Would Two Chebby's equal One Dodge?

[ws23jrt]

I didn`t read all the last post "gotta go'', BUT A 68 STREET HEMI DID NOT HAVE HYD. LIFTERS. THINK THEY STARTED THAT IN 70> NOT SURE. All the older ones had solid lifters!

This last post got me thinking.
I bought a 68 Hemi RR in the late seventies. The original engine was rebuilt to stock but had HYD. lifters. If it is true that the 68 engines came with solid lifters from the factory why was the block designed with oiling for hydraulic lifters? Were they not thinking ahead with that engine for many reasons?

 

[Budnicks]

I didn`t read all the last post "gotta go'', BUT A 68 STREET HEMI DID NOT HAVE HYD. LIFTERS. THINK THEY STARTED THAT IN 70> NOT SURE. All the older ones had solid lifters!

yep but the information was still correct
{starting in 1966 the street hemi's were designed for use of a hydraulic camshaft, applied in 1970}
https://www.allpar.com/mopar/hemi/hemi.html

it/I was not year specific in either of my examples,
since the LS7 was a 1970 deal IIRC
{IIRC don't quote me 68 street hemi's had solid lifter, Dart/Barracuda LO23 & BO29's}

it was a generalization, not gospel anyway,
I should know better doing anything like that here

 

[super-bee_ski]

Yeah,
In reality:
The SR's were powered up by 2 Buick 455s during the Air Force time.
I know, we had them here at Edwards AFB.
It had to do with Torque

 

[BeeKool]

There were some Buick 455s that come out with 510 lbs torque.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_V8_engine?wprov=sfla1

 

[Budnicks]

Yeah,
In reality:
The SR's were powered up by 2 Buick 455s during the Air Force time.
I know, we had them here at Edwards AFB.
It had to do with Torque

yeah great torque #'s from them Buicks

love them 455's

-------------------------------------------
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolete_Big_Block_engine

also the 454 in 1970 LS5 had 500 ftlbs
the 1971 LS5 had more torque @ 550
in 1971 the HP was down to 425 & in 71 LS6 had 575 ftlbs advertised
in 1970 454 LS7 had 610 ftlbs advertised,
out of the crate, could be a reason why they chose that combo

I hope I don't lose my Mopar Man card for posting that stuff

just the facts mam, just the facts

 

[not so famous bob]

There were some Buick 455s that come out with 510 lbs torque.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_V8_engine?wprov=sfla1

I remember those running at the dragstrip, didn`t impress anybody but the owner!

 

[not so famous bob]

yeah great torque #'s from them Buicks

love them 455's

-------------------------------------------
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolete_Big_Block_engine

also the 454 in 1970 LS5 had 500 ftlbs
the 1971 LS5 had more torque @ 550
in 1971 the HP was down to 425 & in 71 LS6 had 575 ftlbs advertised
in 1970 454 LS7 had 610 ftlbs advertised,
out of the crate, could be a reason why they chose that combo

I hope I don't lose my Mopar Man card for posting that stuff

just the facts mam, just the facts

no man card loss. but those engines still couldn`t out run my hemi ! There was a 454 that ran about the same , till we both switched to super stock the same yr., guess whose E T went way down the most. no brag just fact!

 

[super-bee_ski]

I remember those running at the dragstrip, didn`t impress anybody but the owner!

Until a Buick Gran Sport Stage 1 BEAT a Hemi Road Runner in a famous Muscle Car Review magazine article that SHOOK up the Muscle Car World.

Now, as your statement points to a Drag Strip, YES, the Hemi can be made to "do so much more"
Currently my STOCK 1970 Hemi in my Superbee (Stock automatic cam) ran on a Dyno in 2005ish
Dugan's Racing Engines (Ray Fields) http://dougansracing.com/
My Stock Hemi figures were 452 HP / 472 Torque.
I have pics somewhere.

 

[Budnicks]

no man card loss. but those engines still couldn`t out run my hemi ! There was a 454 that ran about the same , till we both switched to super stock the same yr., guess whose E T went way down the most. no brag just fact!

Oh I agree the RB/426ci Hemi takes very well to tuning
& a litany of abundant aftermarket parts for mods/tweeking

mine was merely a comparison for a stock 1970 as delivered combo
no mods yet...

It's not meant to put down the Gen 2 RB/426ci Hemi
in anyway shape or form

I love them too...

 

[super-bee_ski]

So,
getting back to the OP post:

The Buick engines were chosen at the time (At the time) by the US Air Force
Why?
Good question, perhaps we will never know.
Undoubtedly, Torque.


The engines needed to "spin" at a designated RPM before they would ignite.

