- Seller: David B (Contact)
- Location: Cheshire, Connecticut
- Mileage: 40,000 Shown
- Chassis #: 34838508
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: 270 cui Hemi V8
- Transmission: 2-Speed Automatic
Dodge has a long history with the hemispherical head design. While most of us think of the ’60s and ’70s muscle cars that made it so popular, Dodge’s parent company, Chrysler, introduced the first “Hemi” back in 1950. While not the tire-burning big block of the ’70s, these early FirePower Hemis were great engines. The 1955 Coronet seen here features a 270 Hemi V8 and a well-documented history back to its original owner! It’s being offered as a Barn Finds Classified with a $22,000 asking price in Cheshire, Connecticut, with a clean title.
It’s not uncommon to know how many owners a classic car has had, but we don’t usually know much more than that. Mrs. Mary Biggs purchased this Dodge new in March 1955 from Emmert Hoffman Chrysler for $2,751. She financed the car but paid it off the following year. In 1965, she decided to have the car repainted in its original Halo Blue, which cost her just $68 (about $730 today). Unfortunately, a few years later, she parked the car because it lacked power steering. And it stayed parked for 40+ years. Her granddaughter and her husband eventually inherited the car and brought it back to life.
While the engine started and ran, it was decided to give it a full rebuild to ensure it ran well. They honed the block and installed new pistons, rings, and bearings. The heads were machined and received a full valve job. While they had it out, they rebuilt the two-speed automatic transmission. They added a Holley 4-barrel carburetor (the original 4-barrel is with the car) and rebuilt the exhaust with 2.5-inch stainless steel tubing. It’s said to run well and sounds great. To make sure it was ready to drive, they also went through the brakes and the entire fuel system. In 2017, a set of Coker American Classics in 7-10xR15 were mounted up.
The interior was also freshened up, with new seat upholstery, door cards, and a new headliner. According to the seller, the interior painted surfaces are original and have been polished up. The blue carpet looks great, as do all the original knobs and switches. The seller notes that the speedometer has stopped working, but the other gauges work as they should.
After refreshing the car and cleaning up the paint, the original owner’s granddaughter sold the car to the current owner. In the past 6 years of ownership, they have put about 300 miles on it. They have a sizeable collection of cars and are currently thinning it out, so they’ve decided to let someone new enjoy it.
This Dodge looks great and is said to be a fantastic driver. It’s well documented and ready to enjoy. If you are like us and appreciate documentation, this might be the classic for you. Be sure to make the seller an offer and leave any questions you have in the comment section below!
That’s not a Hemi! That’s a 270 Polysperical engine. I’ve had a few early Hemis, 54 241Dodge, 55 270 Dodge Super Red Ram, 57 354 Chrysler Industrial.
I bet this ’55 Hemi Coronet sells pretty quick. Just seeing the pictures and reading the history of how well it’s been taken care of even with a few updated parts, I believe it’s worth the asking price. Especially with one of the original Hemi engines.
Not a Hemi…..it is a Red Ram poly motor…..Dodge used the Red Ram as a sales pitch for a year or so….
Not a Hemi, poly head
Absolutely, positively not a Hemi. Polyspherical heads. Yep, Yep, Yep.
Sure reads as a Hemi in the story, Sam!
Not rocket science. Not a hemi. Nice car.
So you’re saying it’s the V8 standard Poly head and not the available hemi?
I just researched the 270 ci in the ’55 Dodge Coronet. It says that it is considered a Hemi engine because of the hemispherical combustion chambers. It was known as the Super Red Ram. I’ve always heard that the Hemi engine started in the ’50’s Chryslers. Just a different design from the newer Hemi’s. JMO
Do some more research. This car has a poki, not a hemim
Although it is poly in the picture– the HEMI’S of today will beat ANYTHING on the road IF a person gets it “built” !!!! Try watching a NITRO HEMI DRAGSTER WITH 12,000 HORSES !!!!
