HandClutch

A friend and I were solving the world's problems the other night and the topic came up of 426 Hemis. We both said we had heard the rumor in the mid and late 60's that the Kansas Hwy. Patrol had Hemi's installed in their Plymouth or Dodge patrol cars. I never really believed that and neither did he. Is there any truth to that?

GCD1962

Anything I guess is possible, although it would have been highly impractical as they would have had to fill the tank too often - those things got about 6 to 7 mpg with your foot lightly in it

BLee

There is one at Garlit's museum, can't remember the state or if it's a Dodge of Plymouth but it's a 4 door.

DansYellow66

I grew up in Kansas and graduated highschool in 1969. I was interested in anything to do with hot cars at the time and never heard any stories like that - but I guess anything might be possible. I believe I remember the Turnpike speed limits were 80 mph (I think - CRS) and they probably wanted pretty good power in their cruisers for policing that. I had a buddy with a 63 Plymouth ex-Kansas Highway Patrol car that had a 361 4bbl in it so at that time they were not after absolute power. But, by 69 or 70 they were running 440s in many of their cruisers.

DansYellow66

I had a 64 Plymouth 383 4bbl that was doing good to get 10 mpg and now have a 67 440 4bbl that manages about 8 mpg. None of them were too good on economy but at 32 cents per gallon of permium no one cared much.

DZAUTO

Back in the day of the 426 HEMI, any full size car could be ordered with a HEMI. Air cond WAS NOT available, thus, for the 4dr family sedan or family station wagon, a HEMI was usually not practical------------------but it could be ordered.

I took these pictures at a drag strip in Neb back in the mid 60s.







Tom Parsons

MiguelsC2

Local police chiefs etc.. were known to hit the Hemi option for their Plymouth drivers.

MiguelsC2

Wow. My old Camaro 427 tri-power would pull 17-20 on the hwy using just the center carb. Put your foot in it and you could see the gas needle move.