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Dodge 1959 326 255HP specs: 326 ci (5.3L) 8-cylinder, 3.95 x 3.313 in (100.3 x 84.1 mm) bore and stroke, 9.2:1 compression. Rated 255 hp, 1959.
The Dodge 1959 326 255HP is oversquare — the 3.95" bore exceeds the 3.3125" stroke by 19.2% — a layout that favors airflow and RPM over leverage at the crank. The 3.3125" stroke does not reach 4,000 ft/min of mean piston speed until about 7,250 RPM, so piston speed is not what limits this engine's revs — valvetrain and breathing are. Each of the 8 cylinders displaces 40.8 ci (668 cc).
9.2:1 is low by modern standards and generally happy on regular pump fuel.
| Displacement | 326 ci / 5.3 L |
|---|---|
| Bore | 3.95" |
| Stroke | 3.3125" |
| Cylinders | 8 |
| Configuration | V8 |
| Compression ratio | 9.2:1 |
| Bore/stroke ratio | 1.192 |
| Valvetrain | OHV |
|---|---|
| Induction | 2-bbl |
| Fuel type | gas |
| Advertised HP | 255 hp |
| Years | 1959 |
| Bore/stroke character | 1.192 — oversquare — bore exceeds stroke, which favours higher RPM and larger valves |
|---|---|
| Mean piston speed at 6,000 RPM | 3,313 ft/min — conservative for a street engine |
| Displacement per cylinder | 40.8 ci |
| Static compression | 9.2:1 — low by modern standards, generally happy on regular pump fuel |
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