It’s not a Hemi…all of the Hemi engines (with the exception of the modern Hemis) had the spark plugs through the valve covers. That’s the easiest way to tell, at a glance.
Nope, this is not a hemi and did not have hemispherical combustion chambers. Yes, the hemi did have hemispherical combustion chambers, but this ain’t one.
Just Red Ram, not Super Red Ram which would have been a Hemi.
Not a hemi. You can tell the hemi because the hemi valve covers are very wide and sparkplug access and sparkplug wires are through holes in the center of the valve covers. This is called a poly. Both are 270CI. Whoever told you polys and hemis are the same is flat wrong.
In the listing of engine rework He didn’t mention valve seat hardening. If not, it will eat them fairly quickly on unleaded gas.
Yes, Chrysler started fitting hemis into their cars in the early 50s. Started with Imperial, then Chrysler, then DeSoto, then Dodge and finally Plymouth-on roughly a yearly basis. ’55 was Dodge’s turn. Check Allpar.com.
Yes, I own a ’55.
Sorry folks, the “Poly” wins, tis’ no hemi. This is very similar to the last double nickel Coronet we saw, also with a polyhead motor. The hemi was extremely rare, and this is simply the “Red Ram 270”. Now, I think the hemi was based off this block, but this ain’t it. Not to poo-poo this motor atall, it was still the hottest stick in ’55, and gave Ford and Chevy plenty to talk about. Hemi or not, it’s still a fantastic car.
I had a ’55 Coronet with the Super Red Ram, the true hemi. This is definitely not a hemi, the plug wires would enter in the middle of the valve covers if it was. Still, a beautiful car, much more stylish than the ’55 Chevy that seems to be so revered.
Oh man, that thing is sweet.
Valve covers, spark plug wires going below them. Poly!
Didn’t the hemi’s have the spark plugs in the middle of the valve covers? My father’s 55 Dodge 2 door station car did (with glass pack mufflers, I might add). So did my 72 Toyota Corolla 1600 coupe with the 2-TC Hemi 4 cyliinder. I thought all of the early Chrysler Co. v8s were hemis. Either that is true and this car has a newer engine, or Chrysler did offer poly engines too.
Yes, it’s a poly//but look at my comment also plz.
You’re so right. One look at the valve covers is a sure give-away. Hemi heads are twice as wide and have spark plugs in the middle. The design of the combustion chamber of this engine reminds me of the Chevy 396. In 1955, It was called the Red Ram engine, and the Hemi was called the Super Red Ram engine in that year, as both were offered. Red Ram had single rocker shafts, Super had duel shafts on each head.
Very nice car.
However these came with only 2 engine choices.
A 270 Semi Hemi and a 315 Hemi.
Only Two V8 engines were offered:
270 cu in (4.4 L) Polyspheric (poly or semi-hemi) heads producing 175 hp (130 kW) and a 315 cu in (5.2 L) (the “Hemi”).
Although a well maintained car.
The 315 is a ’56 engine. In 1955 the 270 ci Red Ram “semi hemi” with a 2bbl carb is good for 175 hp, the 270 ci Super Red Ram “hemi” has a 2 or 4bbl and good for 183/193 hp.
I put a link in my last message but it don’t appear .. I said also that the Red Ram was installed in Coronet / Royal and the Super Red ram in Custom Royal. And i saw sunday a ’55 Custom Royal Lancer with a 270 ci Hemi !
My Coronet had the Super Red Ram 270 true hemi with 4 barrel carb and dual exhaust. Probably an unusual application in a plain Jane Coronet.
It’s a decent sized V8 that will move this beauty down the road just fine. Worth every penny.
The engine in this car is a Red Ram (poly head) with Suoer Red Ram (Hemi) decals attached. Unfortunately, the cool decals won’t make it any faster.
Correct!
