The Unhappy Hemi - Removing The 426 Elephant From Our 1970 Plymouth Hemicuda Project For An Overhaul

[@cbobmonster]

Who doesn’t love a hemi Cuda can’t wait to see what you find in that motor

[@ScottOnDrums]

70 HEMI Cuda with a shaker hood. Doesn't get any better.

[@Coronetguy]

A 13 minute tease!! Nice!! And it worked!!

[@blahblah4125]

I am definitely not rich enough to have a Hemi Cuda, it's so cool to see someone work on one and make it look so easy.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I’m definitely not either. I’m lucky to even have the majority of an engine really.

[@robertwest3093]

Doesn’t it suck that in the late seventies and the eighties Hemi owners were all but giving these cars away? Yeah I remember scouring the classifieds for muscle cars back then and the sad part was that was the time when I was just starting to work and minimum wage was CRAP! Believe me if I was making money at a fast enough rate to put together $500-1000 at any given time you bet I would have some of these in my garage.

[@minnesotatomcat]

A very Hemi winter……we’re gonna need a song on a Sunday night live about this! 🤣

[@DPWheeler67]

Well..... It didn't start out dead, it actually ran in the first minute of the video. But now it IS a Dead Dodge for Jamie's garage LOL

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

There you go 😅

[@michaeladamo1188]

@@DeadDodgeGarageits a dead Plymouth!

[@ricksaint2000]

We got much love for The 426, Thanks Jamie

[@localcrew]

That exhaust gas intake warmer tube thing is crazy. I learned something new.

[@That_AMC_Guy]

Famous Chrysler engineering. "Let's come up with an overly-expensive, completely batshit, Rube-Goldberg type device for heating the carbs." "Do you suppose we could just use electric chokes?" "You're fired!"

[@ProSimex84]

Straight out the meeting window​@@That_AMC_Guy

[@garytilley6510]

I wasn't aware that cheap and Hemi could be spoken in the same sentence, but sense you've broken that barrier you're closer to world domination, congratulations.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Oh… it won’t be cheap. That’s not a thing. Haha. My goal is cheapEST, but that might not be saying much…

[@jamesblair9614]

Yes! Hemi content, bring it on! How did they manage to install the engines at the factory, without damaging either the valve cover or inner fender paint, and a power steering box would likely make it even tighter. I’ve never heard of them removing a valve cover, so there must be a trick of some sort involved, could twisting it, raising one side higher than the other help.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

You may not have heard of it, but according to Tom, the valve covers were installed after the fact. This is apparently part of the reason they are not orange - they were not on the engine assembly when it was painted prior to installation. With power steering, it simply could not fit.

[@markschloss3964]

HELL YES!!! Sweet a Hemi. You get to work on the best Mopar’s You’re the man. Thanks for the video

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Thank you!

[@Bob-Whiting]

Whadaya mean enjoyed it anyway? Of course we enjoyed it. It's Mopar, It's Hemi, what's not to like? Happy holidays Jamie!

[@robertwest3093]

Man I can’t wait for the Hemi rebuild videos!

[@pauljones2031]

such crazy pushrod angles! Amazing the hemi stayed together considering it was spinning 7000 plus at Nascar.

[@countswing284]

Don't forget to tighten the loose stuff. Cheers! 😎👍🏎🏁🏁

[@Grandadsjunk]

You will have a very nice winter working on this

[@MoparJimmy]

That's a nice Cuda, another good job.

[@timmcooper294]

Polar opposite of the "Garbage Can Cuda", I dig them both !

[@doublebackagain4311]

The excitement you have to get to work on a hemi is palpable.

[@PlymouthOnPlywood]

Catching up on the week’s videos before tonight’s live. Just leaving a comment for the KZbin thing.

[@Darryl-69SE]

It’s not a charger, but it is a HEMI!!!!!!🎉

[@OlderNotNecesarilyWiser]

Wow a Hemi Cuda, that is so cool!

[@mikedimaio1237]

Happy Hemi Holidays.

[@pcbullets8726]

Very cool, I'm looking forward to see the build on this and the one you are working on for yourself.

[@dannovello1577]

Hemi 'Cuda!?! Holy crap! Errr....holy grail...of mopar muscle!!! Looking forward to seeing this build Jaime. I'd say, Send tat Elephant up & over to Nick's Garage!!! But that would be rude, and I'm not like that. 😆 Good luck and have fun with this build, it special!

