarket engine builders. Engines were set up with virtually no accessories and typically did not use complete exhaust systems, this gave very unrealistic HP numbers.

All correct info. I thought the same things. This is the time of the muscle car, enjoy it now.

 

[Cobraken]

Did I dream it or didn't the guys @ SRT actually put one together as one of their "let's see if we can do it" exercises?

 

[v10enomous]

Let's face it, we are living in the greatest muscle car era of all time. The old car mags have products to sell to nostalgic baby boomers.

While today's cars are far faster and better made I disagree that this is the "greatest muscle car era of all time". Today's muscle cars are also far fewer and far less colorful. Back in the sixties and seventies muscle cars were a much bigger part of American Pop Culture too. Don't get me wrong... It's great to see the revival of all of these old name plates although many have disappeared forever. Just like movies the technology is better the and actresses have better boobs and teeth and stuff but a remake is a remake and something can only be new and original once. A thread devoted to "Then and Now" would be a lot of fun.

 

[Camfab]

I certainly can't disagree with your analysis of pop culture and an amazing era filled with great muscle cars and good times. The facts solidly point to the superiority of todays cars, though certainly not diminishing the past glory days, just building on them. Really anyone who's built cars of the past can really appreciate what modern day muscle has been able to accomplish. I love the old Hot Rods and all the time and effort people put into their projects, it becomes a part of who you are and it's a great feeling showing what you've got. I'm just happy to be living in an era where corporate America is pumping out 600+ HP beasts that come with a warranty and will run a 100,000+ miles, simply amazing!

 

[Smog Dog]

I certainly can't disagree with your analysis of pop culture and an amazing era filled with great muscle cars and good times. The facts solidly point to the superiority of todays cars, though certainly not diminishing the past glory days, just building on them. Really anyone who's built cars of the past can really appreciate what modern day muscle has been able to accomplish. I love the old Hot Rods and all the time and effort people put into their projects, it becomes a part of who you are and it's a great feeling showing what you've got. I'm just happy to be living in an era where corporate America is pumping out 600+ HP beasts that come with a warranty and will run a 100,000+ miles, simply amazing!

And get 20MPG !

Bill

 

[v10enomous]

The older cars were easier to modify and more visceral to drive. I test drove a new mustang and challenger last week and I'm going to take a Camaro out soon but they are not as exciting to drive. I graduated HS in 77 and was fortunate enough to have grown up on the right side of the tracks where my friends and I had all of the best muscle cars to choose from as good used cars under $2k so I've owned or experienced most of the great ones. There's a good reason that they bring big money at the auctions. The cruise nights and car shows that are around these days are just an attempt to recapture what used to just happen every friday and saturday night at burger joints across the country. Hopefully we are on our way back to that.

 

[STUGOTS]

now and then thread would he pretty cool

 

[DarcShadow]

Are modern Hemi's really all that? Back in the day they were a big deal because the hemi head allowed much better air/fuel mixture and made a significant inprovement in power. But with today's precicely controlled fuel injection a hemi head has little if any advantage over other designes. The moder hemi's are mainly a PR/advertising thing more then a power thing.

 

[v10enomous]

Are modern Hemi's really all that? Back in the day they were a big deal because the hemi head allowed much better air/fuel mixture and made a significant inprovement in power. But with today's precicely controlled fuel injection a hemi head has little if any advantage over other designes. The moder hemi's are mainly a PR/advertising thing more then a power thing.

I agree that Hemi's were a much bigger deal back then before the wide scale manufacturer application of overhead cams, fuel injection, forced induction and electronic ignition .

 

[georgethedog]

Stock Hemi's never made that kind of power, that's just old timers BS'ing after a case of beer. The real power potential of these engines was and still is in forced induction. Muscle car mags love to lay the folklore down. Seems like every few years they up the numbers just to keep pace with todays superior engines. Let's face it, we are living in the greatest muscle car era of all time. The old car mags have products to sell to nostalgic baby boomers.

One other note to remember, dyno #'s on pre '72 cars were based on a very artificial set of rules. In fact similar to many aftermarket engine builders. Engines were set up with virtually no accessories and typically did not use complete exhaust systems, this gave very unrealistic HP numbers.

I believe it was a speed channel show that took 4 different old original stock engines to compare HP at the crank...not the wheels (I know there is a big difference). They had the Chevy 409, the Buick torque monster 455, a Ford 429 and the 426 Hemi. They were out of the cars on a platform and were reading hp at the crank. The 3 other engines were making somewhere in the 400-500 range and the Hemi was around 700+. It was a show made on the Speed channel (I think--and I may have made a DVD of it) sometime in the last couple years. So, it was not a bunch of beer drinkers and it was not pre-72 numbers. They started the engines and ran them up and had them on the dyno for all to see. I could not believe it myself, but they were showing the computer dyno while they ran the engines. I bet someone else on here saw that show. They had no reason to lie and the show was not Chysler biased. That engine was way beyond its time and Chrysler lied about its true hp for insurance reasons. We are not even living in a muscle car era...IMO. Sure, there are a few muscle/sports cars out there, but nothing like the variety and character of the 60's and early 70's. We are living in an era where most every car looks the same except for the Mustang, Challenger, Camaro... Which, by the way, are updated copies of muscle car era styles! Funny how the US car companies had to go "retro" (ie copy from the real muscle car era) for their modern muscle cars.

 

[v10enomous]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIU0tFA3bKM&feature=player_embedded

 

[v10enomous]

This is all of the episodes of all seasons of American Muscle Car streaming from Netflix.. 5 Star rating


http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/American_Muscle_Car/70142381?trkid=2361637

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Camfab]

Ok, all I can say is you can believe what ever makes you feel good. If it's on TV it must be the truth, by the way that stock Hemi made 850 hp on that clip. Not a single one of those internals shown on that clip was stock. While those shows are fun to watch, honesty does not make for ratings. I work in the business.

 

[Camfab]

By the way George, I feel like I sort of derailed your original question. I'm sure a modern day version of a Hemi headed V-10 would be awesome. I also believe that those Hemi headed monsters were way ahead of their time. I always felt that the Viper would have been beyond Bi#$%n with a modern day fuel injected elephant under the hood.

 

[georgethedog]

By the way George, I feel like I sort of derailed your original question. I'm sure a modern day version of a Hemi headed V-10 would be awesome. I also believe that those Hemi headed monsters were way ahead of their time. I always felt that the Viper would have been beyond Bi#$%n with a modern day fuel injected elephant under the hood.

Your quote is really my original point. But, as others have said, fit and weight would be an issue, but it's a fun thought. Nice discussion.