Where it all started, back in 2008

The Hemispherical cylinder head package is one that’s been in use as far back as 1912 and right up to today’s econo-boxes, but there’s only one company that can lay claim to the historic HEMI title, and that’d be Chrysler. Being the first to trademark the name and really shout about it in all their 60’s muscle car ad campaigns, it’s become one of the most well-recognized engine names out there. Enter the Plymouth Belvedere – what started as just another 50’s people mover, quickly became a drag strip dominator in the 60’s, after Chrysler rebodied the car and people started stuffing 426 Hemi’s in them.

Starting off with Chrysler’s cream of the crop back in the day, checkout Bob Coomer’s radical transformation of his very own Belvedere on Yellow Bullet.

It might have been nothing much more than a rusty shell when Coomer got his hands on the car, he brought it right back to life with one hell of a Hemi-powered transformation. It all started in 2008, but alas, in the midst of 2010, this car is just about ready to tear up the strip at Mountain Parkway Motorplex. Coomer was shooting for the Nostalgic look, but wanted to let his imagination wander, cramming her with a 572 C.I. Hemi with 13.75:1 compression pumping out roughly 850HP in “Street” trim. Don’t let the clutch and trio of shifting rods fool you, Coomer isn’t running a Lenco transmission setup, though the Hurst Lightning Rod shifter setup looks the part, and gets the job done when mated to a 727 Torqueflite transmission.

Coomer narrowed the 8 3/4″ rear-end himself, along with fabbing his own disc brake setup using GM-style calipers and Jeep Cherokee rotors, for some sweet braking performance without wallet-aching price and scarce availability that goes with using genuine 60’s Mopar stuff. Some old-school Keith Black valve covers, Intense blue pearl (which is a factory Chrysler color) and a Cal-track leaf spring setup under the tail keeps the nostalgia look and feel in this ride. When Bob finishes up the last few pieces to get this Plymouth ready to run, he plans on bringing it out to local car shows, and a few Hemi only races such as the Chrysler Classic and Mopar Southern Nationals.