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Thank you for not saying that 🤣 I’m excited!

[@xavierortiz2690]

Had to give it a Thumbs up

[@robertwest3093]

Oh and something else I’ve noticed lately…..you really like doing the body lift deal. I love the idea myself. I would rather have the option of lifting the body off the engine than lift the engine out of the body 👍🏻👍🏻

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

This is the way! Learned at Rocket that there really is no better way to build one of these, so I put that second ancient lift in at my place exclusively to do that job. It’s great.

[@louarthur7648]

My favorite YT channel...

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Thank you!

[@BigBoxDodge2020]

Very Entertaining, thanks Jamie, as usual. Still looking for and hoping to find a 5.9 Magnum Engine, thats not a total waste of time.

[@beljames1563]

Nothing better than a happy elephant. But peanuts. Lots and lots of peanuts.

[@StevenAndrews-r2v]

Hemi Holidays!!

[@PaulDilorenzo-c7c]

Bad ass brother good to see taking a break from the turbine of frustration hillside hemi 😅

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Oh I’m just waiting for a little extra walking around money for that one. Haha.

[@PaulDilorenzo-c7c]

@DeadDodgeGarage right on

[@danmcintyre9961]

Yet another project of great interest to me!! Nice.

[@sirswerve2493]

Dude you got the coolest job.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Oh… I know it. Haha.

[@klapaucius77]

You had me at Hemi 😍

[@JoeFilardi]

hi good ep thank god Tom was in this ep you needed help ha ha ha.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I only slightly covered myself in antifreeze. But yeah, had 5 and a half hours to get the whole drivetrain dropped and to this point. Couldn’t have done that alone.

[@rocketresto]

I am going to do a video on this from my perspective but...I forgot to finish mine and now I'm at MCACN in Chicago, will have to wait till next weekend.

[@timrayburn2461]

Thanks

[@Wayfarer001]

Grail cool,I'd love to see a 413 video for reference.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Well I did a 426 Max Wedge recently. Haha. And of course I’ve done a couple B/RB builds - same idea.

[@Wayfarer001]

@DeadDodgeGarage I guess I'm addicted...lol This Cuda is grail territory. Good 4 you.an obsession turns good. Rite on.

[@LongIslandMopars]

I had a Pertronix fail in my 66 Coronet. Bought a new one along with their coil which is recommended so you can run without the ballast resistor in the circuit. So far, it runs great.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Yep, that solves the problem.

[@LongIslandMopars]

@DeadDodgeGarage I still keep a set of points and a condenser in the glove box in case I have to do a roadside conversion. 😎

[@davernon]

Sack in the early/mid 70's I had the pleasure to ride in a car very similar to this one, black but no vinyl top, red int slap stick. Sold new in Vancouver BC. Car was sold in the early 80's minus the hemi for $2000.00

[@jamesblair9614]

@davernon I’m very familiar with that car.

[@davernon]

@@jamesblair9614 What do you know about the car ?

[@jamesblair9614]

@davernon. It was sold new in Maple Ridge, was red/red, got painted black, sold, next owner painted it blue and changed the interior to black, I bought it in 79 for $2K. It’s a 4.10 Dana, automatic

[@davernon]

@@jamesblair9614 The engine froze and cracked due to lack of antifreeze, I remember when Larry painted it blue. Always wondered what happened to that car, did it get restored ?

[@jamesblair9614]

@davernon I bought a complete engine for it, I was interested to buy the original but it never came together. In recent years I’ve done the bodywork and it’s going back to red. Very little of the original interior could be saved, it will be a red interior again in the future. E bodies are a money pit compared to A & B’s

[@Jim-ic2of]

Turtles Dance and Sing , Hemi !😊

[@AverageJoeBuilds]

Pull breather off carb and drill/tap for npt plug. Air cleaner will hide it all and magic

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Literally just did that on a Weber. Haha

[@jamesgeorge4874]

The weight penalty is steep with an old Hemi, but they do have some magic.

[@RandallSoong-pp7ih]

Big Boy!

[@rockystanaitis2908]

Have a very Hemi Christmas 🤶

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I’m hoping to!

