Hemi help please.

[Small Block]

Here's the scoop. I have a couple of my cars setting up town on a friends lot and they are getting a bunch of attention but so does a museum. Had a gillion calls but the money man hasn't steped up. Lots of lookers but yesterday i had a kid call me as he was getting off work and ask the usuall questions and then started talking mopars. He ask if i buy other cars and of course my reply was occasionally. Ask him if he knew of some and he said he had some that didn't run and might trade one or some for a running car as his didn't. In asking what he had i found,according to him, he had a 67 Coronet R/T but it needed work as his dad pulled the motor before he died and it was sitting in the garage. Asking which motor he said a hemi but the pistons for it were in a box in Indiana. HMMM? Talking more he told me he had two other hemi cars that needed alot of work. Claims they are a hemi roadrunner and i can't remember the other but it was also a hemi. I'm trying not to act excited. Kid says he's 24 and don't know anything about body work so he's not going to be able to build em. Claims he might be able to build the motors but don't have the tools or space. I truly don't know anymore to the truth of all this but you can damn sure bet i'll be there on saturday to investigate. I've got a name and phone # so maybe not a dead end. My question for those that know is this. What #'s will i be looking for and where will i find them on the car? I'll check back in this evening when i get back and before i go look at em. I have had buddies play jokes on me that sounds a whole lot like this. Having someone call and say they got this or that. If so they sure know how to get my attention. This i have to check out. I have been known to give a person what they want even if they are stupid. Believe me i'll keep ya posted. Thanks guys and gals. I knew i was forgeting something...the phone #........let me go out to the truck and get it.......

 

[63hemipolara]

In 68-69 the letter to look for in the VIN is a J, this denotes Hemi.

Make sure the radiator yoke on the inside of the engine compartment matches the las 6 #'s of the VIn, also in the trunk under the lip of the driver's side trunk seal about half way up should have the same #'s there. Look for torque boxes around the front of the spring perches and a box plate welded in around the ends of the trans mount, easy way to tell a hemi car without VIN #'s

Happy hunting.

 

[69 Runner]

Will also have a gusset welded in by the shackles. Also, if one is a 70 it will have an "R" in the VIN for a Hemi. In 70 "J" was used for 340 Six Pack

 

[Small Block]

Thanks guys for the come back. I'll look at em tomorrow and see if all is on the up and up. If all is as the guy stated and he wants a NICE driving MOPAR i will be having me a couple of those hemi cars. Sounds to good to be true but i have to follow through with it and take a look anyway. Wish me luck.

 

[696pack]

The below covers Hemi availability and identification items for 1966-1971.
There were Race Hemi cars built in both 1964 and 1965, but these are entirely different animal and they are not identified by a engine digit in their V.I.N. There is a factory list of the actual COMPLETE V.I.N.s of the cars built but I do not have that complete list available at this time to include here.

For 1966-1971 Hemi cars the first thing to look at is the V.I.N. plate. There are a couple of things to look at here depending on the year of the car.

For 1966-67 the Hemi was only available in B bodies.

1966
The 5th digit will be "H" this is the only thing you need to look at in the V.I.N. as the Hemi was available in ALL B body types in 66.

1967
The 5th digit in 67 was J and again the Hemi was available in all B body types but only a few were built in anything but a GTX, R/T or Charger. There is a 2nd digit price code to look for in 1967 beyond the price codes available in the 1966 models. This price code is:
O= Super Stock

1968
The 5th digit again is J.
You will also need to look at the 2nd digit in the V.I.N. for 1968-up cars. This digit identifies the price class. This year the Hemi was limited to Roadrunners, GTXs, Barracudas, Super Bees, R/Ts and Darts. These price class codes are:
M= RR & SB
S= GTX & R/T
O= Super Stock Barracuda and Dart
There are two documented Hemis that were built in Coronet 440s, the exception to the above factory model availability.

