The one I have is called: How to build Max-Performance HEMI Engines by Richard Nedbal. A very good book with a lot of input from Tom Hoover. It covers each part of the engine.

I'm not aware of one. Let me know if you find anything!

I have the Nedbal book, I like it, but it's more high level overview material..it does not get far enough into
specs and details of different combinations to provide much direction.

You'll find more in the trailer queen/Toy/Race categories than you will true drivers.

As far as opinions go (oh no)


I feel a basically stock street hemi maybe with a cam and header upgrade is PLENTY.

Once a person gets over the cost and availability considerations the main things that work against it are weight and complexity.

The iron heads are super heavy, they will work fine but run aluminum if you're starting with nothing.
Actually I think Mopar killed off the only new iron head you could get anyway, so that decision may have already been made for you.
Stock replacement aluminum is all you need, you don't need any of the big port racing stuff.

If you're used to a single 4 barrel on your wedge engine, might be the easiest to start off with the same on your hemi.
If you have to have "the look" of dual quads, understandable...it's cool as heck...but it's more details to work out.
If you want to be on the high end, have at it with FI.

A stock street hemi cam was very similar to "first step upgrade" stuff for wedge engines
sold back in the day and is perfectly fine for a driver, but a slight upgrade to something more modern will be helpful.

Stock street hemi had close to 10:1 which is near accepted norms for pump gas, sure you can get away with more but
that's not the idea.

The same general type of ignition, exhaust etc that worked on your Wedge engine driver, is also fine for your Hemi driver. No need for anything more exotic.

I documented my 572 build fairly well but I would not claim it falls into the "driver" category....Much more street/strip Toy, and there is a big difference.
It was suggested a "hemi for regular guys" kind of thing be loaded to youtube, but interest seems pretty limited....

I think you read my mind. This is intended to be a pure stock street engine. The only change I am contemplating is going to a roller hydraulic for a number of reasons. What scares me is that this will be my first Hemi. Built a reasonable amount of B's and RB's but never this. And when I read about the difficulties in getting the intake to seal and breaking off pieces of the head with the intake manifold bolts and having problems torquing the upper row of cylinder head studs.....pretty much stuff that is Hemi only I would like to have some knowledge/cautions before hand. A lot of what I have, like the heads, are NOS items and I don't want to be busting stuff like that up.

I am reading the book now. Looks like a good book. Having been involved with several hemi builds with an experience builder and building my own 18 months ago. I would say the first thing is to determine exactly what you want based on the parts you have. If OEM stuff make sure the block, heads, rods, pistons fully inspected, leak checked and magnafluxed. Then make your measurements of what you are working with. Block bore, deck height, head volume, rod size, piston CD. All to target your displacement and compression ratio. I am just over 10 to 1. You will be surprised depending on what you have if used stuff may be nowhere near stock measurements. You have to account for decking block to square and ensure level seating surface, same with heads. Always line hone or bore the block once you know it is good. Mockup and measure. Repeat.

Mine was a 66 block .30 over, I used after market 4.15 stroke, rods, and pistons. Understanding hemi pistons and CD is important. If you are going stock clearance should be good but you still have to measure everything.

To get an actual static compression ratio (while I cc'd every chamber of both heads) the best way is to put a piston in at TDC with correct gasket thickness sealed with white lithium grease around rings. Install head and then cc the compressed volume. Since you know the displacement of your motor you have the uncompressed volume. So displacement divided by Comp Vol plus 1 is your static compression measured. You can compare to your calculated as a check. Then adjust head gasket thickness or deck the block depending on what you want versus what you measured.

Have access to all the tools and some experienced eyes and ears when you have questions is important. Hopefully you have a mopar machine shop and someone with hemi experience for the machining unless you do it yourself.

Find someone you trust that knows these engines and talk to them. There are several here that are more than willing and capable.

It takes one to know one...you're one of the good guys