413 Max Wedge Cars: Plymouth and Dodge Tips for Performance
Plymouth and Dodge published tips and recommendations for the 1962 Max Wedge cars equipped with the 413 Maximum Performance engines. These recommendations were included in the Max Wedge owner’s manual and car salesman’s facts about the cars.
This article will include each one of the recommendations from Plymouth and Dodge. They include tips about the engines, suspension, fuel, tires and brakes.
Plymouth 413 Max Wedge Car and Engine Tips and Recommendations
The Plymouth 413 Max Wedge engine was called 413 Super Stock. Even though each Chrysler division had different names, the engines were identical in every way.
The Super Stock Max Wedge engine was installed in the 1962 intermediate B-body Plymouths except for the station wagons, Police and Taxi cars.
Car models included:
- Belvedere
- Savoy
- Fury
- Sport Fury
Plymouth Max Wedge Tips and Recommendations
The owner’s manuals were divided into different sections. On page 3, the following Title and recommendations were included. These are word for word as printed.
Car Operation For Best Performance
For peak performance while participating in acceleration trials*, the following practices are recommended:
1. Spark Plugs
Use correct spark plugs as shown in General Specifications, Page 8.
Page 8 indicated the following information.
| Spark Plugs | Gap | 11:1 | 13.5:1 |
| Summer Driving | .035″ | J9Y | J9Y |
| Acceleration Trials | .025″ | J2J | J2J |
2. Ignition System & Valves
Check valve lash, spark plug condition, ignition system condition and spark timing frequently as the full output of the engine may not be obtained with faulty plugs, weak ignition, and/or tight valve lash even though misfiring or backfiring are not observed. However, excess valve gear noise and valve breakage may result from lash settings that are too high.
3. Engine Operation
Do not run engine over 6500 r.p.m. Wide open throttle bursts must be limited to fifteen seconds in duration.
4. Gasoline
Use highest octane premium gasoline, approximately 102 or higher.
5. Rear Springs
For better traction, additional springs clips may be used to tie the ends of each leaf to the rest of the spring.
6. Front Suspension
The front end alignment should be set at the correct specifications (See Service Manual).
7. Brakes
Adjust brakes to eliminate any possible drag.
8. Tires
Use large tires of high Butyl content on the rear since they give better traction on most surfaces. Increase air pressure in the front tires to reduce rolling resistance. Do not exceed 45 p.s.i.
*Note: It is important that acceleration runs be made only at supervised events that have proper governing bodies, safety regulations and are controlled by experienced personnel.
Additional suggestions which you may wish to consider are:
1. Compression Ratio
The combustion chamber volume and piston-to-block deck height should be at the minimum factory tolerance to get the maximum allowable compression ratio.
2. Carburetor
Carburetors have been calibrated for maximum power. (Leaner mixtures should be used at altitudes above 4000 ft.). Throttle blade angles have been set for maximum power on the dynamometer and should not be changed (see specifications). Cool air should be routed to the carburetor by whatever means the rules permit.
3. Valve Springs
The valve springs should be set to the minimum specified heights.
4. Assembly Procedure
When the engine is being assembled, all parts must be kept clean and MoPar Engine Oil Supplement should be used.
5. Fan
A smaller fan, Part No. 2121971, may be used when temperature conditions permit.
6. Fuel Pumps
Two electric fuel pumps, Part No. 1925054 (available from a Bendix dealer), may be installed in parallel and close to the fuel tank as added protection against high temperature vapor lock.
*7. Rear Springs
Optional right rear spring, Part No. 2196939, may be installed to give maximum traction.
*8. Shock Absorbers
Rear shock absorbers, Part No. 2275848, should be used for optimum wheel control.
*9. Axle Pinion Bumper
Shim the pinion bumper so that it contacts the floor pan with the car in its ready-to-run height. Use Bumper Part No. 1857682.
10. Rear Wheels
The optional 61/2″ wide rear wheels, Part No. 2122468 should be used.
*These modifications are not recommended for street driving because of ride harshness.
