Ken, I can't hear you! 
I had always heard about how well the Hemis ran, but I never could seem to be able to hitch a ride in one when the owner was in a little street race. I had heard them at the race tracks, and turning up the power on the street, but never was able to be in the car. Well I had seen a 1969 Hemi Orange 4 speed Coronet 4 sale sitting in the parking lot of a local business. When I saw it, I had no idea what engine was in it. I didn't stop that day, but I did go back to ask about it a few days later and found out it was already sold. I hated it, but I really wanted a Hemi car and this was a 440. At that time, I was running a built 340 small block Dart. It ran great, but I wanted more. When I went in to ask about the Coronet that had sold, he said he had an old buddy that had a 1968 Roadrunner for sale that was not advertised. I asked him what engine was in it and he said he thought it was a real Hemi Road Runner. I thought yeah right. Anyway I called the old fella and went to look at it. There it was, a beautiful yellow 1968 Hemi RoadRunner with low miles for sale. I knew that car was mine and I told the guy it was sold. I went and got the money and bought it that day. It had been sitting for years, so it was a bear to get running, but I did. It was a solid lifter Hemi that sounded like music to my ears. Anyway, I drove the car a while like it was and it ran ok, but not real strong. I was able to outrun a couple of local boys in there Chevelles and Firebirds. But I was not overly impressed with the performance. So, I yanked the engine and took it to a local performance shop, Barnett Race Cars, and had it blueprinted/balanced and a little higher compression pistons, a Racer-Brown solid cam, Hooker headers, and a little steeper rear gear. I went up to a 3.91 gear. Re-installed that engine and it was a whole different animal. Talk about a powerhouse! It was engine dynode at a little over 600 hp. It went from a high 13 second Runner to a high 11 second Runner. It wasn't any quicker out of the hole than before, and about the same as a stout 440 or 454 Camaro or 427 Vette -- BUT -- when that sucker got the revs up, it was adios amigos to the others. That thing pulled harder in second gear than the others did in first gear. It just never seemed to run out of power. It pulled HARD even way up in high gear. I had never experienced that kind of power. Apparently, the guys that I street raced had never seen it either.. LoL... My first race with the new build was for money against a fellow with a Pontiac firebird with a built S.D. 455. He moved out in the first 50 feet because I just spun. I feathered the throttle and got the tires to hook up. By the time I went into second gear, he was about 3 carlengths out front, at the end of second gear, we were about dead even. As soon as we hit high gear, that old Hemi was just hitting its stride and I pulled away like he was sitting still. I learned after a few races that if the other car wasn't 5-6 lengths out when I hit high gear, they were in serious trouble. That was a great feeling knowing that even if you got behind early, you were still going to get around them. Back then, a 11 second car was badass. What a rush that thing was when it got rolling. I used to run around most of the time with the "383" callouts on the hood. I know, that wasn't fair.....
Anyway, that was where the Hemi experience started for me and I loved it and have never looked back. No disrespect for other engines, but I have had a Hemi in one car or another for decades and I understand them if that makes sense. They are a different animal, but when they are right, they are impressive. I will relate my first trip to the dragstrip with it soon....
