Mopar history doesn't get much crazier than the Chrysler Ball Stud HEMI engine. This engine never made it to production, and only a handful of them were built for testing purposes only. It was narrower and lighter than the conventional 426ci Hemi, and it was set to become a common platform by 1972, consolidating several of Chrysler's engines into this new and efficient design, which was nicknamed the Ball Stud Hemi. This name comes from the rocker arm design, which was unlike most Chrysler engines.

By 1972, the muscle car era was coming to a close, so the project stalled out. A few years later, Chrysler literally scrapped the entire project, including the test engines, with one exception. ONE complete engine remained and it was the subject of Mopar folklore for many years until it resurfaced under Dick Landy's ownership. Then something crazy happened. Dick sold the engine to a fellow who obviously paid well for it and proceeded to disassemble it and basically change everything on it. The block was bored .030-over, the entire rotating assembly was modified or replaced, the intake manifold was modified to accept a Holley four-barrel instead of the Thermoquad, and cosmetic changes were also made to this HOLY GRAIL Hemi engine.

Some might agreed with the modifications, but it certainly hurts the originality of this ultimate piece of Mopar performance history. Another interesting twist is the the Ball Stud Hemi engine found a home in this rare 1969 Plymouth Barracuda, which was factory-built with a 440ci engine. It is one of the few surviving examples of an M-code Barracuda from 1969 and it's even more peculiar because of the notchback body design, instead of the more popular fastback.

This car was sent directly to Sox & Martin for the Super Stock treatment, and was a raced in that configuration for a couple years before being sold off. It landed in several people's hands including Mopar legend Tom Hoover for a while. Keep in mind that this car and the Ball Stud Hemi have NOTHING to do with each other until several years ago. The guy who modified the prototype engine installed it in this car. Then, it got passed around to a few people, before being donated to the National Auto and Truck Museum in Auburn, Indiana. What a wild creation, and an even wilder back story.

#hemi #mopar #barracuda