The Roar of the 426 V8: A Restored 1966 Dodge Charger HEMI 4-Speed

Chrysler built quite a few iconic engines in almost 100 years of existence, but none is as celebrated as the 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI. The naturally aspirated V8 was produced for only a few years, but it left a big mark on the golden muscle car era and American high-performance vehicles in general.

Introduced in 1964 as a race-spec engine for NASCAR, the 426 HEMI did not make it into road-going cars until 1966. That’s when Dodge dropped it into the Charger and Coronet, while Plymouth offered it in the Belvedere and Satellite. The HEMI also found its way into the Plymouth GTX in 1967.