1969
5th digit again is J and the same codes for the 2nd digit as 1968 apply except for the Barracudas and Darts as the Hemi was not available for these cars in 1969, AND the addition of price code:
X= Charger 500 and Daytona

1970
The 5th digit was R and the same codes for the 2nd digit as 1969 as well as the below codes for the Hemi in the newly introduced E bodies.
S= Cuda & R/T
NOTE: X is not used in 1970

1971
Again the 5th digit is R.
The 2nd digit codes are the same as 1970.
.
Torque boxes are a common item looked for on Hemi bodies and are found as welded in reinforcement boxes at the front leaf spring hanger. They are not ALWAYS present on Hemi cars and were most often hit and miss in 1966 and 67 models.

All Hemi cars will have a triangular plate on the outside of the rear of the leaf spring bracket to the unibody frame.

All Hemi cars will have a DOUBLE pinion snubber reinforcement plate on a Hemi car. All of these cars have a floor reinforcement plate in the snubber area but the Hemi cars have a second one welded over top of the standard one.

All Hemi cars came standard with police brakes which are 11" drum brakes front and rear. HOWEVER, there are some exception to be noted. Disc brakes became an option in late 1966 and when these Hemi cars are so equipped WITH the Dana rear end the rear brakes were changed to 10" drums.

All Hemi cars came standard with police suspension and can be identified at the rear end of the torsion bars with "781" on the left and "780" on the right. The leaf springs will also have a different number of leaves from one side to the other.

All manual trans. Hemi car will have a Hemi 4 speed, but it can only be identified by pulling the side cover and checking the gear cut, or if the trans is out of the car by counting the input splines. 18 on a Hemi car and 23 on all others.

All manual trans Hemi cars came standard with a Dana 9 3/4" rear end and Sure grip was manditory. Auto cars came with an 8 3/4" and Sure Grip was not required.

 

[69 Runner]

Forgot about the extra piece for the snubber.....

 

[Small Block]

Just like always....

....someone comes through on these sites by Joey. 6Pack that is just what i was looking for so i copied it off for my reference folder. I'll go look at em this evening and see whats what. Thanks for the info guys and i'll let you know about this after i return. May be a snipe hunt but i gatta check it out.

 

[Small Block]

Some good news!

I got one traded for. I got the 67 Coronet R/T 426 4 speed car complete with Dana 60. Block and heads are with the car as is the headers and dual quad intake. The 4 speed and radiator, pistons and crank are in Ill and we are schedualedto got get em in about 2 weeks. I made him a whale of an offer on the hemi 4 speed roadrunner that he's stewing on and hope he takes it. I traded my 91 dodge short wide pickup for the 67 R/T. I did well. Heres the numbers on the door post
WS23J771XXXXX. I'll pick it up tomorrow

 

[69 Runner]

Congrats.......youuuuuu*(%^%^$*&&%%$%$$#%&%

:tongueflap:

 

['68-Charger-Guy]

Congrats! Can I have some of your luck? If you want we can give some of mine to some one you don't like. lol

 

[Small Block]

Still excited !!

I looked in MCG last night and scanned through the coronet section and found one similiar car but with an auto and the add said it was only one of 27 autos. Any idea how many Hemi 4 speeds were built on the R/T package. I see a lot on info in one of the post about the hemi cars and what they had and can't wait to get it home and take a real good look. Did you ever notice that when ever you're in the middle of some really important negotiation the silly cell phone will ring with someone on the other end wanting to know if you really did put the pepper back where you got it as they can find it where it should be or some silly neighbor will pull up and want to bullshit or drink beer. On the way home i called the wife and told her the details and that i couldn't be bothered and if a neighbor showed up i was going to run his *** off, QUICK. The guy followed me home to look at my trade. I guess as reality comes into play this guy could back out before the trade is complete today at 2 P.M. Lets hope not. I'll post back as soon as i hit the drive with it.

