The 1966 Plymouth Satellite HEMI: Classic Style + Four-Speed Fury

A very experienced driver from Miami offered up a memorable quote years ago about his 1966 Plymouth Satellite. He said: “This car will be here long after I’m gone-someone will absolutely be loving it.” The Autoevolution staff claimed that the 426 cubic-inch V8 with close-ratio 4-speed is a very rare and desirable treat. It exudes classic style and 4-speed fury, with 1966 being an excellent year for the HEMI. 

Classic Style + Four-Speed Fury

1966 was the first year for the HEMI street engine, which cranked out 425 horsepower and saw nearly 36,000 models built. This was a high-performing engine that built its reputation on racetracks. Richard Petty proudly snagged his first Grand National title in 1964 while sporting the engine’s high-performance variant. The HEMI found itself banished from NASCAR a year later after a quarrel over output issues with Ford. 

After being scorched badly at Daytona by Plymouths and Dodges alike, Ford was on a mission to claim that the HEMI was unfairly lethal. The Blue Oval also met the same unfortunate fate, which NASCAR firmly kept on the sidelines. Chrysler then got their hands on the 550-horsepower HEMI and detuned it. This act rendered the full package a bit more prepared for the typical city street. The still-sensational result was the 425-horsepower V8.

Muscle-Car Majesty: The King-Kong V8’s Asphalt Domination

Chevy’s skilled engineers had quite a job ahead of them to simmer down this V8’s performance. A ram-type magnesium intake manifold was replaced with an aluminum non-ram model. Cast iron was enlisted to scrape the aluminum cylinder heads before installing carbs. Extra manifold heat and a shortened camshaft duration also helped achieve this goal. 

The cast iron components added considerable weight to the front axle. Very killer muscle cars that arrived on the scene in later years frequently faced this issue. A hard-edged environmentalist would definitely have issues with this setup! However, so many diehards love this car because of its excellent engineering and design. In 1966, the scientists avidly studying the ice caps were not yet quite so persistent.

Redline Fever: Burning Rubber & Turning Heads:

Some car historians have claimed that the Satellite commanded a lot of money for what it offered. Its performance was not enough to justify the price tag for some, but there’s no doubt that it offered some glorious and tire-shedding thrills. Its fairly narrow 7.75x 14 rubber tires did not necessarily fare well in the grip department! The 11-inch drum brakes frequently enabled some unwanted fishtailing during rapid stops.

Some restored models are excellent examples of masterful and pure 1960s Muscle gold. This is a very difficult car to keep properly tuned, as the HEMI needs to be poised in an optimal power band. This fierce engine was a very lethal weapon once it got its optimal level of TLC. One of the telltale giveaways as you are now trying to “spot a Satellite in the wild ” is the discrete “426” on the hood ornament. Compared to some of the Pontiacs of that time, the Satellite was a legitimate stock car.

“Curbside Classic” Tests the Winning Waters

The Curbside Classics blog got to eagerly get their hands on a Satellite in primo condition early this spring. They first noticed that the HEMI’s torque peak came in very high. They had nailed down a 0-60 mph gallup of 7.1 seconds, which they weren’t fully thrilled with. Once slaying the quarter-mile came into play, they were easing in at a smooth 14.5 seconds. The key findings from this group were that once the HEMI was fully underway, it lugged ferociously. 

This testing crew also was in for a startling surprise when attempting hard stops. The “police” 11 drum brakes wound up being a disappointment because the rears frequently locked up. When this occurred, the group unfortunately lost quite a bit of control. Even though this proved to be a bit of a reckless fervor, brisk cornering on rural roads was still a blast. The very heavy lump of cast iron situated directly over the wheels made for some boat-like sensations during speed runs.

An Ultra-Supercar for the Times Minus Brawny Burden:

There’s so much to love about this particular V8! It came with some performance-enhancing extras such as a very heavy-duty suspension. Car and Driver excitedly claimed that: “This is the best combination of brute performance and tactable street manners we have ever seen.” True HEMI Plymouth Satellites are now considered fine and rare, with many of them being painted in a quite flattering yellow. 

Any performance car worth its salt during the late ‘60s had a multiple-carb setup. Legendary car restoring expert Jim Drain took special care in working with this other Satellite model. Shown at the 2019 Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals, it earned a Councours Gold scoring 989 out of 1000 possible points. Hagerty value for a car of this mint caliber is over $150,000. Another one of these hard-nosed and flexed Satellites was enjoyed during a recent “Donut Derelicts” cruise in Huntington Beach, California.

Would you Opt For a Squared-Off & Hotheaded Satellite?

Would you love to instill a bit of fear into the neighbors each time you fired up a beast such as this Satellite? Cars of today offer crazy power and very high-tech features, but this Plymouth has a signature snarl that can’t be beaten. Tell us what you think in the comments below, or check out another article about some of the coolest muscle cars of all time.