HEMI^® Colts From Dodge

– DODGE IMPORT NAMED COLT CAME FOR 1971
– A COMPACT THAT CAME WITH A HEMI^®-HEAD 4-CYL ENGINE
– DRAG RACERS PREFERRED TO INSTALL A 426 HEMI V8

In the early 1970s, things were changing with the domestic automakers: combining fuel economy with smaller sized compact vehicles was becoming the “in” thing. GM and Ford developed their own versions in the Vega and Pinto. Then the imports entered the scene with the VW, Toyota, Datsun and Honda. Chrysler didn’t have a true compact, so they imported them. Plymouth brought the Cricket (a re-badged Hillman Avenger) from England and Dodge brought out the Colt.

When the Colt debuted at Dodge dealerships in late 1971, it was a something completely new for the American car market. In the Japanese market, the Colt came out in December of 1969 named the Mitsubishi Colt Galant and was available in 2-door, 4-door and 4-door wagon variations.

LOWEST PRICED DODGE

With a starting MSRP of $2,095 (2-door coupe), it was the least expensive Dodge at the time. Standard equipment included 83 horsepower, 97.5-cubic-inch Overhead Cam 4-cylinder, with two-barrel carb, front disc brakes, adjustable steering column, reclining bucket seats and fully synchronized 4-speed. Popular options included A/C, 3-speed automatic transmission, AM/FM radio and vinyl tops.

For performance enthusiasts, Chrysler’s Special Parts Division developed a number of components for racing applications. Scott Harvey, a Chrysler engineer who rally raced, was instrumental in the development work. The main ingredient was a “C2” cylinder head (part number P3690481), as well as a high-performance camshaft (P3690482). Other options included C2 pistons, high-capacity oil pump and windage tray. For increased induction, a C2 Twin Solex Carburetion setup was available, and the factory recommended a tubular exhaust header of “Bi-Y” design. Special suspension upgrades were offered for rally racing, which included shocks, struts, sway bars, higher-rate front coil spring and beefed rear leafs.

SPORTY GT MODEL 1973

This magazine advertisement for the 1973 Dodge Colt highlighted the “GT” model and played up the fact that even though it’s a Japanese import, the coast-to-coast Dodge dealers sold them and could service them.

NEW LOOK FOR 1974

More curvaceous styling and a switch to single headlamps, the 1974 Colt now had an optional 2.0L engine known as the G52B “Astron” powerplant, developing 96 horsepower. The GT model featured side stripes and a sportier appearance.

The 1975 Dodge Colt models came with a larger bumper.

WOODIE WAGON

Going up against the 2-door mini-wagons offered by GM and Ford, the Colt wagon featured 4 doors and had 58.3 cubic feet of cargo space. The top model was the Colt Estate Wagon featuring wood-look accents and upper roof rack adding hauling potential.

COLT FOR 1976

The 1976 model year Dodge Colt marked the last of the second-generation cars with the base price starting at $3,175. There was a “Silent Shaft” engine option for the optional 2000cc powerplant, which was designed to cancel out engine vibrations. The car featured in the photo on the beach was the Carousel model which came slightly more equipped and painted in a blue and while color combo.

STYLING REVISIONS FOR ’77

The 1977 model year saw the introduction of the third generation of the Dodge Colt, based on the Mitsubishi Lancer and with a 92.1-inch wheelbase. With revised styling and an available 5-speed manual transmission in the “Freeway Cruise” Package, it was all about fuel mileage. Listed at 47 MPG highway, 30 MPH city and a lower base price of $2,984, it was all about competing with Datsun and Toyota.

DODGE COLD “CHALLENGER” FOR 1978

Yes, it had “Challenger” emblems; however, in reality, it was based on a Mitsubishi Galant Lambda, a Japanese RWD two-door notchback that ran on a 100-inch wheelbase. It came for the 1978 model year and featured a 2.6L “HEMI” 4-cylinder engine and was fitted with front and rear disc brakes. The advertising called it “A beautiful new GT import from Dodge” and according to the official Dodge press release, it was positioned as being in the Colt product lineup. Sox & Martin did campaign a Pro Stocker and A/FX car with this body style in 1978.

GEN II HEMI COLTS: SO OUTRAGEOUS IT WAS OUTLAWED BY THE NHRA FOR PRO STOCK

Most everyone who follows the history of NHRA and their Pro Stock class knows that the HEMI engine dominated the early years of the class and as a result, the rules makers at NHRA basically outlawed a Dodge Colt to run in the class with a HEMI engine. They firmly said no way! There were initial plans for the factory to build an in-house “Motown Missile” HEMI Colt Pro Stock car, however that car was never completed; and soon after, the edict came from NHRA that made it not legal for competition – it could race in a sportsman class, but not Pro Stock. Other HEMI Colts were forced to run in different drag racing sanctioning bodies and in match races where the rules were loose. In addition to the examples shown, more Colts saw drag strip activity by Roy Hill, Nelson Des Champs and Stewart Pomeroy (AKA Seymour Guntz), Kenny Hahn, Bill Flynn, Jim Roath, Gene Dunlap, Roger Denney, DeSantis & Crider (340 powered), Terry Adams and John Zorian. The fans were crazy for them!

CHICAGO-BASED MR. NORM’S “MINI CHARGER”

Grand Spaulding Dodge was a major-league player in the high-performance muscle car era and their top performance guy was a man named Gary Dyer, an expert of all things drag racing and the driver of the Mr. Norm’s nitro Funny Cars. When the Dodge factory began importing the Colt from Japan, he got the idea to get one and run the car in the Pro Stock class to further promote the Mr. Norm’s Dodge dealership.

Dyer obtained a production Colt and stripped away everything that could be removed to make the body as light as possible. Here’s a photo of what the GS shop was turning into an all-out drag machine.

