526ci Blown Hemi, 2,200 HP
Brian Kohlman, Racine, WI
There was a brief period of time in 1965 when the altered-wheelbase Factory Experimental cars stepped up to blowers and nitromethane. NHRA called them S/FX or Supercharged/Factory Experimentals. These cars eventually mutated into AA/Fuel Coupes-Funny Cars. But for a bright, shining moment, cars like Gary Dyer's Mr. Norm '65 Dodge were the stars of the show. Brian Kohlman has recreated Dyer's acid-dipped and nitro-injected F/X'er. But don't let the polished finish in this engine compartment fool you. Kohlman's 2,950-pound '65 Dodge runs 7.80s at 179 mph in exhibition and has run as quick as 7.49 at 189. That's on a 10-inch-wide tire with a '60s-era straight axle steering the front tires. Brian even wears a reproduction silver firesuit when he's behind the wheel-just with a bunch more horsepower.
A. Fuel Injector
Hilborn cast a brand-new horizontal four-hole hat for Kohlman fitted with a unique Enderle driver-side barrel valve that uses the original in-hat injectors run at 20 percent to keep the blower cool. The rest of the fuel is injected at the intake manifold.
B. Blower
To make the car look like it came right out of 1965, Littlefield built what would now be considered a small 6-71 blower while Kohlman had Brad Anderson build an adapter to mate the small blower to the huge BA heads.
C. Trans
What you can't see backing up all this power is a complete Bruno planetary trans with a special Dynamic converter and a Deitz "diaper" to contain the parts in the unlikely event of breakage. Kohlman says the car has been extremely reliable and has made every booking for the last 2 1/2 years.
D. Heads
Brad Anderson is also responsible for the BA-5 Fat heads with massive 2.425-inch titanium intakes and 1.950-inch Inconel exhaust valves because stainless just won't live under all that nitro-induced heat. Brian says they change the valvesprings about every 10 passes. Because the Brad Anderson heads are unique, Kohlman runs the BA valve covers as opposed to the original Hemi chrome pieces.
E. Short-Block
That's a Keith Black Hemi block that contains a 4.31-inch bore with Brad Anderson 8.9:1 compression pistons, Childs & Albert rings, and a Callies 4.50-inch stroke crank. The oil pan is a Moroso Funny Car pan with Lucas 50-weight oil.
F. Fuel Tank
It doesn't say nitro on the tank just for show. Kohlman runs between 40 and 50 percent nitro mixed with methanol.