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Ford SOHC ‘Cammer’ vs Chrysler 426 Hemi: The Oval Racing Engines That Never Were

The Ford SOHC "Cammer" and Chrysler 426 Hemi are two engines that, while not directly competing in the same era, share a common goal: to dominate oval racing. Their similarities are evident, but the differences in design and performance are what make them unique. The 426 Hemi, a legendary engine in its own right, was banned from NASCAR due to its high power output. In response, Ford created the Cammer, a direct response to the Hemi. The Cammer was essentially a 427-FE engine with a single overhead camshaft, cast-iron heads, and a six-foot-long timing chain for the roller cam. This engine was designed to be a quick and cheap swap for oval racing. While the Cammer and 426 Hemi share some similarities, such as hemispherical combustion chambers and two valves per cylinder, they differ in design and performance. The Cammer runs at 12:1 compression, whereas the 426 Hemi has a ...

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The Ford SOHC “Cammer” and Chrysler 426 Hemi are two engines that, while not directly competing in the same era, share a common goal: to dominate oval racing. Their similarities are evident, but the differences in design and performance are what make them unique.

The 426 Hemi, a legendary engine in its own right, was banned from NASCAR due to its high power output. In response, Ford created the Cammer, a direct response to the Hemi. The Cammer was essentially a 427-FE engine with a single overhead camshaft, cast-iron heads, and a six-foot-long timing chain for the roller cam. This engine was designed to be a quick and cheap swap for oval racing.

While the Cammer and 426 Hemi share some similarities, such as hemispherical combustion chambers and two valves per cylinder, they differ in design and performance. The Cammer runs at 12:1 compression, whereas the 426 Hemi has a higher 12.5:1 compression ratio. The 427 Cammer can rev up to 7,500 rpm, while the 426 Hemi has a lower 6,000 rpm ceiling.

The power figures for these engines are also telling. The 427 Cammer produces a significant amount of power, but the 426 Hemi is still a force to be reckoned with. The real difference between the two engines can be found in their power figures.

In conclusion, the Ford SOHC “Cammer” and Chrysler 426 Hemi are two engines that, while not directly competing in the same era, share a common goal: to dominate oval racing. Their similarities are evident, but the differences in design and performance are what make them unique.

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