[@brendangeraghty8865]

I thought Hemis didn't use exhaust gaskets? Very Phantasm, what a clean car.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

If they are similar to other Chrysler engines from that period, then they didn’t. Obviously someone thought they knew better.

[@idaholineman5788]

Glorious!!

[@johnkelly8525]

Thanks mate good solid video

[@hr9781]

Oh that’s one sick fish, literally

[@Jacked97Ram]

Dam car is badass my man!

[@mikedaugharty5544]

Jamie that sounds a lot like the hemi that I bought back in 1980 it had 40,000 miles on it and it basically it was a 6 1/2 cylinder taking and get it apart it had broken rings on three Pistons. I live 200 miles from where I picked it up the guy said the oil was full I didn't bother to check it I got home and I was 4 quarts low in oil .so she was inside shape glad I got it though and I overhauled it then it is running great uses just about 0 oil another funny story I have to tell you is that my boss was a Chrysler mechanic they had Plymouth too actually and he was mechanic and I would say probably19 58 or so he started in. and 66 the hemi came out and he absolutely hated them there was a guy that bought a 66 GTX and he ran the engine out of it twice in the 12,000 mile warranty so. Todd had to change the engine twice he started a independent repair shop with another man1971 and I work there while I was going to votect and also for 20 years after that 1991.so I was talking to him about cars and what I wanted was the TA challenger or a hemi and when I said hemi he said you buy that and I will not give you any kind of hand fixing that.. I am sick of them and back in 66 they didn't have the windage trays on them and this guy had a four speed and he was a crazy man so anyway that's my story of hemis.. they are not that difficult but they are a different breed of cat and they're totally different you'll do just fine and you'll enjoy the process guaranteed hey!!!!!!

[@roycervantes1341]

Good evening,,,,,,,,, Yeee Yeee

[@andrew3139]

So much orange!

[@dannovello1577]

Hi Jamie, happy turkey day! (eve), I have a '68 340 barracuda, (upgraded to 3/8" fuel line), I hope to, at some point, install a fuel return line. I would like to use a factory style , I think, fuel separator? canister like mopar used on the hemi, and big blocks. They have a welded(?) on bracket that bolts to the block, (I think), and is a solid connection. I would like to do the same, but small blocks and big blocks are a different animal, so? I know you're taking that canister off that hemi and I am wondering if you wouldn't mind taking a few minutes to physically check, on one of the small block cars you have, if there is a way/bolt hole, or reasonably safe area on a small block to mount one of those stock style fuel canisters? (and, yes, I know good ones are insanity priced, at $50 bucks), stupid , yes, but I kind of like the idea/look of the factory canister, and how it has a bracket that solidly mounts to "something". Thank you Sir, enjoy Thanksgiving with all your friends and family!

[@joshjesch6000]

Ooooh a mystery. Will he solve the problem? Will Tom be mad about the mess? " We'll be right back" lol

[@rocketresto]

The mess is expected at this point :)

[@Anthony12valve440RB]

Thats my life goal is to build a gen 2 hemi. Idc if it’s a stock 426 hemi or a 500+ cubic inch race engine. Ive built every other mopar engine even a poly 318 stroker.

[@heavyearly2232]

Ooo, Hemi.

[@Darryl-69SE]

Tom should have took you with him to the show.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

No interest in that

[@Full_Garage]

Nice tease! Any chance of a video of the machine shop checking the engine out and a bit of any necessary machining? I'm kind of a need about that stuff. Thanks!

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I don’t know if I can convince them to let me do that, but it would be neat.

[@johnmullins2798]

cool

[@boilerroomed3682]

I've ALWAYS wanted a HEMI until lately, too much weird engineering going on! I'm a 440 guy now!

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Oh, there is *zero* question in my mind that the 440 is the better engine in just about every case. But it’s not a Hemi…

[@Anthony-nw5zv]

I didn't know you had your digital's on a Gen 2😊

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I do now 😁 now I’m just short… a bunch of expensive things…

[@NathansMoparGarage]

The elephant has escaped 🐘

[@michaelnault5905]

Knocking it out of? Scratch that. Into the hemisphere :⁠-⁠)

[@Sidewayz455]

I'm here, I'm BACK. AND I HAVE NOTHING OF SUBSTANCE TO SAAAAAY!!!