And yes,
In 1965, I'm sure there were no Buick 455s
But, in the late 90s, I remember seeing the 455s in the Carts
One of my neighbors at the time "John" showed me the Start Carts here at NASA (he was a Crew Chief for the SR-71s)
Yup, they can be anytype of engine
But remember, this was early 60s, so the 454s were not yet.
And, quite honestly, the HEMI was pricey!
BUT: Ah ha, "WE" the Air Force did have HEMIs as Industrial Carts, powering AIR, ETC.

 

[super-bee_ski]

I remember those running at the dragstrip, didn`t impress anybody but the owner!

Here is my 70 on Dyno
Yup, Stock Auto Cam, Stock bore
Not too many RPMs but hey, it's a May 1969 block, I didn't want to RISK anything....
Yup, that is me.

 

[super-bee_ski]

Would not a single good diesel not provide the necessary torque? While being more reliable with less maintence.

Great question
The engines on the SR needed to be spun up to a certain RPM rate
I had heard the twin 455 Buicks here at Edwards, maybe 1994 when the SR-71 was "brought back" to fly chase for something (Allegedly)
Let me tell you, they were making some noise!

 

[super-bee_ski]

I didn`t read all the last post "gotta go'', BUT A 68 STREET HEMI DID NOT HAVE HYD. LIFTERS. THINK THEY STARTED THAT IN 70> NOT SURE. All the older ones had solid lifters!

Well,
My May 1969 Hemi has Hydraulic Lifters
Just saying.
I think 1968 and up are Hydraulic as our Esteemed Forum team mate Budnicks has stated

 

[BeeKool]

Yeah, the inline diesels weren't made to go beyound 2500 or so.
You may have need a gear reducer of some sort.

But as far as the Buick go. I have that 1985 edition of MCR. It was shocking but only because the gear heads at the time were too complacent and there weren't many GS stage 1 made.

The saying "This ain't your father's Buick!" Still rings true 40+ years later

 

[Photon440]

So,
getting back to the OP post:

The Buick engines were chosen at the time (At the time) by the US Air Force
Why?
Good question, perhaps we will never know.
Undoubtedly, Torque.


The engines needed to "spin" at a designated RPM before they would ignite.

View attachment 606247

And yes,
In 1965, I'm sure there were no Buick 455s
But, in the late 90s, I remember seeing the 455s in the Carts
One of my neighbors at the time "John" showed me the Start Carts here at NASA (he was a Crew Chief for the SR-71s)
Yup, they can be anytype of engine
But remember, this was early 60s, so the 454s were not yet.
And, quite honestly, the HEMI was pricey!
BUT: Ah ha, "WE" the Air Force did have HEMIs as Industrial Carts, powering AIR, ETC.

I wonder why they couldn't have used a small APU style turbine for the start power?
Were those HEMIs the 1st gen industrial engines, like the ones on the air raid sirens?

 

[super-bee_ski]

I wonder why they couldn't have used a small APU style turbine for the start power?
Were those HEMIs the 1st gen industrial engines, like the ones on the air raid sirens?

Great question Photon440,
In 1994 "my" outfit moved from the "Mother-Land"...Wright-Patterson AFB to Edwards AFB due to base re-alignment.
My new neighbor 'John" was a retired USAF AV manager/crew-chief
He was now working for NASA as a crew chief on their 2 or 3 SR-71s
(See my post in this thread, NASA, Linear Aero Spike Engine)
Anyway, he invited a few of us down to the Dryden Flt research center (Now named Armstrong Flight center, NASA)
He showed us the twin Buicks in the "Start Carts" (They had a few of them)
One of the sets of Buicks had "Fancy M/T" style valve covers OR Chrome, I can not recall.
John and the Team fired the Buicks up and then proceeded to bring up the SR-71s.
John said they needed the TORQUE of the Big Buicks to rotate the 2 SR-71 engines up to speed.

 

[Bb70charger500]

You guys are missing the whole point . It wasn't about who was better . It was about the kick backs! Also I've heard hemis are notorious for acting up (not reliable)

 

[ws23jrt]

You guys are missing the whole point . It wasn't about who was better . It was about the kick backs! Also I've heard hemis are notorious for acting up (not reliable)

I heard first about the hemi being "not reliable" (in 1969) from a salesman that needed me to buy a 383 superbee that he had on hand.
Since then (8 years later) I bought a 68 Hemi RR that I drove in all seasons as a daily car. ---75 thousand trouble free miles. It was running strong and using no oil when I sold it.

 

[rlem1977]

I heard first about the hemi being "not reliable" (in 1969) from a salesman that needed me to buy a 383 superbee that he had on hand.
Since then (8 years later) I bought a 68 Hemi RR that I drove in all seasons as a daily car. ---75 thousand trouble free miles. It was running strong and using no oil when I sold it.

A teastament that if you do regular maintenance your car will provide years of reliable service.

 

[ws23jrt]

A teastament that if you do regular maintenance your car will provide years of reliable service.

I changed the oil every 8 thousand miles and the plugs and points at 10-20k.