The 426 Hemi was a compromise from day one, it is not a true Hemi design with the valves centered over the cylinders. Look at the intake valve location, the cylinder wall schrouds it. Now for my on those that have had them and those that want them, be careful of what you wish for, Hemiroids are not for everyone I've had them, sold them, still build them but I race a wedge I'm probally one of the only Mopar racers that can't make as much power with a hemi than I can with a wedge

I can tell you this, in stock eliminator form, my wedge to my fathers hemi is about 100 HP less. That equals about 7 tenths in very similar cars. I believe it is all in the heads, intake, and holleys.

Jeff Day
Precision Automotive Machine, INC
Canton, Ohio

FWIW My buddy has a '70 gtx with an Indy headed 572 hemi. He runs a smaller cam (in the .690's to my .737) His car wieghs 200 lb less and runs 4:30's to my 4:10's. Both cars have 572ci, run 8 inch converters, single dominators, run on pump gas and have the same size and brand rear tyre. We both run caltracs and our 60ft are equal @ 1.39 best. He went 9.80 @ 139 and I went 9.79 @ 138.7 on the same day.
He hasn't bested that yet but I've since gone 9.71 @ 140. I think his car would pick up HP with a similar lift cam to mine, I would obviously run a better et at 200lb less and with 4:30 gears. I think these cars would still be pretty close given the above but I still rib him that I would be infront
When I first started out racing in '89, Hemi's were way expensive, you could build a higher HP wedge for the same money so I guess I've stuck with what I know. That having said a hemi does look really impressive in an engine bay but everyone expects a hemi to be quicker than a wedge.
Advantage wedge in my humble opinion

I remember reading about Koffels creating the B1 engine, they ahd previously played with the Hemis, and according to that article their first B1 mule made 60 hp more than their best NHRA legal PS Hemi. I believe the last Hemi to qualify in NHRA PS was Reid Whistnant, maybe in 1987? When the rules changed I would have thought that Hemi would be The Choice in NHRA PS, but it wasn't competitive. The last one to try was Jeff Wick, he was usually about 0.3 seconds behind Alderman and his N...aturally aspirated B1. Hemi heads have the capability of flowing great, and if head flow is what you are lacking, then it's the key to producing more power. However, it is not so with all out smallish wedge engines. Current wedge heads flow well wnough, and the engines have volumetric efficiences in the 130% range. With that kind of volumetric efficiencies you don't benefit from better flow, other things become more important and the ones that will make the difference. In 1964 things were different, they needed flow and hte Hemi was the answer. Same is still true with "underheaded" engines, (usually very big displacement) engines with limited bore to stroke ratio. That's the only place where naturally aspirated Hemis still have an edge over even a conventional, modern Wedge like the W7,8&9's. If Hemi really were the answer, there would be nothing else.

I can admit that the Hemi isn't the answer for a heads up horsepower/dollar enviornment. But I like taking a unique motor and trying to do something with it. I think a big hemi has more character then a single 4 bbl wedge. However if i was doing a car that had the most horsepower / cube / dollar it wouldn't be a wedge. Id be in some tube chassis cobalt with chevy power.

I wonder how much it would cost to put a wedge in the 4's?
Like the old saying goes"The Hemi turns on when everything else turns off"