Wicked Wednesday: Chrysler Factory Lightweight Drag Racing Warriors
Chrysler built a series of factory lightweight drag cars in the 1960s to help them ‘win on Sunday and sell on Monday.’
In the 1960s U.S. automakers were in the middle of a horsepower battle. The competition was fierce and the best way to show the world who was best was to win at the drag strip. To that end Chrysler built a series of now legendary factory lightweight drag cars.
The idea was that if they could get these cars to win on the drag strip on Sunday. Then the public would be knocking down their doors on Monday to buy a similar model. As a result, some truly epic cars were produced during that decade.
This week’s “Wicked Wednesday” takes a look back at some of these powerhouse cars from the golden age of drag racing. A video was recently posted to the MagnaLume YouTube channel. In this video we get an overview of some of the most wicked cars to ever come out of Chrysler Corporation.
It might be tough to pick a favorite because each one deserves a lot of respect. Below are the cars in the video that dominated drag strips. Let’s get started.
1. 1963 Max Wedge Lightweight
In 1963, there were the Plymouth Savoy and Dodge 330 Max Wedge Lightweight twins. These are some of the earliest muscle cars. It began with the simple formula of stuffing a big block engine into an intermediate body car. To cut weight the stamped steel front fenders and hood were replaced with aluminum versions.
The heater and radio were also removed. Under the hood was a 426 cubic inch wedge engine. The wedge was a precursor to the famed Hemi that would come later.
The wedge got its name from the wedge-shaped combustion chamber. These cars could rip down the quarter-mile in about 11 seconds.
2. 1964 Hemi Super Stock A864
A year later the iconic Hemi engine would debut. The Plymouth Savoy and Dodge 330 Hemi Super Stock A864 cars would receive the special engine. If you chose the A864 option, you chose to do without a lot of creature comforts. Things like rear seats, heater and radio were gone.
The battery was relocated to the trunk to put more weight over the rear wheels. Like in the 1963 cars aluminum body panels were used instead of steel. But the engine was the star of the A864 show.
It was the race version of the 426 Hemi. These cars dominated the NHRA Super Stock class. The Hemi legend was born.
3. 1965 Hemi Super Stock A990
In 1965 the Dodge Coronet and Plymouth Belvedere A990 was born. The cars were referred to as A990s because of the engine codes in these cars. They got the full-on Hemi race engines.
This engine had a magnesium intake manifold, aluminum heads, tubular headers, and an aluminum water pump. It also came with a higher compression ratio and modified pistons.
It was rated at 425 horsepower. However, these engines were famously under rated. Power was closer to 550. The NHRA banned aluminum body panels so they could not be used in this car.
Instead, Chrysler came up with an acid dip process that reduced body panel and bumper thickness by 60 percent. These cars could run the quarter in the 10-second range.
4. 1967 Hemi Super Stock W023 and R023
Skip to 1967 and we had the Dodge Coronet Hemi Super Stock W023. And the Plymouth Belvedere II Hemi Super Stock R023. Again, these cars had acid dipped body panels for reduced weight.
Also, as usual the rear seats, radio, heater and so forth were removed. NHRA rule changes forced Chrysler to equip these cars with slightly milder engines. Nonetheless these were some of the quickest cars of the day.
5. 1968 Plymouth Barracuda and Dodge Dart
In 1968 Chrysler took the gloves off and offered the 426 Hemi race engine in the compact body cars. There was the Plymouth Barracuda Hurst Hemi and the Dodge Dart Hurst Hemi.
These cars were affectionately known as the ‘A-Bombs’ due to the big power in A-Body cars. These little terrors tipped the scales at only 3,000 pounds. They were delivered un-painted so customers could finish in their own racing livery.
With some tuning and a set of race slicks these cars could devour a quarter mile in the 9-second range.
A Look Back
More recently we have cars like the Dodge Demon and various other Hellcat powered models. But they all have these early factory lightweight drag cars to thank. Check out the video below for a trip down memory lane.
You will see that Chrysler has been building wicked cars for a long, long time.
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