 

[696pack]

According to the figures I have in Galen Govier's white book of production figures 6th edition April 1998 it shows:
1967 Coronet R/T with 426 Hemi 283 units shipped. 121 4 speeds and 162 autos.

Now don't take this wrong, (as per my signature below I own a 1966 Hemi Coronet) but 1966-67 Hemi cars are the lowest valued Hemi cars of all. The R/Ts are on the bottom rung of the ladder under GTXs and the RO/WO cars are on the top with the 2 door sedan cars bringing the next highest prices in todays market.

These cars are also some of the most expensive Mopars to restore. There is very little available for restoration parts. The current repro sheet metal parts are very poor quality. There is talk of a major new sheet metal provider making some parts for them but has not yet happened. For now the only option that most are willing to use are good donor sheet metal when it can be found. The center R/T grille piece is like gold if you can find one, the tail light and rear panel trim as well as the front grille surrounds are VERY difficult to find in good condition and hard and expensive to restore. Other items that are specific to this car only are the hood louvers, interior door R/T plagues, and exterior R/T emblems.

If the interior is original and needing resto, be sure to be careful in removing and saving the seat medallions as they are not available repro. Also be sure to look for the broadcast sheet in between the seat springs and burlap. The sheet may also be found behind the glove box liner up under the dash, under the original carpet, or sometimes under the headliner usually at the front of the roof. Often times these sheets are for a different car that the car they were put in and sometimes you will find multiple sheets in one car.

1967 was the first year for 15" X 6" stamped steel wheels standard on the Hemi cars and are hard to find and EXPENSIVE also.

I hope the car you have found has these hard to find parts in good condition and wish you the best of luck with the car.

 

[69 Runner]

Everything you say is true, but they are still Hemi cars. A few years back I had the chance to buy a 66 (or a 67, don't remember, don't care) Charger. Passed on it just cause I really don't care for that first gen. Charger.

Now I'd take a Hemi Satellite in a second if given the same opportunity.

 

[696pack]

Everything you say is true, but they are still Hemi cars. A few years back I had the chance to buy a 66 (or a 67, don't remember, don't care) Charger. Passed on it just cause I really don't care for that first gen. Charger.

Now I'd take a Hemi Satellite in a second if given the same opportunity.

Yeah, they certainly aren't making any more NEW original 426 2 X 4 Hemi cars.

It is a good thing from the standpoint of buying an entry level original Hemi car, it is just very easy to get in over your head regarding codt to restore vs. value. Of course to someone that plans to keep it for a long time the value will most likely exceed their present day cost when the economy turns around.

 

[Small Block]

Some bad news !!

I called the kid up yesterday about 1:30 as i was to go up about 2 PM to get the car and ask him if he was going to be home as i was headed his way. He informed me he needed about a week to think about it. Damn it !! 20/20 hind site should i say. I should have headed that way the instant he said he would trade but then there would have been other problems out there. Remember some of the parts were at his brothers house/shop in Ill so he would have tried to throw a monkey wrench in the equasion had i got the car to my place. All is not lost as i have no shortage of projects. I can now start on the 62 Post belvedere max wedge car or the 68 SS project or the 68 GTX clone project. Man i saw a neat car at MMW that i have here in the field of dreams that really stuck out in my mind to get started on. A 66 fury 1 2 door post. The guy there had it painted white with a 440 and a 4 speed in it. Very nice job to say the least. All is not lost guys so we'll go on and keep looking for any and all projects worthy of redoing them . Sorry i got you guys worked up and i promise next time i will be on it like a dog on a bone.

 

[69 Runner]

All of a sudden I thought about a 70 dart R/T

 

[696pack]

all of a sudden i thought about a 70 dart r/t

huh????

 

[69 Runner]

See....there was this thread on another forum where this guy posts that he had found a 70 Dart R/T. Had all this info etc., but wouldn't post any pics etc etc.

Small Block knows this story. I was just picking on him:grin: