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Hemi Engine - Retooling - Hemi Cuda, Part I

Photography by Marlan Davis
1971 Plymouth Hemi Barracuda Passenger Side View
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Even with improved parts,... 
   
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Even with improved parts, there's still no substitute for meticulous engine assembly. Here, Dick Landy torques the aluminum heads in three careful increments (45, 60, and 75 ft-lbs).
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Original-style Hemi blocks... 
   
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Original-style Hemi blocks (PN P4529850) have unique engine mounts that require a special hard-to-find Hemi K-member.
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However, the new blocks (PN... 
   
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However, the new blocks (PN P4529852) have B-engine motor-mount ears, enabling them to bolt to standard V-8 crossmembers using standard B-engine insulators and brackets.
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Made by Wiseco for MP, the... 
   
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Made by Wiseco for MP, the new-generation 10.25:1 street-Hemi piston uses full-floating 1031 steel pins retained by bulletproof round-wire retainers and accepts 5/64-5/64-3/16 rings. Because the new MP Hemi rods weren't yet available, this engine uses Manley "ready-to-run" 4340 billet steel capscrew rods.
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MP's new balanced 1053 steel... 
   
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MP's new balanced 1053 steel crank (PN P5249207) is improved with radiused fillets.
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For street engines, Dick Landy... 
   
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For street engines, Dick Landy recommends MP tri-metal bearings; the mains feature "medium-size" full grooves. MP has also retooled the hard-to-find real seal retainer.
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Milodon's low-profile oil... 
   
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Milodon's low-profile oil pan fits B- and E-bodies (Charger/Road Runner and Barracuda/Challenger, respectively); and holds seven quarts of oil, one quart more than stock. Milodon also offers a louvered windage tray, but the dipstick, tube, and oil filter are MP items.
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MP aluminum Hemi heads are... 
   
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MP aluminum Hemi heads are more than 50 pounds lighter per set than cast-iron heads.
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Each 170cc chamber head (PN... 
   
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Each 170cc chamber head (PN P4529336) features a single plug per cylinder, valve seats, and guide inserts redesigned for better sealing and superior retention on ported heads. Cast-iron heads are also back in production.
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Hemi balancers, from left:... 
   
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Hemi balancers, from left: discontinued stock street Hemi, SFI-legal street Hemi replacement (PN P5249699) used on White’s engine, and ultimate race Fluidampr (PN P4452776). The MP replacement is compatible with stock pulleys; custom pulleys are needed with the Fluidampr.
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Although still very streetable,... 
   
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Although still very streetable, Mopar's hydraulic flat-tappet "mild competition" cam is worth about 15 hp over the original street-Hemi cam. Install it on 106-degree intake centerline using MP degree bushings. MP supplied the pushrods, double-roller timing chain, and chrome Hemi front timing cover too.
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With only 5/16-inch stems,... 
   
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With only 5/16-inch stems, the huge Hemi 2.25-inch intake/1.94-inch exhaust valves really benefit from friction-reducing roller rocker-arms. Combined with modern valve-stem seals pirated from late Magnum V-8 engines, these Dick Landy-developed MP stainless-steel roller rockers help cut valve-guide wear.
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The bane of old Hemis--fouled... 
   
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The bane of old Hemis--fouled spark plugs--becomes ancient history with a modern electronic ignition system. On White's engine, an MP breakerless magnetic-impulse distributor with vacuum advance (PN P3690432) is used in conjunction with an MSD-6AL box with an integral rev-limiter and a Blaster coil.

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