America’s fascination with speed had reached epic levels by the early 1960s. Once confined to a small handful of hopped-up factory models, along with local speed shops backyard garages, speed was now on the front page. And not in the thrifty or efficient sense of the 1950s, but instead manufacturers were promoting their performance prowess head on, touting cubic inches, exotic intake setups and heavy-duty four-speed transmissions. Win on Sunday, sell on Monday — you’ve heard it a hundred times — but it was true back then, and there were few companies willing to go further to sell than Chrysler. Representing one of the most maniacal factory offered models ever built, the 1964 Dodge A864 Hemi Super Stock is still just as insane today as when it dominated the Nationals 57 years ago — and still just as fast too.

Spearheaded by the Ramchargers and a few likeminded personnel at Chrysler, promotional efforts in NHRA and AHRA drag racing were in full swing by 1963. Special 426 Max Wedge engine packages and lightweight aluminum parts put Dodge and Plymouth in the winner’s circle consistently that year, highlighted by an all-Dodge show in the Stock Eliminator showdown at the U.S. Nationals. But there was a limit to what could be done with the Wedge, already in its Stage III configuration, and Chrysler’s skunkworks engineers got the green light to develop an even stronger package for the 1964 season.

Put simply, the goal was to design an even more radical, better breathing cylinder head for the existing 426 RB block, combined with more drastic measures for reducing weight and improving weight transfer to the rear tires. Work on this new package continued until the last minute, even beyond the end of the ’64 Max Wedge production in spring of that year. Released in April, the new code A864 Race Hemi lightweights were the most dramatic example of a competition-tuned stock car until the Daytona Charger, and arguably more radical still.

Beyond the lightweight aluminum hood, front fenders, radiator air shield used on the Max Wedge cars, the Race Hemi package sported a larger aluminum hood scoop, aluminum doors, lightweight glass, Plexiglas side windows, hood pinning posts in lieu of hinges and latches, aluminum door hinges, a thin-gauge steel front bumper with aluminum brackets and a single-headlight grille. The interior was stripped of excess weight by removing the dash pad, door armrests and the entire rear seat. There was no seam sealer or undercoat added to the cars, and lightweight Bostroms-made A100 van seats were bolted in up front. A massive 135-amp battery was mounted in the trunk to improve weight transfer at the launch, as well as heavy cast axle bump stops. A pinion snubber and a 4.56 Sure-Grip differential were added to the rear axle, and drivers had their choice between the A833 four-speed and the proven pushbutton A727 TorqueFlite automatic.

But the heart of the matter was a four-letter word, spelled H-E-M-I. Aside from its displacement, the new 426 Race Hemi engine shared little in common with the existing Max Wedge. The combination started with a strong cross-bolted bottom end, topped with a brand new, high-flow cylinder head. Leaning on knowledge from WWII fighter plane technology, Chrysler’s engineers cooked up a hemispherical cylinder head utilizing massive 2.25- and 1.94- inch valves, and located the spark plug towards the center of the combustion chamber. Referred to as K heads, the 1964 Race Hemi heads were made from cast iron and feature a curved area in the head for distributor clearance. These Hemis also utilized an aluminum, short-ram intake manifold tuned especially to make horsepower above 4,000 rpm. By 1965, the K heads would be replaced with aluminum counterparts, and the short-ram intake was made from magnesium, making these ’64 parts rare one-year items. Special exhaust manifolds funneled spent fumes through bolt-on cutouts, while the full-length exhaust sported a single, transverse mounted muffler out back. Its sole purpose was to get cars out the door and onto a trailer, but rumor has it that it was also a handy location to add lead for more weight out back.

In total, it’s said that 55 Dodge 330s, along with 55 Plymouth Savoys and Belvederes were optioned with the A864 Hemi lightweight package — all two-door sedans. A few Dodge and Plymouth hardtops were built as well, with production estimated at 35 of each. Chrysler rated the 12.5:1 compression engine at 425 hp and 490 lb-ft (definitely underrated), and the cars were down to about 3,200 pounds at the curb. The Race Hemi required some sorting upon completion, and Dodge’s engineers learned more as 1964 progressed, continually updating their service bulletins with their findings. But there was no denying the new A864 Hemi was the hottest thing to hit the Stock classes yet. It was nothing for these machines to crack off low 11-second passes near 130 mph. Chrysler dominated drag racing again in 1964, highlighted by an all-Dodge show in the Super Stock Eliminator class at the U.S. Nationals. The win went to a man by the name of Roger Lindamoon in his “Color Me Gone II” Dodge with a narrow win over the Ramchargers Dodge.

The 1965 season would see further restrictions placed on Stock class vehicles, and gone were the days of lightweight aluminum parts. Chrysler continued its domination of the sport, albeit with specially modified steel bodies, but it’s difficult to top the excitement of the ’64 season. Precious few of these cars survive today, and it’s almost unheard of to find them with much of their original parts. After all, these were race cars, and were updated and modified for other classes and engines as time went on. There’s also the rigorous abuse that comes with competition that would claim many of these bodies and drivelines.

The car we’re looking at today is one of these precious few surviving A864 Race Hemis, sold new at Mr. Norms Grand Spaulding Dodge and believed to have just 570 original miles on the odometer. While it lacks any significant known competition history, it is likely one of the most correct examples in existence, retaining most of its original interior, along with rear wheelhouses that have never been tubbed. Its 426 Race Hemi engine was decked sometime in the past, so it’s impossible to determine whether its original or not, but it is indeed a correct ’64 Race Hemi block with the correct K heads and other parts. Rumored to retain almost all of its original lightweight parts, this Hemi Super Stock Dodge is true muscle car royalty fit for any collection of significant drag racing automobiles. A short description of the car follows below:

This 1964 Dodge 330 Super Stock is an A864 factory lightweight drag car powered by a 426 ci race Hemi V8 and 727 TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission. Scheduled for production on May 22, 1964, this car is one of 55 Hemi Super Stock Dodge 330 sedans built that year. It is one of 19 red-over-red A864 Dodges built, and one of 14 total shipped new to Mr. Norm’s Grand Spaulding Dodge. Chassis No. 9092 came factory equipped with special lightweight aluminum front fenders, doors, hood and hood scoop, in addition to other weight saving measures throughout the chassis and interior. The car was campaigned sparingly from 1964 to 1968, when it was placed into long-term storage until 2005. This A864 Dodge 330 Super Stock race car is now offered on behalf of the selling dealer with Chrysler historical documentation, a visual inspection report from Galen Govier, photos from its 2005 refurbishment and a clean Texas title.

As part of the A864 race Hemi package, chassis No. 9092 was factory equipped with lightweight aluminum front fenders, doors, hood and hood scoop, door hinges, window tracks, hood latch tray and upright grille support. A lightweight steel bumper was fit with aluminum brackets and a 135-amp battery was mounted in the trunk. Additional extras included in the package consist of 22-inch radiator, heavy-duty front torsion bars, heavy-duty rear leaf springs, heater and radio delete, Bostrom’s A100 seats, lightweight Owens Corning back glass and Plexiglas side windows.

This Hemi Super Stock Dodge was finished in PP-1 red and fit with a pushbutton-actuated, reverse-manual-valvebody Torqueflite transmission, and was shipped to Mr. Norm’s Grand Spaulding Dodge on June 10, 1964. The car was purchased by its first owner and campaigned sparingly from 1964 to 1968 around Illinois and the surrounding areas. It was placed into storage from 1968 until 2005, when it was restored by specialists Ray Dupuis and Doug Miller. It’s reported that the car retains all of its original exterior brightwork, along with almost all of its original sheet metal, and the rear wheelhouses were never tubbed. The car rides on 15-inch aluminum American Racing wheels with Pro-Trac Competition Front tires, and 15-inch steel wheels out back with Pro-Trac 60 Street Pro tires.

A864 Super Stock cars were optioned for radio and heater delete, along with the entire rear seat. Additionally, park levers were not used on the reverse-manual-valvebody Hemi pushbutton transmission. The interior of this car features original upholstery on the door cards, headliner, Bostroms seats with lightweight aluminum frames and more. Factory-style black carpeting without backing is installed, along with a pair of lap belts. The odometer shows 562 miles, backed up by the car’s documentation as original mileage. An 8,000-rpm Super Sun tachometer is mounted on the column, along with aftermarket Stewart-Warner Green Line gauges below the dash. Plexiglas side windows are installed, along with the original Owens Corning back glass and original front-quarter windows. A modern 940 CCA battery is installed in the trunk, and a factory-style wet-cell battery is included in the sale.

The 426 ci Hemi V8 engine block carries a 4-6-64 casting date, but the engine was decked sometime in the past. While it is a correct 1964 race Hemi block, it no longer carries any identifiable markings to prove it’s original to the car. Correct 1964 iron K-heads are installed, along with the correct aluminum crossram intake with Holley 770 cfm carburetors. The engine was rebuilt by Doug Miller of Fireball Performance Automatic with new .040” over Chrysler pistons, new bearings, rings, valves, springs etc.

The reverse-manual-valvebody 727 Torqueflite three-speed automatic sends power to a Chrysler 8-3/4 rear end. Fit with a Sure-Grip differential, 4.56:1 gears, unique stampings and an adjustable pinion snubber, this is believed to be the original rear axle. Race Hemi exhaust manifolds with cutouts are installed, along with the factory-style single transverse muffler.

Recent service to the car incudes rebuilding of the 770 cfm Holley carburetors, replacement of transmission seals and gaskets, a new Carter fuel pump, adjustment of the aluminum doors and an oil change with Valvoline VR1 20W50 oil. A binder accompanies the car containing known ownership history, factory Chrysler documentation, visual inspection by Galen Govier, Grand Spaulding Dodge decals, restoration photos and prior owner correspondence.

The auction for this 1964 Dodge A864 is hosted here on BringaTrailer.com.