[neverwouldof]

In American Muscle Car episode 'The Fastest Musclecar Engines of All Time', a 1966 Dodge street Hemi engine, built and tuned under the factory stock condition, produced 820 HP and 689ft·lb of torque...at least this is what Hemi supporters would like to be carved into stone as gospel truth. In actual fact, Darren Tedder who works at Engine Systems in Tucker Georgia, and who worked with the producers of the show had this to say about the episode:

We built 3 motors for the show titled “the fastest muscle car engines of all time”. We did an L88 Chevy, a 427 tunnel port FE Ford, and a 426 HEMI for them to dyno test. The motors were to have things done to them that would have been done by places like Yenko, Mr Norms, and so on. I have no idea what kind of spin will be put on this show, but I can assure all you guys that MOPAR will be properly represented. Though the Hemi is a pump gas motor, it may have a couple more twists of the wrench than the others, but don’t tell any of the Chevy or Ford brethren. Everything had to be put together from the parts we had available. The end result should please all you guys. Yes that motor has more work in it than it should, but we used what we had at the shop for motors in progress. (note: a 500 cubic inch short block was in the shop at the time...) Remember television is for entertainment, much like the internet, so don't read too much into it. Also, it's not like it was a secret kept from the production. I worked most of my life in underwater production. Every thing I've ever shot has had some unrealistic spin put on it by, post production, or an executive in the production. Unfortunately in most cases (not saying this is the case here) the people in post don't know the first thing about the subject matter. It's just a fact of TV. Two of the most discrediting things said about anything are: I saw it on TV, or read it on the internet. Enjoy it for what is, have a good laugh, and be glad YOU guys know something the VAST majority of viewers don't.

And some opinions posted in response to Mr. Tedder's post:

820 HP out of a stock HEMI? Can you say "SUPER STOCK"??!! If we have a hard time believing it what are the Ford and Chevy guys thinking? 820 H.P. "BLUEPRINT" I SMELL A RINGER. The Ford was cool. Cool show, nice motors, but I'm thinking I spent a lot more money than I should have to make the 800 hp mine puts out. Stock motor w/ inline Pro Systems Holleys? What was I thinking? I could have gotten stock heads, stock cam, stock intake, and only 426 cubes to make 820 hp. That show was supposed to prove who was the baddest of the bad? It proved nothing at all in my opinion.