1962 Mopar 383/343 HP 'Stocker'

[Paul Ceasrine]

A 'one-time/one-year engine combination' for the 1962 Mopars,,,

It was an 'early-Mopar Racing Engine' developed at the end of 1962
for the Dodge Polara 500,,,,
specifically targeted for the 1963 NHRA Racing Season and 'New' Stock Class classifications,,,,,,,,'B/SA'.

The 383/343 HP 'Stocker Special'

A dominant combination for Stock Class,,,from 1963 and on,,,,

1963/1964/1965,,,,,,,,,,,,B/SA in the Sedans (9.50 - 10.59 Wt/Hp)
1963/1964/1965,,,,,,,,,,,,B/SA in the Wagons

1966,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,C/SA in the Sedans (9.50 - 10.59 Wt/Hp)
1966,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,C/SA in the Wagons

1967,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,B/SA in the Sedans (9.50 - 10.59 Wt/Hp)
1967,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,B/SA in the Wagons

1968,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,D/SA in the Sedans (9.50 - 9.99 Wt/Hp)
1968,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,F/SA in the Wagons (10.50 - 10.99 Wt/Hp)

1969,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,E/SA in the Sedans (9.50 - 9.99 Wt/Hp)
1969,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,G/SA in the Wagons (10.50 - 10.99 Wt/Hp)

1970/1971,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,F/SA in the Sedans (9.50 - 9.99 Wt/Hp)
1970/1971,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,H/SA in the Wagons (10.50 - 10.99 Wt/Hp)

1972 and up,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,SS/HA in the Sedans (9.50 - 9.99 Wt/Hp)
1972 and up,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,SS/JA in the Wagons (10.50 - 10.99 Wt/Hp)

Note: Once the NHRA opened up the Stock Division with Weight-to-Horsepower changes for 1968, the
1962 Dodge Model #440 3-Seat/9-Passenger Station Wagon was the desired car for (10.50 - 10.99 Wt/Hp).
A dominant car for NHRA Stock Class, 1968 thru 1971.

Note: From 1962 thru 1967, the Dodge Station Wagon was on the wrong end of the Weight-to-Horsepower factor, as it
was in the same class with the lighter (some #300 lbs.) Plymouth Sport Fury and Dodge Polara 500.

Note: For Drag Racing purposes, the Dodge Station Wagon with the 383/343 HP combination was not the desired
race car at the track from 1962 thru 1967, as it was classed in the same Weight-to-Horsepower factor as the
Plymouth Sport Fury and Dodge Polara 500 2-Door Sedans, both of which were #300 lbs. lighter than the
Station Wagon.

Note: The NHRA has since re-factored the 383/343 HP to 320 Horsepower..

[Paul Ceasrine]

The 1962 Plymouth 'Sport Fury'

With a car weight of #3271 lbs. and 343 Horsepower
had a near perfect 9.54 Wt./Hp. factor.

See;
Dave Kempton,,,,,,"SHAKER",,,,(1966 C/SA,,,National Record Holder,,,12.97 @ 108.57 MPH as of June 1966)
Doug Kahl,,,,,,,,,,,,,,'Lansing Automotive'
Callahan & Sulc (Frank Iaconio),,,,'THE VILLAIN'

or

The 1962 Dodge Polara 500

With a car weight of #3313 lbs, and 343 Horsepower
had a nice 9.66 Wt./Hp. factor

See;
Rick Johnson,,,,,'C/Stock Automatic'

or

The 1962 Dodge Model #440 3-Seat/9-Passenger Station Wagon

With a car weight of #3608 lbs. and 343 Horsepower
had a perfect 10.51 Wt/Hp. factor.

See;
Bob Burkitt,,,,,,,,'BEHEMOTH'
Joe Kenney,,,,,,,'TRICK TANK'
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A 'crying shame' that Mopar didn't continue that 383/343 HP 'In-line Dual-quad' after 1962.
Many more 63', 64' and 65' Plymouth and Dodge cars were out there,,,,as well as better styled cars.

It was clearly a better performer in class than the 426-S 'Street Wedge' of 1964 and 1965.

Maybe even brought it back for 1968, in the 383 Road Runners and 383 Super Bee's, as a 'special order option'.

[Barnstorm]

Rick Johnson in Super stock trim.

[Hemi Moose]

Originally Posted by Barnstorm

Rick Johnson in Super stock trim.

Was this the same Rick Johnson that raced a pair of '68 Hemi Barracuda and '64 Hemi Dodge 330 Super Stockers.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Early 'performance tests' of the 383/343 Hp engine in the 1962 Dodge Polara 500 cannot be found

383/343 HP
343 Horsepower @ 5200 RPM's
425 Foot-Pounds of Torque @ 3600 RPM's


Other engines available in the 1962 Dodge 'Polara 500'.

361/305 HP
305 Horsepower @ 4800 RPM's
395 Foot-Pounds of Torque @ 3000 RPM's

383/330 HP
330 Horsepower @ 4600 RPM's
425 Foot-Pounds of Torque @ 2800 RPM's

[Barnstorm]

Originally Posted by Hemi Moose

Was this the same Rick Johnson that raced a pair of '68 Hemi Barracuda and '64 Hemi Dodge 330 Super Stockers.

Yes...currently runs the 64 car and still owns the SS/AH cuda.

[Hemi Moose]

Bobby McIntyre drove a 383 Dodge and beat several 409 Chevy's, 421 Pontiac's & 427 Fords and set A stock records at these tracks.
- Mooresville North Carolina, 109 @ 13.33 et
- Blaney South Carolina, 108.56 @ 13.30 et
- Blaney South Carolina, 109.75 @ 13.13 et
- Farmington North Carolina, 108.23 @ 13.28 et
- Farmington North Carolina, 109.09 @ 13.20 et

[Rich Biebel]

Originally Posted by Barnstorm

Rick Johnson in Super stock trim.

Appears to be the car formerly raced around my area by Callahan and Sulc.

They won Stock at the first Gatornationals with it...1970 I think it was...

Frank Iaconio drove it for a while and even tried it with a stick.....a 3 speed was the only trans that was legal....It did not work too well with the 3 speed....

[Paul Ceasrine]

Just To Name A Few Who Won With This Combination;

First Off

Dave Kempton, 1962 Sport Fury 383/343 HP

1966
* C/SA,,,,,,,,,,,,Ties National Record,,(12.97) (August 1966)
* C/SA,,,,,,,,,,,,Class Winner (Indy Nationals)
* Junior Stock Eliminator Champion (Indy Nationals)

1967
* SS/EA,,,,,,,,Class Winner (Winternationals)

1968
* C/SA,,,,,,,,,Class Winner (Winternationals) (w/1962 Belvedere 383/343 HP)

Great article about Dave Kempton and the 62' Dodge "SHAKER" car in High Performance Cars Magazine (I believe it was April 1967)

Note:
Don't be confused, Dave Kempton ran the 62' Sport Fury with a 361/305 HP combination from 1963 thru 1965 (in C/SA Class), and also ran
that combination at the 66' Winternationals (but in the new D/SA class)

He won D/SA Class at the 1966 Winternationals with a 13.52 @ 102.73 MPH.

For the rest of 1966 (Springnationals and Indy Nationals) he ran the
383/343 combination in C/SA.

[Arnold Greene]

Darrell Davis, Div. 2 Tech Director and more recently Chrysler exec, ran a 383/343 wagon in the late sixties that was really fast. He could run far under the record, at will.