If you’ve never heard of the Mopar Max Wedge, you’ve been missing out! This polyspherical head 426 was the precursor to the 426 Hemi and was no slouch. This car features the high compression version of the Max Wedge and was rated at 425 horsepower! Listed here on craigslist in St Louis, Missouri, the seller is asking $15,500 or best offer for this car plus a parts car. The seller claims only 19 of these ’63 426 Max Wedges were built and he is guessing that not more than 2 or 3 have survived.
According to the owner the frame has not been cut or “messed” with. This is a 622 model with a, T-85 3 speed manual transmission (missing), and a 426 high compression engine. The body has the usual holes in the floor pan and quarters (no images provided). The engine compartment and the interior is mostly gutted. There are only 3 images with the ad. The original engine condition according to the seller: it is complete from the air cleaners to the oil pan, it is disassembled with some “weld repairs” as if there was a clutch failure, the carburetors are stuck, the block is rusty and will need a complete rebuild.
Included with this purchase is a set of NOS Mopar 13.5:1 pistons. The block will need to be bored and sleeved. You will also get a 1963 Dodge 440, 383 manual transmission, parts car with most of the missing interior and exterior parts. The original fender tag and a clear Missouri title for the Max Wedge Car will be turned over to the buyer. The VIN for this car is 6232151224. The owner will also be listing a ’63 Plymouth Sport Fury, 383, 4 speed with the original engine and a 1962 Fury, factory 361 4bbl auto with the original engine. If you are in the market and/or have any questions, we suggest you make contact with the owner. Mopar’s brochures warned that the 426 was “not a street machine” and was “designed to be run in supervised, sanctioned drag-strip competition…” If you get this Wedge what’s your plan for it?
Motor-on,
Robert
Back to our regularly scheduled “tire burners”! Oh boy, someone is going to get a real fun toy here, and the price seems awful cheap for what it is.
Must. Not. Contact. Seller.
For a Mopar fan, this is nearly a “Holy Grail”.
Must resist temptation.
Super neat and super rare and super rough but worth a lotta dough when finished.
I don’t recognize the name on it-was it a “somebody” car??
Mr Lee’s Rebellion. Some sort of Confederate States of America tribute perhaps? Like a certain General Lee?
I have to admit I am NOT a mopar guy, never have been, never will be. I cannot understand the infatuation with cars such as this. Car was trashed to drag race, engine is admittedly a basket case and may or may not be salvageable, and yet he wants $15.5k? Sorry, not seeing it. Unless it was from a well know campaigner with documentation, a car in this shape at this price has me scratching my head.
it’s the same infatuation you might have for a ’69 COPO Camaro, or a ’69 Shelby Mustang. sure they may have been trashed for racing, but they are still rare and desirable cars that bring high $$, so even a POS in sad shape will bring high $$. even an unknown COPO or Shelby will bring high $$.
Rarity, and the name Mopar, ’nuff said. I predict this car will be flipped very quickly for a nice profit.
“Mr. Lee’s”
Rebellion
Probably some southern twang to naming it.
Max wedge cars usually had lightweight fenders, fiberglass hoods and aluminum bumpers, not sure if that’s all of them though. Fun project, but I’d do some research on them and contact this guy in Colorado to get some help, he has a webpage, Greg lane.
I love how they use paint the letters on the sides of these cars (as well as the intricate pin stripping). I guess the use of wrapping on cars and trucks has reduced the demand for those skills.
It could look and sound like this!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwfLKG99th8
Am wary that seller did not post pics of the engine. If block, heads and manifolds are correct this is a tremendous price. There is a registry for Maxies
This seems way, way too cheap for a genuine Max Wedge car, no?
yes…a Galen certified would be great….but pre 1966 stuff is kinda ifie….again the fender tag on mopars has all the info on engine/trans compo….
Didn’t anyone catch the reference to a polysphere head? No ‘B’ block nor ‘RB’ block EVER used the polysphere heads. These were wedge heads. That is why it was called a Max Wedge! And how does he know that this was the 13.5:1 version? He had to have seen the engine to know that. And yet if the engine was seen, why call it a polysphere? The standard Max Wedge had 11.5:1 pistons and was rated at 415 HP. Either way, this car is underpriced if genuine and could sell for 75K or more when completed.
Good catch Jeff. The only poly engine in the 60’s was the A block 318. The LA 318 used wedge heads.
Anybody remember this thread? There’s another chapter to it…
My father ordered a 64 Dodge 440 Series 426 Max Wedge new. The factory rep for Dodge happened to be at the dealership when he was there to pick it up. Pretty sure he knew the intent of what the car was going to be used for as my dad was in his early 20’s at the time. Told him to forget what the manual said. All he needed to do to break it in was to add a quart of Rislone and take it down the road as hard as he could. Done! Too funny. The only car to put the hammer on it was a 65 Mustang with a 289 HiPo. He couldn’t believe it. After that he was done with it and sold it. I think the price for this rag is a bit too high. Don’t confuse a 426 MAX Wedge with 426 Hemi money. No where close. I have kept my eye open for a car like his and they are out there. I was offered a pretty nice example for $28K several years ago. I planned to buy it for him only to realize I would end up with it soon after. Wasn’t the money. Couldn’t get past the look. 63/64 Dodges are ugly.I prefer the 64/65 Plymouth Sport Fury. Same car easier on the eyes.
Something seems too good to be true.
So what we have here are the parts to build a Max Wedge clone. VIN comes back to a 1963 Dodge 440. Fender tag which if off car appears to be Max Wedge.
Please correct me if I’m wrong.
Your wrong …it’s VIN is in the darrell davis book and is a 13.5:1 HC & manual (T85)
Awesome car great price …hard to find all the parts ,that’s all. Ask me how I know . I have 2 and was gonna buy this but need the space…that sump is worth 3k!!
I have two 63 dodge 440’s one pro street and one clean super stock with a 318 poly with air both fun cars to cruise in, next project is a 64 fury 2 door post with a 426 wedge, why does everyone want to look at these cars at car shows ?
Richard, people want to look at these because they are beautiful cars with or without the big engine.
So much styling went into these bodies.
There is nothing like them.
Yes I own a 1963 Fury and I love her.
n e body know y it had a 3 speed? yup the only available tranny.check it out
yeah jeff one look at a poly with its scalloped valve covers and you know its not a wedge or a hemi