426 Hemi-Powered Ramchargers Dodge 330 Tribute
June 2021 • Edited by Audrey Spurlock • Photos by Nestor Cabrera & Tony Thacker
Presented by HandHFlatheads.com & MicksPaint.com
What is that? ‘A Dodge, 330.’ Said owner Steve Dykman. ‘Most people think it’s a Polara but it’s a 330.’ What’s the difference? ‘The 330 was the base trim model for the 119-inch wheel base intermediate Dodge below the 440 and top of the top of the line Polara.’ Available with two- or four-doors, it came with a six or four different V-8’s, including the legendary 426/415 HP Max Wedge Super Stock.
The infamous Super Stocks were factory race cars that were sold to the public, without warranty, to compete in A and B stock or super stock. These 426 Max Wedge cars were raced by such guys as Al ‘The Lawman’ Eckstrand, Herman Mozer and Jim Thornton and were so dominant that in their advertising Dodge said, ‘But have you noticed? When a Dodge loses these days... it’s to another Dodge.’
Steve’s car came with a lowly 318, but it is long gone; replaced with a, 426 Hemi. Let’s back up, however, and get the story straight. The car as we see it, more or less, was built by Loren Wade, who owned a wrecking yard in Vancouver, WA. Around 1987 Loren pulled the 318 and, replaced it with a 440 before, calling young Steve Dykman who apprenticed in a body shop to paint it – it was his first pro job and is still on the car.
Loren raced the car, a lot, all through the 90’s, mainly Portland and Woodburn dragstrips. Sadly after racing the car for years, Loren passed away and the car fell into the hands of Steve Gilligan, a member of the Estranged Car Club. Steve sold the car to a fellow club member, Mike Thompson, who sold it to club members, Robbie and Debbie Davis. Debbie raced the car and often let Steve Dykman drive the car also but said, ‘It was fast but I could not push the buttons fast enough to race. It was a handful for me.’ Eventually, Robbie said to Steve, ‘you need to own this car, your finger prints are all over it.’ And in 2015, Steve bought the car.
Having decided to continue to race it, Steve worked with longtime friend and race engine builder Tom MacComber of T-Mac performance. They started with a 426 Hemi, lower end from a super stock friend of Tom’s, was in a Super Bee that ran in the 80’s, Coletti Motorsports out of Portland OR, which is long gone. The heads are Petty Motorsports, ‘X’ castings. The intake a friend of Tom’s had hanging on his wall for years and let them buy it for the project. The 770 carbs came from Racer Brown who also let them buy such rare parts for the car.
Backing up the Hemi is an automatic, 727, with dash mounted, push button selector. In fact, the dash is all original as is the interior, complete with bench front seat.
Vehicle: 1963 Dodge 330
Owners: Steve & Teresa Dykman
Performance: 7.0/100 mph at Riverdale Raceway, Toutle, WA
Engine
• Engine: 426 Hemi
• Builder: Tom MacComber,T-Mac performance
• Pistons:JE
• Rods: Carillo
• Crank: Stock
• Cam: Racer Brown
• Heads: Petty Motorsports ‘X’ castings
• Intake: Magnesium Super Stock
• Carbs: 770 Holley supplied by Racer Brown
• Trans: Push-button 727
• Front suspension: Stock
• Front brakes: Stock
• Steering: Stock
• Rear axle: 9-inch Ford, Currie axles
• Rear brakes: Stock 9-inch Ford
• Interior: Original
• Painter: Steve Dykman - 30 years ago
• Pinstriper: Paul Corneau
• Wheels: Steelies
• Tires: 7.10 x 15 Moroso Drag Special (front), 29.5/11.5 x 15 M/T ET Drag (rear),
