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Hemi vs. 440 Chapter 2

68BabyBlue

68BabyBlue

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After over 50 years of speculation, I have finally had the incredible fortune to have one of each, the old 440 car I drove back in the day, and the one I always dreamed of, the Hemi that was always just out of my reach.

I can't say that either is better, but as many of you pointed out in my original thread, the Hemi indeed comes on where the others leave off. Thanks again to all of you who gave your input on my decision.

The stars aligned perfectly - I found a numbers matching original sheet metal car only 195 miles from my door step, and got a great deal from a fellow FBBO member. What a place!

440 GTX Engine.jpg Hemi GTX Engine.jpg
 
congrats :thumbsup::thumbsup:

I hope it's all you wanted it to be

enjoy
 
68BabyBlue said:
After over 50 years of speculation, I have finally had the incredible fortune to have one of each, the old 440 car I drove back in the day, and the one I always dreamed of, the Hemi that was always just out of my reach.

I can't say that either is better, but as many of you pointed out in my original thread, the Hemi indeed comes on where the others leave off. Thanks again to all of you who gave your input on my decision.

The stars aligned perfectly - I found a numbers matching original sheet metal car only 195 miles from my door step, and got a great deal from a fellow FBBO member. What a place!

View attachment 1140535 View attachment 1140536
Click to expand...
Best deal that I can think of. Anyone out there know the weight difference? Just curious congrats I hope I have such luck one day.
 
So when is the head to head race to see which is really fastest?
 
Congratulations, you're a very lucky guy! Now you have one of each, are you able to give a description of how each is to drive, in terms of sound, responsiveness, handling etc? Does the Hemi just feel different?
A Hemi engined car is on my bucket list for sure, I just love reading about them.
Thanks
 
66 Sat said:
Congratulations, you're a very lucky guy! Now you have one of each, are you able to give a description of how each is to drive, in terms of sound, responsiveness, handling etc? Does the Hemi just feel different?
A Hemi engined car is on my bucket list for sure, I just love reading about them.
Thanks
Click to expand...
No question, they are different. The road test I have from the Feb '68 issue of Car Life, has been duplicated by my personal experience. Baby Blue (440) feels like a beast in normal traffic, compared to the Hemi. Smoother idle, a bit more torque at the low end. Hemi feels more like the '73 Dart with a 318 my dad had back in the day, on the low end. From 70 mph up, the difference comes in, the Hemi just wants to run, and I have no public highway around here with enough room to sanely test the ultimate difference. We have a stretch of mountain road south of town where I've opened up all my GTXs in decades past, and for sure, the Hemi was at least 20 mph faster before I ran out of straight road. Cars are not true apples to apples matched: 440 has 3:23 gears, no power options, Hemi has 3:73, power steering, power discs. Both are automatics.
 
I've had a few 440's in my 71 Cuda but the Hemi pulls so much stronger above 4000 RPM.
 
I love them both, two different engines in a lot of ways. Both are flat out awesome. Congrats! Share more pics if you have time! I always consider the hemi a high end heavy breather and the wedge a good street terror.
 
Here are some more pics. The vintage Pennsylvania license plate was bolted to my dad's 1970 Valiant when it was new. I saved it for 51 years, hoping it would someday ride on a beast like the Hemi.

Hemi GTX front.jpg Hemi GTX left side.jpg Hemi GTX Rear.jpg Hemi GTX rt.jpg
 
They let you put a 70 plate on a 68 up there? Ours have to be year specific in Alabama.
 
Jerry Hall said:
They let you put a 70 plate on a 68 up there? Ours have to be year specific in Alabama.
Click to expand...
I have a ‘66 Florida plate - my Belvedere is originally from Florida - and if I want to register the car using the plate I have to send it to Tallahassee and have them approve it before I can put it on the car. I hope they don’t lose it.
 
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