The high-revving, small block A-body might’ve been one of Mopar’s greatest moments. If all you’ve ever piloted is a big block B-body, then the thrill of thrashing a 340 needs to be added to your bucket list. Without a doubt, 440s are fun; small blocks are just a different flavor of gasoline-fed forcefulness.
That statement is true in stock form but, when heavily modified, can become another conversation entirely. Hughes Engines does everything from mild to wild small blocks and Ron Gable’s 1971 Dodge Demon definitely tips the scales on the rowdy side.
Motivated by a 360 small block with a Hughes hydraulic roller cam, Ron’s blue devil looks to be all manner of maniacal judging by the jolt off the starting line. The build sheet is surprisingly simple, yet carefully-curated:
Ron Gable uses the Hughes HER3642ALN-8 cam in his 1971 Dodge Demon. The car weighs 3,030 lbs. It is a stock stroke 360 [and] uses Scat rods and Dimaond pistons. The heads are INDY “X” heads with the Hughes 1555 rockers. It is all fed by an Edelbrock AirGap intake and an 830cfm AED carb. [The transmission] is a 904 ATI Treemaster with a 2.75 low gear. 8-3/4 rear gear with 4.30 gears turning 30X9 tires. Ron runs 10.95 @ 121mph.
I owned and own big blocks,small blocks but big blocks are the best…
I owned 340 Darts,Cuda’s,Challenger’s and 383,440 powered versions Charger’s and a GTX and a few C bodies..Those C bodies are the best sleepers ever had one factory high performance 383 4bbl and a few 440 versions and one TNT 440 they will eat other muscle cars!!!
440’s are the best easy to make reliable power…But to each their own,some people like 4 and 6 shooters lol or add electric today what a total joke!
Nothing wrong or you cant go wrong with any Mopar V8…small block,big block all awesome!
In the early 90’s I was hard on my 70 Cuda 340 blew that engine up slapped in a strong 360 mid 13 second ride put that engine in a 73 Challenger Rallye I fixed up and sold,then went junkyard 1967 440 blew that up had a 1968 383,1978 400 just about any cheap engine I could find as a teen lol…Car is a ‘Cuda 440 today and looks new,original 340 piston went through the block,I had fun and it ran its best before that happened lol..I did beat a Buick GS 400 doing so..rip 340!!
Don’t fall for it. Hydraulic Cam motors don’t run tens, not even 10.99.
More like 11.99…on a good day.
Video conveniently cuts off before the elapsed time flashes up.
When are these writers gonna realize that the public is not stupid?
Huh. We run 10.90’s in our hyd. roller ’69 Charger all day long. Weird…
Hey Steve, not saying anyone is stupid, but that car runs high tens all day. With that exact cam.