In 1955 Dodge had two 270 ci engine ! The “poly” Red Ram on Coronet & Royal and the “Hemi” Super red Ram on Custom Royal . This week end i was at a meeting where i saw a ’55 Custom Royal Lancer (so 2dr H/T) and it has an Hemi https://amerisud.fr/images/IMG_20260925_182941.jpg
air cleaner looks out of place.
At that age my haircleaner would be out of place also–ho ho
The story is wrong. This is is a poly mislabled as a hemi. The hemi, which this clearly is not, was called the Super Red Ram. The poly was called the Red Ram. They both used the same block, as Howard pointed out.
Although it was not a hemi, the poly was a great engine, way ahead of it’s time. The BBC, Ford 335 series and 385 series head designs copied some of the poly architecture. There is a following for the poly engines and some have extracted real horsepower from them, but they’re still not a hemi, no matter what it says on the valve cover or in the story.
’tis a beautiful car, indeed! Super clean and seemingly ready to roll.
You would think the writer of this article would know the difference between a hemi V-8 and a “poly” or non-hemi. Just look at the valve covers, for crying out loud!
I’m sure Josh is well-chastened by now. Ease up.
chev person or ferd person maybe
After looking at the photographs of the beautiful interior; I was wondering why Dodge placed the gear shift lever on the left side of the dash instead of the right side like my ‘55 DeSoto with the two speed automatic Powerflite transmission. I would have thought that corporate engineering would be more consistent. This is a really nice car. I like everything about it. As to the call out on the “Notta-Hemi”; we all know that lots of BF readers miss nothing. It’s one of the many reasons that I enjoy it so much. GLWTS.
I loved my Dad’s old semi -automatic Chrysler–BUT would have put the “bull low” as a starting gear–also an over drive would also have been neat back then
I loved my Dad’s old semi -automatic Chrysler–BUT would have put the “bull low” as a starting gear–also an over drive would also have been neat back then
1955 Dodges ABOUND lately! The last nice-looking Mopar, until the 1962 Imperial.
Now that we have settled the engine specific.. The rest of the documentation will help sell this car. This is an excellent turnkey entry vehicle into the classic car hobby.. The asking price may come down when the seller finds out that the engine is not as rare as he thought.
Wow, this Dodge is something special it’s a ten of ten!
Someone put those decals on that engine. Look up 55 Dodge super red ram and you can see what a real Hemi looks like. I’ve worked on several older Chrysler corp Hemi engines over the years, and owned a couple. That’s a beauty of a car though!!
Those D-500 style exhaust tips came later but fit the car well.
Help me out here old Mopar guys … (I don’t mean Mopar guys who are old, I mean guys who know old Mopars .. LOL)
Attached is a photo of the engine stamping, D551-60960. Everywhere I looked showed that as a Hemi head, not a poly. The valve covers threw me off, but I will admit I’m not a mid 50’s Mopar expert and figured the multiple sources saying it was a Hemi were correct.
I saw some say it was a semi-Hemi – which I’ve heard of. Is this one of those?
I need to make sure what I’m writing is correct. Please direct me to correct sources… and no, I didn’t AI it .. ;>)
Thanks!
and yes, I’m representing this car for the owner and he’ll have a few more coming down the pike as he’s clearing out a small collection.
There are over 400 additional photos and videos of this 55 Dodge. Please contact me if you’d like to see them.
What I have found is this for 55.
D551 is a poly.
D553 is a hemi.
While the blocks were identical on both poly and hemi versions, they were stamped at the factory according to which head was used.
The five digits following represent a sequence number and are different for each engine.
Hope this helps.
Who cares about about hemi ploy poly Charly or Carly it’s a nice ride for the asking price go to your nearest hundye Toyota or better yet a GM dealer and get this quality of vehicle for 22gs
Thank you Jesse. I commented on the car mainly for the nice condition and the fair selling price. I found out that I was mistaken on these engines being a true Hemi. I just didn’t expect to poke a hornets nestabout the whole situation. My apologies to everyone.
I’m not a big Chrysler fan, but I like this car a lot.