In order to build a suitable chassis, the construction of a tubular step frame was done by craftsman Romeo Palamides, including a torsion bar front suspension arrangement from Strange Engineering. Pinto rack-and-pinion steering and tubular upper control arms were incorporated in the design as well. In the rear was a Dana 60 differential with 5.38:1 gearing and a Lenco racing 4-speed transmission was used. This was a purpose-built race chassis built for rigidity and later fitted with a full roll cage.

The Gen II HEMI engine was sleeved down 3/16th” and the crankshaft was destroked 1/4″, giving it a cubic inch displacement of 362. Brooks aluminum rods and Venolia pistons were used, and ignition via a Jack Cotton magneto. The induction consisted of a pair of Holley Dominators (1050 cfm each) mounted atop a Weiand tunnel ram intake manifold.

ALSO FROM CHICAGO: SUPER SHAKER

This was another Romeo Palamides-built car, a HEMI Colt built for the team of Red Sullivan and Terry Hedrick, with support from Performance Auto Parts. Reported as an ill-handling machine, it did eventually crash and was rebuilt. The car ran in the 8’s and was a match racer in the Midwest.

RONALD LYLES BROOKLYN NEW YORK RACER

A former street racer from Brooklyn, NY, Rapid Ronnie Lyles was considered the #3 Sox & Martin Mopar_® vehicle racer. He ran this HEMI Colt with head mechanic Randy Dorton. When Lyles retired from active drag racing, Ronnie Sox purchased the car.

BILLY THE KID COLT

Running out of Dayton, Ohio, Billy Stepp’s “Billy The Kid” HEMI Colt was driven by Bobby Yowell and ran in B/Altered class, running a Lenco racing transmission and limited to three gears per the NHRA rule book. Paul Front was the builder and engine man, it featured a destroked HEMI engine of 400 cubic inches and had run a best of 8.40 at 160 mph. Unfortunately, it was destroyed in a crash, not because of any flaws in the chassis design, but as a result of a crew member accidentally forgetting to connect the wheelie bars – it flipped at the Bristol track.

RONNIE SOX / BILLY THE KID

Shown here in 1976, the car is adorned with Ronnie Sox and Billy The Kid markings. In 1977, the car was running with Ronnie Sox branding before returning to the familiar Sox & Martin branding. 

ROD SHOP COLT WAGON

This station wagon Colt wasn’t powered by a HEMI engine, but rather a very rare and exotic Mopar small block, displacing 318 cubic inches and a pure race engine originally intended for USAC INDY car racing! Chrysler had commissioned English engineer Harry Weslake to create a DOHC (Double Overhead Camshaft) engine for all-out competition. It is said that only 15 examples were built, and they were known as the Plymouth Weslake Engine. Campaigned by the team of Rick Stickel & Ray Noltemeyer, it ran in C and D/Altered classes, but was more of a novelty than anything else for drag racing application. However, it did garner a lot of publicity for the Rod Shop group!

NATIONWISE ROD SHOP COLT RECORD RUN OCIR 1976

It was an exciting night in late September 1976 at OCIR (Orange County International Raceway) in East Irvine, CA, when there was a special “Run What Ya Brung” Pro Stock Match Race event, with an appearance of the Nationwide Rod Shop HEMI Colt. There were no restrictions on engine size, weight or “performance enhancements” which meant anything goes.

With Bob Riffle at the controls, he came away the big winner as his potent Colt ran away from the competition with an 8.21-second blast at 168.85 mph! Showing the run was no fluke, he came back with an 8.27 run with 165.13 mph top end, proving that the HEMI engine was definitely flying that night in Southern California!

DON CARLTON EXTENDED WHEELBASE COLT 1977 POMONA

Debuting at the 1977 NHRA Winternationals, Don Carlton arrived with a most unusual stretched-wheelbase Rod Shop Colt to run in the B/Altered class! He had lengthened the standard wheels to 177 inches, moving the front wheels forward and also, not ever seen before (or afterwards), moving the rear axle rearward! It all was done to deal with some recent rules changes for the class. This car saw victory at the NHRA Springnationals in Columbus. 

Reportedly Don Carlton ran as quick as 8.08 at 169 in a HEMI Colt.

He tragically lost his life later that same year, while testing in a Colt, but not in this chassis configuration.

RONNIE SOX IN A ROD SHOP COLT

To run in the 1977 US Nationals, Rod Shop arrived with a HEMI Colt in the A/FX class with Ronnie Sox as the driver. Ronnie’s name was proudly displayed on the window with Don Carton’s name on the doors in full respect.

RAN ON REGULAR GAS

A true economy car was exactly what many new-car buyers were after in 1974, and that’s just what this motorist was looking for when he purchased this 1974 Colt! No need for “Ethyl” fuel to help keep operating costs to a minimum.

COLT SURVIVORS

“Basic Transportation” would be one way to accurately describe this 1974 coupe, and it had served the owners well with over 220k miles driven. Back in the day, a vehicle like this was hardly noticed, an inexpensive vehicle that gets good mileage and blends into the background as nothing special. In October of 2024, it went up for sale and found a buyer at $4,750. A California car, it would continue to be a driver or if someone had the inclination, a cool conversion to a modern day resto-mod with a Direct Connection GEN III HEMI engine and chassis upgrades, IRS and all the while keeping the innocent outside appearance of the car.

This 1973 hardtop was originally purchased in November 1973 (Vancouver, British Columbia) and had survived all the years in pristine condition and with only 29,000 on the odometer. It did have one re-spray of the red paint and now wears Panasport aluminum wheels with BFG Touring T/A rubber. What’s it worth today? It sold in June 2024 for the sum of $25,000, and at a No Reserve auction.

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Author: James Maxwell