This is the 7 litre hemi engine designed by Chrysler for use in NASCAR racing in the early 1960s. The Generation 2, or Gen 2, was introduced in 1964. Public sales were required in order to qualify for use in NASCAR race cars. Production ended in 1971 with only 11 000 were produced for regular consumers due to the immense size of the engine. The name Hemi comes from the combustion chamber being a hemisphere and the top of the cylinder being domed.
This 1:6 scale Testor's brand (model #450) plastic and metal and rubber model looks superb but is an awful production. The concept is great, and the use of metal parts for the block works very well. However, not a single hole on any metal part has been tapped or cast to the correct size for any of the screws. No screw will fit all the way. Nothing fits tightly due to this significant error in production in China and lack of quality control by Testors USA. All screw holes need to be tapped or drilled. That said, the chrome and painted parts are lovely, and if it was not for the awful structural screw parts, it would go together in two hours. Glue is required for many of the plastic parts. No painting is required at all. It makes a lovely desk or shelf display model for the car or engine enthusiast.
Bought for $20 on Kijiji, this was an almost fun Covid-19 two day project, and will make a great gift.
