MAX WEDGE ENGINE HISTORY In 1951, Chrysler offered their first V8 engine for passenger car service. It was a small-block design with a hemispherical combustion chamber, as opposed to the flat-head and overhead valve engines manufactured by other car makers. By 1955 these small-block Hemi's were delivering 300 horsepower in the Chrysler C-300, so named because it was the first production car ever built to reach the 300 HP mark. This was Chrysler's response to the horsepower wars that started with the Hudson Hornet and Olds Rocket 88 and would lead to the muscle car era over the next 15 years. Over the next few years, DeSoto, Dodge and Imperial offered their own versions of the Hemi. The modified Hemi's in 1956 and 1957 Dodge D-500, D-500-1 and D-501 were targeted directly at the performance-minded buyer. As other manufacturers increased their output, Chrysler engineers raised the bar even higher. In 1958 the Hemi was dropped from Dodges and DeSotos (Plymouth never offered a small-block Hemi), in favor of a wedge-shaped combustion chamber in Chrysler's new big-block 'B' V8 engines as well as small-block polyspherical 'A' V8 engines (sometimes called the "semi-hemi", later replaced by the small-block wedge LA engines). Chrysler and Imperial discontinued the Hemi in 1959 in favor of the big-block wedge 'RB', or Raised Block V8s, with a stroke of 3.75" as opposed to the 'B' engine's 3.38" stroke. Performance was outstanding without the added expense and weight of the Hemi. Almost immediately, performance options appeared on the "Wedge" in the form of higher compression, dual exhausts and multi-carburetors. In 1960 and 1961, high-performance big-block Wedges could be fitted with a set of wild 30" intake manifold runners that crossed over the top of the engine. The left bank of cylinders were fed by a 4-bbl carb that hung to the right of the of the right bank of cylinders, and the right bank were fed by a carb hanging to the left of the left bank. This so-called "Ram Induction" employed the same principle as the high-rise manifolds that stuck through the hoods of contemporary hot rods, suspending the carbs over the engine. Chrysler's engineers tuned these manifolds to resonate with the Wedge engines, then bent them laterally to fit under the hood of a production car. This produced impressive low-end torque in the heavy passenger cars of the day. The '60 DeSoto Adventurer could be ordered with Ram Induction, and it was standard equipment on the '60 and '61 Dodge D-500, '60 and '61 Plymouth Sonoramic option, '60 Chrysler 300-F and '61 300-G. Meanwhile, Chrysler engineers were busy making plans for a Maximum Performance package, targeted at stock car racing and drag racing. As early as 1959, test were being conducted on long-ram and short-ram inducted 413 cubic inch Maximum Performance Wedge engines. The short-ram induction placed two 4-bbl carbs diagonally between the valve covers. This cross-ram design benefitted from the same tuned resonance of the long-ram, but with a simpler design. This was the design used on later Maximum Performance Wedges and Super Stock Hemis. Beginning around April of 1962, Dodge and Plymouth offered the first Maximum Performance Wedge (nicknamed Max Wedge) in their new, light, mid-sized cars. The '62 Max Wedge had a 413 cubic inch engine. The engine was enlarged to 426 c.i. for 1963 and 1964. The Max Wedge package, which included many drive-train and chassis modifications, was available in all 1962, 1963 and 1964 B-body Dodges and Plymouths (330, 440, '62 Dart, Polara, Polara 500, Savoy, Belvedere, Fury, Sport Fury), except 1962 station wagons. Dodge called the package "Ram-Charger 413/426", Plymouth called it "Super Stock 413/426". Mid-year '63 saw the addition of aluminum body panel options including an optional hood scoop, a trunk-mounted battery to add more weight over the rear axle and the "Stage II" Max Wedge engines. The 1964 engines were labeled "Stage III". Contrary to popular belief, neither the early '63 426 nor the '62 413 were ever called "Stage I". Horsepower for the Max Wedges are as follows: 1962 413 11.0:1 compression ratio: 410 h.p. 1962 413 13.5:1 compression ratio: 420 h.p. 1963 426 11.0:1 compression ratio: 415 h.p. 1963 426 13.5:1 compression ratio: 425 h.p. 1964 426 11.0:1 compression ratio: 415 h.p. 1964 426 12.5:1 compression ratio: 425 h.p. Max Wedges dominated drag racing during the early to mid 1960s. The fact that they are still competitive in Super Stock classes more than 40 years after their introduction is impressive. It can be argued that part of the Max Wedge appeal is that they were the fastest cars of their day, but, by most accounts, they didn't look the part. Some people find them downright ugly. Their outward appearance is Plain-Jane; no stripes, no badging. With the exception of the hood scoop on some '63 and '64 models, there is no tip-off to distinguish a Max Wedge from Grandma's slant-six grocery-getter. But make no mistake, Max Wedges can embarrass a brand-new Viper. They are fully capable of 12-second quarter mile times in stock trim. That's fast enough to pick off most motorcycles. Engine 225 Six 318 V8 - Poly 361 V8 383 V8 413 V8 426 V8 Wedge Color Turquoise Red Turquoise Turquoise Orange Orange Mopar Part Number P4120752 P4349218 P4120752 P4120752 P4120751 P4120751 Engine Paint Codes 1963 Plymouth “B” bodies: