Hemi Muscle Cars by Darwin Holmstrom & David Newhardt

Since the early years of the internal combustion engine, engineers recognized that the hemispherical head design, which utilized dome-shaped combustion chambers, generated phenomenal horsepower. During World War II, Chrysler developed this extremely powerful engine design for tanks and other military vehicles. After the war the company applied this technology to a 330-cubic-inch V-8 destined for its 1951 production cars. This engine became so dominant on America's racetracks and boulevards that its nickname--Hemi--came to symbolize the ultimate in American performance. Hemi Muscle Cars tells the story of the magnificent Hemi-powered performance cars and explains why the Hemi has blown away the competition for six decades--and still does so today. More importantly, the book shows how this potent engine became a cultural icon, how it came to define American performance cars.