2005 Chrysler What Can You HEMI? Contest

2005 Chrysler What Can You HEMI? Contest
2005 Chrysler What Can You HEMI? Contest
2005 Chrysler What Can You HEMI? Contest
2005 Chrysler What Can You HEMI? Contest

(from DaimlerChrysler Press Release)  The finalists of the “What Can You HEMI®?” contest saw their drawing board dreams become HEMI-powered realities today. Chrysler Group unveiled full-size, operational versions of each of the five HEMI inventions for the first time in Chelsea, Mich., at its proving grounds. The grand prize winner wins a HEMI-powered Chrysler, Jeep® or Dodge vehicle.

All five finalists, whose entries were chosen from among hundreds submitted throughout the U.S. and Canada, were on-hand to see their outrageous HEMI-powered ideas.

What Can You HEMI?” finalists include:

  • HEMI® Snowblower – Tim Flucht, Belleville, Mich. – armed with 345 horsepower and 375 foot pounds of torque, custom precision drive shaft and wrist tether for quick shut-off, this one-of-a-kind snowblower will get the job done faster than any other

  • HEMI® -Go-Round – Jonathan Brzon, Topeka, Kan. – the engine generates enough power to spin the turntable in a 22-foot circumference at a maximum speed of 8 rpm, while most carousels only do about 4 or 5 rpm

  • HEMI® Trike – Marcus Braun, Vancouver BC – uniquely designed with a custom 4-foot wheel and Goodyear slicks to keep it stable under heavy acceleration … it’s childhood fun … super-sized

  • HEMI® on Ice – Dan Burg, Lindenhurst, Ill. – the propane-powered engine of this ice resurfacer has been replaced with a HEMI engine, pumped up with Mopar performance headers and a Borla exhaust system and customized with a Dodge Viper seat for the operator

  • HEMI® Shredder – Randy Fredner, Earlysville, Va. – industrial strength can tear up a full ream of paper, CDs, phone books … you name it, it shreds it

    Marcus Braun of Vancouver, BC, was named the grand prize winner today for being the mastermind behind the HEMI Trike, an adult adaptation of a childhood toy powered by a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine.

    “The HEMI engine that took the hottest new Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge vehicles to new levels in power and technology has now done it again for these HEMI-powered creations,” said Frank Klegon, Chrysler Group Vice President- Product Development Process and Components. “While all five finalists and their ideas were brilliant, the HEMI Trike stood out for its high marks in creativity, engineering feasibility, safety and functionality.”

    Chrysler Group launched the “What Can You HEMI?” contest in February in celebration of the legendary HEMI engine. With “That Thing Got a HEMI?” becoming a household phrase -- serving as a constant reminder that anything with a HEMI engine is truly top notch -- Chrysler Group asked consumers the question: If you could infuse the power and torque of the 5.7-liter V-8 HEMI engine into anything, what would it be?

    Contestants had to submit their idea in a brief essay and support it with a sketch. Contest information was available online at www.WhatCanYouHemi.com. More than 360 aspiring inventors submitted their wildest ideas before the April 6 postmark deadline.

    "Since its introduction to the public in 1951, the HEMI engine has revolutionized the automotive industry and fascination over the original muscle car engine continues today," said Klegon. "This contest was about extending the same power, torque and technology of the all-new 5.7-liter HEMI to make the ordinary, extra-ordinary and to have a lot of fun doing it."

    Today, the modern 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine’s power and fuel efficiency has added to the success of vehicles including the Chrysler 300C, Dodge Charger, Dodge Magnum, Dodge Ram, Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee. The modern high performance HEMI engine delivers up to 345 horsepower and up to 390 pound-feet of torque. With more than 500,000 engines sold, the take-rate across the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge lineups is approximately 44%.

    The HEMI engine was first made popular in 1951 when Chrysler Corporation introduced its entry in the post-war horsepower race. Its power and efficiency made it an instant favorite for all sorts of motorsports vehicles. Although reluctantly retired in 1959 due to high manufacturing costs, the HEMI design was still unsurpassed. In 1964, NASCAR competition sparked the HEMI's return, and it has remained available for motorsport use ever since. Chrysler Group debuted the all-new modern 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine in 2002 on the Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500.

    • Serious Wheels