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>I started to drive it on short
shake-down trips around >the block, and I found it
woefully underpowered. -So >this is the vaunted Hemi that
everyone talks about? I >felt like I would probably lose
a drag to anything >with more than 4 cylinders Kenyon, The 331 Hemi in your ’55 Imperial
does not have as much power as you might think. 250 hp @ 4600 rpm 340 ft lbs @ 2800 rpm 8.5 to 1 compression ratio on regular gas Curb weight of 4565 lbs By comparison the 440 in my ’67 is
rated as follows: 350 hp @ 4400 rpm 480 ft lbs @ 2800 rpm 10.0 to 1 compression ratio on premium gas Curb weight of 5230 lbs 100 more horses and 140 more ft lbs of torque.
This makes for a much improved throttle response when you tip your foot
into it, despite the fact that my ’67 weighs about 700 pounds more. The 331 Hemi was better than anything the
competion had to offer in 1955. But I think many people try to equate it
to the legendary 426 that came a few years later. Not to worry though, my wife’s 300M
will run circles around both our Imperials. J Ken |
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