• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

64 426 street wedge?????????

These 426/365 hp motors were basically 426 Magnums"-Similar stuff as some of the 1967 cars without the 440 heads. Don't think they had been developed yet. They were GREAT fun to put 361 emblems on the hood and go GTO-396 Chevelle hunting with!! Since the 361's were 2bbl single exhaust, we'd cut a couple of inches off of one tailpipe and put a single chrome tip on the one that was the same side as a 361!! It was a wonderful fake out!! They didn't know what hit them, and we never told!!!

Pretty slick, I guess they didn't know what hit them, I bet they wanted to see that "361" too.
 
Ok I had to get in on this as I love Max Wedge cars. :yes: Here is what I know:

The 413 was around with its standard port heads a few years before 1962. In 62 when the 413 Max Wedge was released they added new heads with much larger ports and new pistons for 11.0 or 13.5 comp. Also the crossram with the 2 carbs and the new solid lifter cam. And better valve springs were added. Also the cool exh manifolds and exh system. So the 413 Max Wedge was nothing like the standard 413 with small port heads and it's hydraulic cam. At that time there was no Stage names given to it. They just called it the SuperStock 413 for Ply or the Ramcharger 413 for Dodge.
In 1963 it was bored to 426 cubes and was basically the same for the rest of the eng and of course it was called the 426 SuperStock or 426 Ramcharger. Then in the middle of 63 they did some head work to flow better and added larger carbs and a bigger cam.
That is when the Stage name came about as Ply called it the SuperStock 426 Stage II and Dodge actually called it the Ramcharger 426-A but everyone else called it a 426 Stage II. The Ply valve cover said 426 II and the Dodge valve cover said 426-A.
Then in 1964 they did more head work and added a better cam so they called it the Stage III. All 64 Max Wedges were Stage III and no 62 or 63's were Stage III's.
So only some 63's were Stage II's and all 64's were Stage III's. And they did not use the Stage name until the Stage II's came out as they were just called Max Wedge's until the Stage II's.

Now Mopar kinda thought the lower comp 11.0 cars might be bought for driving on the street even though they were the same as the 13.5 eng other then the lower comp. But they found out most people did not know how to drive them on the street and be street friendly with the cable choke and all that cam.
So thats why in 1964 they just took the good old standard port head 413 with the small hydraulic cam and its single AFB car with an auto choke and bored it out to 426 cubes. This was built to be driven on the street as it was very easy to drive as a normal car. Thats why the 426 street wedge is in no way anywhere near what a Max Wedge eng was. The 426 street wedge was 365 HP and did not come out until 1964 and was also in the 1965 cars. There was no Max Wedge after 1964 but many people think when they see a 426 street wedge in a 1965 car that they may have a Max Wedge car. But they dont as they just have a mild street wedge. :D Ron
 
Also ment to say that the the 426 Stage II eng with 11.0 comp and 415 hp and the 13.5 comp eng with 425 hp were both Stage II's. Not like some people think the low comp was Stage I and the high comp was Stage II. Not at all as it was the same in 64 as they were all Stage III's whether it had the low or high comp. Ron
 
Well, I know it's nothing like a max wedge, when She said it was a 426 and wasn't sure of the year, I sure was anxious to get there and scoop it up, as soon as i got there She said it's a 64, I thought well could be a hemi car, but I didn't reall think so, I'm not that lucky, but even an original 64 hardtop with a 426 "street wedge" and a 4 speed is okay for what I got it for. It was a "pig in a polk" kinda deal, I didn't know what I was going to find till I got there, and I'm telling Ya what, it was a LOOOOOONG ride to her house that morning, I felt like I was going to see Santa for the first time, LOL
 
Ron...you're the man...you realy do know those wedge motors...:sSig_goodjob:
 
real quick grammer lesson......... billy bob II ...reads ?? billy bob the second
426 II reads 426 the second (as in second gereration 426).......

make any sense?
 
Yes, the 426 wedge "street wedge" was the biggest available big block in 64. The block should be stamped V42 in large font V=1964 42=426 CI. Usually 516 heads, narrow pattern AFB, log type exhaust manifolds and 365 HP rating. In 67 the 440 came out so it became the biggest available big block. The Max Wedge basically had a different top end that was set up for racing and were stamped VMP 42. V=1964 MP= max perf. The HEMI is another story.
 
The "361" hood emblems on those cars was GREAT FUN!! EVERYONE always checked out the hood emblems, prior to dropping the hammer!! We did it on Chevy II's, Chevelles, Impalas, etc. too!! Almost as much fun was putting the 283 emblems on '66 Chevy II's with the 327/350!! Had to trim a tailpipe to "really" pull it off (just like on the 361 cars!!!) and make it seem like a single exhaust!! We were BAAAAAD boys!
 
Last edited:
Block exactly the same on 426 street and max except for AAQA on front of block. Block was of high nickel content. Compression between the two obviously different between race and street motor. The big difference is between the heads and intake. All max wedge cars have a cross ram which only fits the 286 heads. Correct me if I'm wrong, am sure you will. Do not know of any single 4 barrel intake for max wedge but I have seen homemade ones. There not that hard to fab. laryatlas
 
Fact or fiction the 426 was a bored out 413.The 413 has a bore of 4.188 and the 426 is 4.25.Now if the 426 was a bored out 413 that would require a over bore of .062.That being the case how do you explain being able to bore the 426 an additional .060.
That has got to be the thickest cylinder walls ever.
I will leave the notched blocks alone.
 
The only single 4 bbl factory produced max wedge intake was for Nascar!very few made!King Richard ran one,Which my friend owns now!has it signed by the King Richard and other nascar drivers from that era.
 
I had a 1964 Dodge Polara with a 426 single 4 barrell 365 hp in 1965. Do not recall it being called a "street wedge" until after the street hemi's came out.
In 64,65,66 they were great fun beating up on GTO's and the 396 Chevells. As I recall the dodges did not have a "426" callout emblem on them like the plymouths did.
 
The only single 4 bbl factory produced max wedge intake was for Nascar!very few made!King Richard ran one,Which my friend owns now!has it signed by the King Richard and other nascar drivers from that era.

I have seen them for sale at swap meets. There were two versions. A divided plenum single plane for the "long track" applications and a dual plane for the "shot tracks". When you do find one these days they are about $800.00.
 
I just found a site that lists a 64 Dodge as available with a 426 wedge single four barrel, 375 HP and 465 LBTQ at 5600 rpm. Anyone know for sure if this was an option, driving Me crazy trying to verify a singe 4 barrel 426 in a 64 Dodge.
The lady I just bought this car from swears her brother, who owned the car and bought it second hand in 1966 from the original dealership it was sold from, is a 426 car, and He parked after high school, aroung 67-68. Maybe a dealer installed motor?
yes there was a street option 426 single 4 bbl in 1964 but did not have the heads/cam etc of the race engine. I was asked to evaluate a NEW '64 Plymouth with that engine and 4 speed trans, it would have been much better with an auto trans. still a heck of a street ride. if it was a factory street 426 the hood ornament would have said 426.
 
I had a 1964 Dodge Polara with a 426 single 4 barrell 365 hp in 1965. Do not recall it being called a "street wedge" until after the street hemi's came out.
In 64,65,66 they were great fun beating up on GTO's and the 396 Chevells. As I recall the dodges did not have a "426" callout emblem on them like the plymouths did.
I believe your comment to be accurate in all respects, I don't remember the Plymouth being called Street wedge" . I was asked to drive a brand new one in '64 just delivered to a dealer. I had purchased my '63 SS Plymouth from them.
the street426 Plymouth did say 426 on the emblem, the SS 426 cars hood emblem was blank, the reason being the SS car's were built as a 6 cylinder taxi platform (blank hood ornament)with rubber floor mats-no jute backing then driven to Chrysler Marine where that drive train was removed and the SS package installed.Chrysler factory sent a letter to buyers saying the engines were hand installed after assembly and may have scratches,dents around the engine bay area if you don't agree to take as is with no warranty they would not build the car for you. you also had to agree it may take up to 6 months to complete and deliver the car-I ordered my car March 21 1963 (my birthday) received it a month later Friday April 26. nice to be reminded and remember these facts from 55 years ago. where did the time go?
 
