Launched in 1960, the Dodge Polara arrived just as muscle cars were about to take off. And it went into the history books when the high-performance big-block V8 was killed off by the 1973 oil crisis. But even though it shared the stage with the coolest muscle cars ever built, it never got the iconic 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI.
But that’s not to say the nameplate didn’t spawn high-performance versions. From 1962 to 1964, when it was sold as a midsize, the Polara got the infamous Max Wedge, the V8 that terrorized U.S. drag strips long before the HEMI did.
Introduced for the 1962 model year as a high-performance version of the RB, the Max Wedge debuted as a 413-cubic-inch (6.8-liter) V8 good for up to 420 horsepower. Mopar increased displacement to 426 cubic inches for 1963, when power also rose to 425 horsepower with 13.5:1 compression.
Chrysler dropped the mill in various Dodge and Plymouth models. The former were known as Ramchargers, while the latter were called Super Stocks. And as you might have already guessed, they were factory-built dragsters that were also road legal. The Dodge Polara was also included in this program.
But like all Max Wedge Mopars, these drag-prepped Polaras are as rare as they get and they fetch big bucks when they show up on the auction block (which doesn’t happen very often). As a result, there are quite a few replicas out there. This 1964 version is perhaps the wildest ever made. For two reasons.
For starters, it’s a four-door sedan, a body style that never got a Max Wedge mill from the factory. Second, while it may look like a stock 426 on the outside, this Max Wedge was stroked to 505 cubic inches (8.3 liters). And it was dynoed to a whopping 567 horsepower!
All that extra oomph comes with a long list of beefed-up internals, including a hydraulic cam, high-output alternator, Indy 440-E21 heads, a Wedge TTi exhaust with electric dumps, and a Be Cool cooling system.
On top of that, the Polara was fully restored inside and out and refinished in a gorgeous turquoise hue. And of course, it looks completely stock on the outside, like a full-blown Max Wedge sleeper. The seller claims he poured more than $30,000 into the drivetrain and the restoration, and it shows.
If you fancy what may just be the only four-door Max Wedge out there, eBay’s “showdownmotorsinc” is offering it for $34,900. Yes, it’s not an original Max Wedge, but it sounds like a bargain to me given the Concours-ready look and the massively powerful mill. Would you crash a quarter-mile muscle car party in this four-door?