Built from 1960 to 1973, the Dodge Polara isn't usually associated with high performance despite sharing some engines with golden-era muscle cars. It was the company's top-of-the-line full-size car for most of its showroom life, except for the 1962-to-1964 model years, when Dodge moved it into the intermediate market.
Why did Dodge downsize the Polara? Well, it turns out it happened after Chrysler's president overheard and misunderstood Chevrolet boss Ed Cole to have said the company's largest cars would be downsized for 1962. Dodge rushed to develop a smaller Polara to compete with what was supposed to be a shorter full-size Chevy, only to discover that GM did not shrink its full-size cars.
Due to this mistake, both Dodge and Plymouth sold full-size cars that were smaller than their Chevrolet and Ford competitors for a few months. Dodge fixed this issue by rushing the Custom 880 (a Chrysler Newport with a Polara front end) into production in early 1962.
On top of being a midsize born by mistake, the 1962-to-1964 Polara was also viewed as an awkward-looking automobile at the time. As a result, it wasn't very popular and moved only 37,311 units in three years. For reference, its B-body twin, the Plymouth Fury, sold 243,612 examples over the same period.
To many, the second-generation Polara isn't worth remembering, but I beg to differ. That's mainly because I'm actually a big fan of the car's so-called weird design. More importantly, the midsize version is the only iteration of the Polara that included a full-fledged muscle car version. You see, it was one of the very few Mopars that got the Max Wedge engine.
A spiritual predecessor to the more iconic HEMI, the Max Wedge was introduced in 1962. Originally a 413-cubic-inch (6.8-liter) mill, it debuted with 410 or 420 horsepower on tap, depending on the compression ratio. In 1963, Chrysler increased displacement to 426 cubic inches (7.0 liters), and power rose to 415 and 425 horses. The latter version was just as potent as the HEMI that followed in 1965.
Developed specifically for drag racing, the Max Wedge found its way into a few streetable production models, mainly for homologation purposes. There's no info on how many Polaras got the beefed-up unit, but the consensus is Dodge sold fewer than 10 of them each model year. All told, it's quite a rare gem.
But don't worry if you haven't seen one yet. These cars don't pop up at local car shows (or public auctions) too often. Chances are most of us we'll never see one. But if you're a fan of the midsize Polara like I am, this 1964 example will quench your thirst for Mopar awesomeness. Because this white and seemingly harmless Dodge packs a monster V8 under the hood.
Spotted at the Music City Mopar 2023 show in Nashville, Tennessee, this Polara 500 ditched its production mill (which wasn't a Max Wedge) for a built and blown HEMI. It's unclear which shop made this shiny lump, but it looks similar to the 572-cubic-inch HEMI currently available from companies like Nelson Racing Engines or Ray Barton Racing Engines.
These mills cost as much as stock 1964 Polara in Concours condition, rev up to 7,000 rpm, and generate anywhere from 800 to more than 1,000 horsepower. That's right, "incredible" doesn't even begin to cover it.
But don't let that monstrous, gas-gulping V8 fool you; this Polara is fully streetable otherwise. It looks completely stock apart from the massive blower popping through the front hood, while the interior is just as restrained save for some aluminum inserts in the dashboard. And boy, is it beautiful with that white striping over red upholstery and door panels.
Our host says it's an award-winning car, which doesn't surprise me. The paint is flawless, the chrome trim shines like new, and the perfect panel gaps suggest this Mopar went through a frame-off restoration before it got the blown HEMI. Check it out in the video below.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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