Ok I had to get in on this as I love Max Wedge cars. :yes: Here is what I know:

The 413 was around with its standard port heads a few years before 1962. In 62 when the 413 Max Wedge was released they added new heads with much larger ports and new pistons for 11.0 or 13.5 comp. Also the crossram with the 2 carbs and the new solid lifter cam. And better valve springs were added. Also the cool exh manifolds and exh system. So the 413 Max Wedge was nothing like the standard 413 with small port heads and it's hydraulic cam. At that time there was no Stage names given to it. They just called it the SuperStock 413 for Ply or the Ramcharger 413 for Dodge.
In 1963 it was bored to 426 cubes and was basically the same for the rest of the eng and of course it was called the 426 SuperStock or 426 Ramcharger. Then in the middle of 63 they did some head work to flow better and added larger carbs and a bigger cam.
That is when the Stage name came about as Ply called it the SuperStock 426 Stage II and Dodge actually called it the Ramcharger 426-A but everyone else called it a 426 Stage II. The Ply valve cover said 426 II and the Dodge valve cover said 426-A.
Then in 1964 they did more head work and added a better cam so they called it the Stage III. All 64 Max Wedges were Stage III and no 62 or 63's were Stage III's.
So only some 63's were Stage II's and all 64's were Stage III's. And they did not use the Stage name until the Stage II's came out as they were just called Max Wedge's until the Stage II's.

Now Mopar kinda thought the lower comp 11.0 cars might be bought for driving on the street even though they were the same as the 13.5 eng other then the lower comp. But they found out most people did not know how to drive them on the street and be street friendly with the cable choke and all that cam.
So thats why in 1964 they just took the good old standard port head 413 with the small hydraulic cam and its single AFB car with an auto choke and bored it out to 426 cubes. This was built to be driven on the street as it was very easy to drive as a normal car. Thats why the 426 street wedge is in no way anywhere near what a Max Wedge eng was. The 426 street wedge was 365 HP and did not come out until 1964 and was also in the 1965 cars. There was no Max Wedge after 1964 but many people think when they see a 426 street wedge in a 1965 car that they may have a Max Wedge car. But they dont as they just have a mild street wedge. :D Ron
Your description is right on the money Ron. For example the 413 MW in 1962 was never called a Stage I. Stage I terminology never existed. The new 426 MW in 1963 was the first Stage used. It was a Stage II. Also the 1964 Tri-Y factory cast headers were developed for NASCAR racing but were only known to have been factory installed on (1) 1964 426 MW Stage III car. Tube headers had started to hit the market and killed the use of the Tri-Y cast headers. I saw 3 sets of these Tri-Y cast headers at Carlisle this year.
 
Your description is right on the money Ron. For example the 413 MW in 1962 was never called a Stage I. Stage I terminology never existed. The new 426 MW in 1963 was the first Stage used. It was a Stage II. Also the 1964 Tri-Y factory cast headers were developed for NASCAR racing but were only known to have been factory installed on (1) 1964 426 MW Stage III car. Tube headers had started to hit the market and killed the use of the Tri-Y cast headers. I saw 3 sets of these Tri-Y cast headers at Carlisle this year.
for many years I did not believe the cast manifolds (tri Y)? existed except as wooden mock ups for the max wedge, never seen a set till late 90's. imagine my surprise.. one thing that always bothered me is my ^3 SS 426 did not have the superstock valve cover decals and the dealer could not get them for me. but it was a haul *** street/race car,my only transportation at the time
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top