Surprisingly Not a Stripper.(Escape Roads)(Chrysler's 426-cid Hemi )

Byline: MIKE COVELLO

Chrysler's 426-cid Hemi occupies a unique place in the annals of muscle-car lore. While Ford's Boss 429 engine only appeared in the Mustang for two years, and Chevrolet's all-aluminum Rat motor was sparsely sprinkled among its top performance models, the Elephant engine found its way into a variety of Chrysler products, from 'Cudas to Coronets. The 1967 Dodge Coronet R/T came standard with a 440-cid 375-hp Magnum engine, but for those seeking victory at the drag strip, the 425-hp Hemi was the weapon of choice.

According to conventional wisdom, owners ordered their new car for quarter-mile duty with the least amount of weight possible to increase their acceleration prowess. This meant many Hemi-powered cars sported rubber floor mats and dog dish hubcaps, instead of carpet and mag wheels. The formula must have been correct, because legions of competitors won races, eliminations and championships with the Hemi.

John Marshall of Lynn, Massachusetts, came of age in an era when even Lynn matrons were seen puttering around town in cars as potent as this example. Marshall was able to locate an immaculate version of his childhood dream car, but it took more than seven years to convince the previous owner to sell him this Dark Green Iridescent Coronet.

Unlike its bare-bone brethren, Marshall's trophy winner is more valuable because it has every factory option offered except for bumper guards and headrests. But despite his preference for displaying his Coronet with mirrors ringing its perimeter (the better to see the as-new undercarriage), Marshall's car is no trailer queen. ``These cars were meant to be driven,'' he exclaimed as we settled into the vinyl bucket seats.

A wide dashboard greets us with a ribbon speedometer, whose right side seems to beckon the ...