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Perfect! 😅

[@jakebridgetimpastato5622]

I think your 426 needs to go in your ‘69 Charger!

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Hey, I think that too. Haha.

[@heavyearly2232]

The first video of yours I watched was the 61 Polara, subscribed after the late-model 300 video(I think), but I do NOT remember you mentioning you had a 426 Hemi. Now, to speculate where it will be nested....

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

That’s because it has only just happened… and you know there will be video coming. Haha.

[@Wadley225]

WHY would anyone order a hemicuda but only get the stock gauges and not the Rallye cluster? It should have been made a mandatory option!

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Because someone wanted cheap action! Think about it… this was originally a BEIGE bench seat, column shift car. I suppose the shaker and the stripe still gave it away, but it would’ve been the cheapest, most basic looking Hemi car money could buy. No frills, all party.

[@Darryl-69SE]

Ok, Detroit then 🙃🎉

[@rocketresto]

Tom! - yes?

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Tighten drain plugs when you’re done. Lol. Good practice

[@72roadrunnergtx]

The idle fuel bowl vent valve is there for a reason, capping it off defeats its purpose. Automotive carburetors have had idle bowl vent valves open to the atmosphere for decades without all these engine fires you speak of. The pictured enclosed idle fuel bowl vent nipple would be correct for ’70 California production with the mandated Evaporative Control System. Would have been plumed to the breather as was the hardline running back to the fuel tank vapor separator.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

1) All* carburetor float bowls are indeed vented to atmosphere, but at a higher point than that nipple, generally through some sort of baffle, and always inside the air cleaner assembly. That is not the typical atmospheric vent, and capping it would have zero effect on the regular bowl vent system. 2) Yes, you are correct in that this nipple is for the evap system. So again, just to drive my point home… it should never be vented to atmosphere like it is. 3) This is not a California car. And the system you are referring to was implemented across the board in 1971.

[@72roadrunnergtx]

@ The function idle fuel bowl vent has nothing to do with the main bowl vents, capping it defeats its intended purpose. ECS was first mandated in ‘70, California only, likely a ‘71 carb then. To retain the function of the idle bowl vents valve, it needs to be open to the atmosphere if not running a functioning ECS. Just as previous years.

[@stevenandrews1012]

Pardon my being nosy...those torsion bars just came out effortlessly...right?

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Not at all 🤣 are your ears still ringing too?

[@harrycarpenter1727]

You are a great Mopar mechanic 😊

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Thanks!

[@dogdoc1]

During the rebuild please show and the inatall and function of the fuel vapor separator. I had one installed on my 440, and now engine is a bit more difficult to start.

[@iamnoone.]

Jamie, didn't they develop an overhead cam 426 hemi but never put it into production

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

That’s correct. I believe there is a complete, non running engine in existence somewhere.

[@GeekGinger]

Hopefully Jamie didn't get bomb cycloned out of existence.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Nah, we’re good. Little windy though.

[@timbarry5080]

On a separate note, I bought a used set of sunvisors for my 68 d300.. they were from another 68 dually. They came with the clips that hold the free end to the cab... but my cab isn't drilled for those clips. Do your similar year trucks have those clips? We're my original ones not secured on the ends? Thank u

[@kevinpatrick8788]

Weird seeing a factory Hemicuda with non rallye dash .

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

You’re not the first to say so, but it’s important to know that the Rallye dash was *never* standard on a ‘Cuda. It was however standard on the slightly upmarket Challenger R/T. The bench seat, column shifter, and base dash are 100% correct on this stripper car. I discussed that in my first video on the car last year. It was also originally beige…

[@kevinpatrick8788]

@ my first car was a 72 Cuda 340 auto blue with blue interior . It had alot of options like buckets , ps, pb , console but it had the standard dash . I got in in 1982 when i was 17 .

[@iamnoone.]

JAMIE there also called the elephant because their a mouse motor killer.

[@ThomasG.-hh9gg]

Elephants are afraid of mice

[@iamnoone.]

@ThomasG.-hh9gg they stomp on mise

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

It's a name with multiple meanings. But I too am familiar with elephants' supposed fear of mice. Haha.

[@Mclovingarage]

That is a gorgeous car! Is that car 100% stock with the black hemi stripe and all? It looks like the Cuda verson of the 1970 Black Ghost Challenger. Looking forward to learning what was wrong with that engine.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Actually no, it was an original beige car 😱 I think we can all agree the black is much better.

