What is a "Hemmy" -- Dodge Ram Ad Question

[NSXaholic]

Hey Guys,

Just sawa again an ad for a Dodge Ram, where he pulls up to a stop light, and the car next to him asks if it has a "hemmy."

I know hemmy is short for something. Question is what is it short for, and what does a hemmy do? Is it some sort of supercharger?

Regards.

 

[Number9]

It's probably short for hemisphere, meaning half of a sphere - believe it refers to the shape of the combustion chamber...

 

[Lud]

Hemi is short for hemispherical. It refers to the hemispherical shaped (half sphere) combustion chamber used in those engines. It was a very efficient design which allowed for compact, relatively high compression engines while minimizing detonation. It also enabled the use of larger valves.

Hemi engines had an impressive run in racecars and high-performance street cars in the 50s and 60s. Cars with Hemi engines largely dominated the muscle car scene. It went away for a while in the 70s and 80s due to emissions issues, but started a comeback in the 90s and a new version is now in production as you saw on the ads.

Search for "Hemi" on any search engine and I'm sure you can read all the details for hours.

[This message has been edited by Lud (edited 02 December 2002).]

 

[Yellow Rose]

Hemi, as in "426 Hemi".

This was the powerhouse V-8 American engine in its heyday. The displacement was 426 cubic inches, which equates to 6.9L. (The NSX has only 3.0L or 3.2L displacement.)

The "hemi" is short for hemispherical, which was the shape of the combustion chamber.

 

[Jimbo]

Of course, when someone doesn't know what a Hemi is/was, it's a really bad sign since it shows how old I'm getting.

http://www.motorb ooks.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/mbi.woa/45/wo/zh2Iy2MasRmz2TJxUll1vABy1jk/4.10.1.1.1.1.1.1.3.1.TableCell.0.0.1.FeaturedProduct.1.1.FPLDetailed.2

Just remember guys, 25 years from now some guy will be asking you what VTEC means!

-Jim

PS: That's a great commercial, BTW.

------------------
1992 NSX Red/Blk 5 spd #0330
1991 NSX Blk/Blk Auto #3070 (Sold)
1974 Vette 454 4 spd Wht/Blk
1976 Honda Accord 5 spd, 3 door Blue/Blue
1977 Honda Accord - Custom - Under Construction
1986 Chevy Suburban
http://homepage.mac.com/jimanders/PhotoAlbum1.html


[This message has been edited by Jimbo (edited 02 December 2002).]

 

[NSXaholic]

Originally posted by Jimbo:
Of course, when someone doesn't know what a Hemi is/was, it's a really bad sign since it shows how old I'm getting.

.
.
.
Just remember guys, 25 years from now some guy will be asking you what VTEC means!

-Jim

PS: That's a great commercial, BTW.

Awww, come on Jim. What matter's is that you are young at heart right!! Plus, chalk it up to my ignorance.

Found a decent site that talks about the Hemi -- history and all. Here it is:

http://www.allpar.com/mopar/hemi/Hemicntr.html

Regards.

[This message has been edited by NSXaholic (edited 03 December 2002).]

 

[Jimbo]

Neat link. Here's another...
http://www.thehemi.com/

Yeah, I'm young at heart...yeah...that's the ticket!

It's funny, when I was showing my friend a NSX engine, which happened to be out of a NSX, he remarked that it looked like an Hemi...but with 6 cylinders. Those huge valve covers and the DOHC layout of the NSX engine do present an imposing and impressive view.

-Jim

PS: Now just don't go asking who Bob Dylan is.

------------------
1992 NSX Red/Blk 5 spd #0330
1991 NSX Blk/Blk Auto #3070 (Sold)
1974 Vette 454 4 spd Wht/Blk
1976 Honda Accord 5 spd, 3 door Blue/Blue
1977 Honda Accord - Custom - Under Construction
1986 Chevy Suburban
http://homepage.mac.com/jimanders/PhotoAlbum1.html

[This message has been edited by Jimbo (edited 03 December 2002).]

 

[Jimbo]

Usually Hemi engines were the most popular on the dragstrip or in a stock car, but here's a Hemi engine in a car that most of us NSXers should find interesting....
http://www.thehemi.com/rides.php?id=0019
http://hem.passagen.se/hemipanter/

The above link is the direct link to the owner of the car. Fascinating read and the owner sounds like an interesting guy as well. I love to read stories like this...

-Jim

------------------
1992 NSX Red/Blk 5 spd #0330
1991 NSX Blk/Blk Auto #3070 (Sold)
1974 Vette 454 4 spd Wht/Blk
1976 Honda Accord 5 spd, 3 door Blue/Blue
1977 Honda Accord - Custom - Under Construction
1986 Chevy Suburban
http://homepage.mac.com/jimanders/PhotoAlbum1.html

[This message has been edited by Jimbo (edited 03 December 2002).]

 

[Jonathan]

Bob Dylan?

Did he invent the Hemi?

 

[McAttack]

Originally posted by AndyVecsey:
Hemi, as in "426 Hemi". This was the powerhouse V-8 American engine in its heyday. The displacement was 426 cubic inches, which equates to 6.9L.

More CI does not always mean more HP. I'd take a 383 Hemi over a 426 any day. Or better yet (hemi's aside for a minute), the 302 CI out of a '69 Camaro Z-28 (if one could be found).....

 

[Jimbo]

No, but with all things being equal, more displacement is always better.

-Jim

------------------
1992 NSX Red/Blk 5 spd #0330
1991 NSX Blk/Blk Auto #3070 (Sold)
1974 Vette 454 4 spd Wht/Blk
1976 Honda Accord 5 spd, 3 door Blue/Blue
1977 Honda Accord - Custom - Under Construction
1986 Chevy Suburban
http://homepage.mac.com/jimanders/PhotoAlbum1.html