Dodge 413 Max Wedge Car and Engine Tips and Recommendations
The Dodge 413 Max Wedge engine was called 413 Ramcharger.
The Max Wedge engine was installed in the 1962 intermediate B-body Dodges except for the station wagons, Police and Taxi cars.
Models included the following:
- Dart
- Polara 500
For more details about the cars, check out my article, Cars Produced With a 413 Max Wedge Engine.
Dodge Max Wedge Tips and Recommendations
The following Dodge tips were included in their manual and the salesman’s facts about the Ram-Charger cars.
They were very similar to the Plymouth recommendations with some slight variations in language. Some details are included not mentioned in the Plymouth manual.
413 Ram-Charger V-8 Maximum-Performance Capabilities
When the car is to compete in approved acceleration trials, a little extra attention to details can often bring a decisive edge in performance and lengthen the life of the engine.
HELPFUL HINTS
To open exhaust outlets to the atmosphere (when rules permit) the standard exhaust cutout can be used, by-passing the muffler and tailpipe assembly.
For better suspension control during fast starts, additional spring clips can be used to tie the ends of each leaf to the rest of the spring.
Air pressure in the front tires may be increased, to lessen rolling resistance. Tires of high butyl content can be used on the rear, to give best traction on most surfaces.
FOR ADDED PERFORMANCE AND PROTECTION
Valve lash, spark plugs and timing should be checked frequently to let the Ram-Charger operate consistently at peak efficiency. The highest octane fuel available (102 or higher) must be used. Front-end alignment should be set correctly. Brake shoes can be adjusted to eliminate any possible brake drag.
A word of caution: to protect the fine working parts of the engine, it should not be run over 6500 r.p.m. And it’s necessary to limit wide-open throttle bursts to fifteen seconds duration.
Serious competition in all-out performance contests offers additional opportunities to bring this engine to a peak of perfection. Here are some ways by which the Ram-Charger can be made a top contender in highly competitive acceleration trials.
FUEL SYSTEM
Two electric fuel pumps can be installed for faster feeding. Since the carburetors have been factory-set for maximum-power fuel-air ratio, no experimenting with them is necessary.
DRIVE LINE
Faster shifting with the manual transmission can be achieved by installing a spring-loaded straight-through shifting mechanism (Hurst-Cambell or comparable device). And a higher numerical axle ratio will enable the engine to reach its power peak before the car reaches the end of a performance run.
COOLING
Cool air can be routed to the carburetors by whatever means competition rules allow. A smaller fan can be installed to ease the load on the engine when weather permits.
SPARK PLUGS
The standard Champion J9Y plugs should be set at .025″ electrode gap.
VALVE ADJUSTMENT
Valve spring heights should be set to the proper specifications.
SUSPENSION AND BRAKING
Optional rear wheels can be used. The pinion bumper should be contacting the floor pan when the car is at its ready-to-run height. Heavy-duty rear shock absorbers can be used for optimum wheel control. An optional right rear spring installation will improve traction. The automatic brake adjusters may be removed and the brakes kept adjusted manually.
OPERATING TIPS
Experimenting with tire size, compound and pressure – – combined with starting techniques – – will help achieve top performance. And a final word of warning: the 13.5:1-compression-ratio engine must never be run at top speeds for more than fifteen seconds at a time.
Wrapping Up
I always enjoy reading what the engineers recommended at the time. Their tips and language used is interesting and sometimes make me chuckle.
The recommendations above are word for word straight from the 1962 Plymouth and Dodge manuals.
If you have any questions to ask me about the 413 Max Wedge car performance recommendations, send us an email found specifically on my contact page or comment below.
About 38 years ago I assembled my first Mopar engine. It’s at that time my hands on experience with Mopar engines, including the Max Wedge, started. Although my research of the engines started years earlier.
Read More Mopar Articles
413 MaxWedge Horsepower and Torque
Article Resources
- Wikipedia: Chrysler B platform
- 1962 Plymouth 413 Super Stock Owners Manual
- 1962 Dodge Salesman’s Facts About The Dodge Dart Ram-Charger