[@Mclovingarage]

@@DeadDodgeGarage oh wow, yes definitely better in black.

[@kyle8952]

God don't mention that con artist challenger.

[@rbarker4426]

You said the valve lash on the driver's side was way off. You said you never took off the passenger side valve cover. And that it had adjustable rocker arms. You said they weren't required for hydraulic lifters. But yet you didn't check the lash after you took the valve cover off of the passenger side. To see if it was over tightened valve lash on #1cyc. You pull the whole k-frame and engine instead.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

The #1 cylinder is on the driver side… 🙄

[@rbarker4426]

@DeadDodgeGarage either way the front right cylinder

[@Legacy_Lou]

Looks like the #BlackGhost

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Well, kinda 😅

[@codyhollinger6531]

If the hp Carter fuel pump is used, is a return line to the fuel tank required? Dose the return off the filter bleed pressure or just vapor.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

The return line fitting does return fuel through an orifice, and in this way vents an amount of pressure. I don’t know if it is required per se, but the factory cars that had them had a return line.

[@That_AMC_Guy]

Can Tom maybe answer my question as to why the base E-body fuel gauge is labelled in gallons (Gals.) but then not graduated in gallons?

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I don’t know that there is a good answer for that. Just Chrysler things… haha

[@rocketresto]

Chrysler things...

[@That_AMC_Guy]

@@rocketresto LOL. Yeah, I'd buy that. Ol' Ma Mopar was kinda famous for spending ridiculous amounts of money on things that didn't really matter. Probably took a team of 17 and millions of dollars just to decide the FONT on the gauge face.

[@JeffMiletich]

Them Cudas...............................................................................

[@rickseeman5679]

It wouldn’t cost much to swap for the proper year intake manifold

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Think I saw that? Sounds too cheap

[@carlcadotte1682]

Column shift

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Yep! It’s like the ultimate stripper Hemicuda. Showed a lot more detail in my first video on it last year.

[@Bradydog-in7ut]

Is there an official weight of that beast??

[@bjornljung9375]

This car is a a very nice pice for your millionaire frend.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Agreed

[@jeffhutchins7048]

That's the street racer that NOBODY in the PNW could outrun.......a cop owned it.......or NOT......😈😅😮

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I think not lol

[@jeffhutchins7048]

Just trying to double the value.

[@PhilDodgeFury]

don’t drink,the green koolaid

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

😅

[@timbarry5080]

What a thumbnail

[@Kevin90909]

What is moving around inside your HEMI? (12:30)

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I am confused

[@Kevin90909]

@@DeadDodgeGarage From 12:30 watch the first hole and then the third hole, looks like something is moving in there might be something on the lens

[@forterierocks]

A buddy told me Dodge made a small block Hemi for trans/am racing but I can't find any about it, any truth to that?

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

No truth to that as far as I know. The trans am racing engines I am familiar with had modified LA heads in the normal wedge configuration. There were some interesting small block concoctions, but no Hemis.

[@teardroptrailers]

@10:43 idle screws went on vacation?

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Negative - from the factory, the idle passages on the front carb are blocked, and it idles on the rear carb only. I can tell you from experience this leads to the gas in the front carb stagnating as it doesn’t go anywhere unless you’re far enough into the throttle to open the front carb, which as you might imagine rarely happens with a car like this these days. The front carb on this car has been modified with a kit to allow for functioning and adjustable idle circuits. Instead of the typical thumb-adjustable screws, they are tiny recessed flat heads.

[@teardroptrailers]

@@DeadDodgeGarage Thank you, I learned something new today. That's why I watch your videos. Looking forward to this build.

[@dirttdude]

this will be my first hemi. would be nice if it just busted a ring and didn't F up the cylinder but i selfishly want to see a perfect rebuild. sorry

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

No matter what, it’s headed to the machine shop and being done right. There is no other way.

[@jasonnelson6624]

1st maybe

[@isfahelww]

How much is a 426 engine worth?

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Oh… a lot. Like, a lot

[@nickbruni8041]

✔️⛽️👊🏼

[@20CentMotors-z3b]

maybe it has column shift shame.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Factory correct. Stripper model Hemi ‘Cuda