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Why is the 426 Hemi better than the 440?

Mick56 said:
I had a car magazine that had an article that pitted a 440 six pack against a Hemi. They ran 10 quarter mile drags. Every race, the 440 was quicker off the line, but the Hemi won every single race.
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And the Hemi car was going 6 mph faster when it crossed the line!!! (if we're remembering the same article).
 
The 426 is better than the 392.Who makes water blocks for the 392 that can handle 1500 HP?:moparsmiley:

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This post is only about the stock street engines, not post market highly modified engines. The 440 wedge vs 426 hemi street debate has been around since the beginning. I believe that the street HEMI gets more respect than it deserves; it was built only to homologate the engine for use in NASCAR, which had a 7.0 L displacement limit, which would rule out the use of the 440 (7.2 L). The acceleration times for the 440 cars and 426 cars were comparable as long as the HEMI was NOT a ringer. Many of the car mags would modify their HEMI engine cars with headers, re-jet the carbs, play with the cam, fool with the ignition timing, bolt on drag racing slicks, remove the spare tire, jack and the seats to save weight before their "tests"or they had been modified by a Mopar dealer. You may want to look at these vintage unmodified testers on youtube. If I recall the HEMI cars did not have an engine warranty although the 440 did. The HEMI was a $900.00+ option on a $3000 car while the 440 was about $250.00 tops for the six pack.

Non-modified Hemi vs 440 (four bbl, not the Six pack) vintage road tests

’69 Hemi Charger

’69 440 GTX

’71 440 Charger SE
 
The problem with the Hemi car was no traction, all tire smoke compared to the 440.
 
You mean no bottom end torque. Which oddly enough coincides with it being a high end hp engine. Even more odd is thats exactly how they designed it.
 
Actually in 1962 and 1963 Petty did very good with the single carb 413 & 426 Max Wedge eng cars. In 1963 Petty came in second in the points in Nascar and won more races then anyone else in Nascar that year. But when Mopar wanted to dominate and win the 64 Daytona race they said lets put the hemi heads on the 426 Max Wedge and history was made. In my opinion the 440 was not the baddest wedge from Mopar but the 426 Max Wedge was with its bigger port heads. In todays world with the aftermarket aluminum heads we have the 413 to 440 wedge makes much more hp then it did years back. Many wedges in just slighty modded street car can out run Hemi of the same. But as was said for top hp in racing the Hemi is the best. But like me many cant afford a Hemi and can build a nice running wedge that can still beat many street cars at the track for a lot less money then the Hemi. I like both engines of course since they are both Mopar engines and I have always liked how good the Max Wedge ran in its day. Ron
 
Why is a tree good, why is a sunset good, why are boobs good??
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413/426 Max wedge is great, but they replaced it with the Hemi and history was made.

do the same modifications to each engine and see where you land.

TF engines based on the 426 hemi, nothing better.
 
I have read through this thread with some interest as I have both engines. It seems that there are some here who are trying to convince themselves and others that the 440 is "as good" or even better than the 426 Hemi. I have owned a lot of 440's over the years and they are great engines to be sure (still have one in my 70 Challenger RT). However, it is very hard to deny that the 426 Hemi was/is a monumental (in terms of size and reputation) engine. Sure, in street trim the 440 6 pack would pull the Hemi for awhile but then the Hemi would begin to breathe and it was over.

I really do not think it is a fair comparison to pit them against one another, they are different animals, made for different reasons. There is no doubt that the 440 is a fantastic engine and was used in almost everything which speaks to its versatility. The 426 Hemi is a legend made to dominate the race circuits and excite the buyers.

It would be relatively easy to compare them side by side, but why? IMO they are different tools for different jobs. Additionally, I do not think it is useful or even appropriate to state that the 426 Hemi is "better", I do not think that it is necessarily better, it is more desirable because of its relative rarity. It has a huge ascetic advantage due to the huge valve covers, however from a performance level, unless they both completely stock and unmodified it is not a fair comparison. I would say this, I do believe you can make more power with less work on a 426 Hemi, but I also believe a 440 is much more forgiving and cheaper to run and maintain.
 
There was a warranty on Hemis, 1 year or one engine which ever came first. Friend worked at Secord Chrysler/Plymouth and after you blew the first engine guy were told you won't get another easily. Took a Hemi block home with 2 lifter partly broken after factory looked at it.
 
One of the limitations of RB blocks is that they were under stroked for their deck height. Ever seen a stock Chevelle 396 375 horse pull away from a stock 440 375 horse B-body? Both cars same gears. At about same weight. Its because the shorter deck of the 396 (thus lighter motor rotating weight) got to its power band faster.

Its why I LOVE the B-block. 451 build. Poor man's stroker. 400 .035 over with 440 crank. (Crank does need machining. But not too expensive.) Same size as a 440 .060 over. But easily out performs. The 426 hemi is better. But stock? it too is a little "Boatie"

I would like to say JMO. But I've seen the numbers.
 
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Cojohnso1 said:
One of the limitations of RB blocks is that they were under stroked for their deck height. Ever seen a stock Chevelle 396 375 horse pull away from a stock 440 375 horse B-body? Both cars same gears. At about same weight. Its because the shorter deck of the 396 (thus lighter motor rotating weight) got to its power band faster.

Its why I LOVE the B-block. 451 build. Poor man's stroker. 400 .035 over with 440 crank. (Crank does need machining. But not too expensive.) Same size as a 440 .060 over. But easily out performs. The 426 hemi is better. But stock? it too is a little "Boatie"

I would like to say JMO. But I've seen the numbers.
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Just wondering why the b would outperform the rb in this case. You've described exactly the same bore and stroke so where does the advantage come from? The shorter intake runners?
 
Photon440 said:
Just wondering why the b would outperform the rb in this case. You've described exactly the same bore and stroke so where does the advantage come from? The shorter intake runners?
Click to expand...
Because B is shorter deck height. Means shorter piston profile. Shorter push rods. Smaller mains. Heads are same. But intake is narrower. All adding up to faster raping motor. It's a big block that thinks it's a small block. The down side? a RB block can be built to bigger cubes. But that certainly requires aftermarket crank. You can still find forged 440 cranks in bone yards. (Might have to look a little.)
 
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