The newest episode of “Jay Leno’s Garage” functions what could be identified as a proto-muscle car. It is a 1964 Dodge Polara with a massive V-eight beneath the hood.
The muscle car era is generally regarded to have started out out in 1964 with the Pontiac GTO. But some autos fitting that template appeared just just before the GTO or, in this circumstance, at virtually the identical time.
Even however most Polaras left the factory with unremarkable powertrains, this a single specific has the 426-cubic-inch Street Wedge engine. Even however it has the identical displacement as the legendary 426 Hemi, the Street Wedge is a distinct engine with out hemispherical combustion chambers. This car has a 4-velocity manual transmission, with a Hurst shifter and floor-mounted tachometer.
1964 Dodge Polara on Jay Leno’s Garage
Debuting in 413-cubic-inch variety, Chrysler place in the Wedge engine in Dodge (and Plymouth) street autos to meet homologation wants for NASCAR and drag racing. That developed this engine the direct predecessor to the 426 Hemi, which debuted in racing variety in 1964 and developed it into street autos shortly quickly following.
So why is not the Polara as efficiently remembered as the GTO? It is partly due to the reality the Polara was a larger, drastically significantly less youth-oriented car than the GTO. With its plain steel wheels, the Polara was also a great deal a lot more of a sleeper than the GTO, which also meant it did not get as substantially curiosity back in the day.
This car stays primarily stock, but with modern hardware like an MSD ignition approach, Optima battery, and Wilwood disc brakes. It is also obtained exhaust cutouts, so you will undoubtedly want to check out out out the total video to hear that exhaust note.
