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Hot-rodding began before World War II when young men of modest means tinkered with cars to improve their performance. Besides reworking engines, they often lowered the roof or the entire body, to reduce wind resistance. These cars became a symbol of defiant youth, and the basis for more appearance-oriented customizing—gaudy paint jobs and chrome pipes—in the late 1940s and 1950s. Media portrayals of youth culture in the 1950s made icons of these modified vehicles and helped to spread the popularity of customizing.

Focus on performance among the major American automakers after World War II was rekindled by the Chrysler 300 letter series in 1955. They can be considered the muscle car's ancestors, though much more luxurious, expensive, exclusive, and larger in size. Other makes soon offered high performance engines in their "standard"-sized models.

But the Chrysler 300 was America's most powerful performance car. Few carmakers personified power and performance like Chrysler in the mid-to-late ‘50s. The transition from unexciting postwar cars to 1955's "forward look" catapulted Chrysler, Dodge, Desoto and Plymouth forward in sales. and while styling had become a big part of Chrysler's appeal, the management sequestered in highland park was also aware that the buying public was hungry for faster cars. They invaded showrooms demanding big displacement V-8s, fins, brilliant exterior hues and plenty of options. Economic prosperity had fattened the public's purse, and performance and status were key elements in their desire for new cars.

For Chrysler, releasing a high-end, high performance sport coupe to showcase the company's changing character seemed appropriate. Their timing couldn't have been better. Model year 1955 was a high water mark in automotive sales that wouldn't be broken for another decade. This special high performance coupe featured the styling of Virgil Exner and the renowned engineering for which Chrysler was famous. Combined with luxurious leather upholstery and a chromed instrument panel filled with gauges, the "C-300" (the internal name within Chrysler Engineering) would become the flagship of Chrysler Corporation. The derivation of the model name was simple. The 331 ci Hemispherical V-8 that powered it was rated at 300 horsepower - the first American production car to reach that level.

The Hemi used in the 300 featured a pair of Carter four-barrel carburetors, mechanical lifters, high lift camshaft and low restriction dual exhausts. Combined with the two speed Powerflite automatic transmission, the 300 was fast, even with a curb weight of over two tons. At Daytona's Speedweeks, a '55 300 broke the record for the Flying Mile, ripping across the sand at 127.58 mph. Part of the 300's performance was its excellent handling. With front coils and rear leaf springs and 126-inch wheelbase, the 300 sat lower than most 1955 models. That sport suspension contributed to the 300's domination of the 1955 NASCAR season, culminating in winning the points championship. All of this performance didn't come cheap; with a base price of $4,109, the high performance 300 was nicknamed "the executive's hotrod." Total production was 1,725 and all were sport coupes.

Chrysler was ready with a 1956 model, retaining the 300 nameplate and adding a "B" to the sequence. From then on, the 300s would be known as "the letter cars." The 300B's engine displacement was upped to 354 cid, horsepower climbed to either 340 or 355 depending on compression ratio and a three-speed manual gearbox was offered. Also available was the three speed TorqueFlite with pushbutton selector. At Daytona, Chrysler shattered its own record, posting 139.373 in the flying mile. In NASCAR, the 300B won the championship. Hot Rod magazine tested a '56 300B and recorded 0-60 in 8 seconds flat and 17.0/84 mph in the quarter. Styling was little changed for 1956, and sales fell to 1,102.

As part of the radical "Suddenly It's 1960!" styling revolution at Chrysler, the 1957 300C was transformed into a swept-wing, broad shouldered brute with a massive open grille, dual headlamps and enormous slab flanks that rose to powerful rear fins. The overall look was of grace and speed, and actually made the 18-foot 300C look smaller than it really was. The understated use of chrome was accentuated by a single bright spear that ran from the rear lamp to just behind the door opening. A circular "300C" medallion appeared on the quarter-panel. Open grilles below the headlamps ducted cool air to the front brakes. For the first time, a convertible was also offered.

Under the wide hood was a new version of the Hemi, displacing 392 cubic inches and delivering up to 390 horsepower at 5,400 rpm, unheard of power in 1957 but indicative of the over-the-top performance of the 300C. The 300C's construction continued to be body-on-frame, however the suspension was revised. Along with the low-slung configuration, the 300C now used torsion bars up front instead of coil springs. The rear suspension continued to be a Hotchkis drive with a Hypoid rear axle with leaf springs. The public responded to the 300C's gorgeous sheetmetal and astonishing power with sales rising to 1,918 coupes and 484 convertibles sold.

The 300D was little changed for 1958. The base engine was rated at 380 horsepower with the optional 390-horse version still available. Approximately 20 cars were equipped with the Bendix "Electrojector" electronic fuel injection. The Bendix EFI units were poorly designed and prone to failure. All but a few were recalled and replaced with carburetors.

The 300D was pricey; the coupe's base price was $5,173 and the convertible started at $5,603. The country was in the throes of a deep recession, and car sales took a dramatic plunge. The 300D suffered right along with every other model, with just 618 coupes and 191 convertibles sold.

When the 300E debuted in January 1959, it carried minor styling changes and a new, larger engine. The 392 Hemi was replaced with a 413 cid "Golden Lion" wedge head engine with hydraulic lifters. Like the Hemi, it used a pair of Carter AFB four-barrel carburetors with individual air cleaners. The single pattern camshaft had 260 degrees intake and exhaust with 42 degrees duration. Compression was set at 10.1:1. The new wedge engine developed 380 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 450 Ib-ft torque at 3,600 rpm and was backed by the venerable TorqueFlite automatic transmission and 3.31:1 rear gears.

If there was any question that the loss of the Hemi resulted in less performance, Motor Trend dispelled the speculation when they compared a '59 300E with a '58 D series. The 413 produced more lower end torque than the Hemi and it was also 120 pounds lighter. That resulted in 0-60 times of 8.2 seconds (9.6 for the '58 Hemi) and the Wedge beat the Hemi in the quarter by .7 second and three mph (17.2/92 mph). If the Wedge gave up anything to the Hemi, it was top speed (145 mph to 142 mph).

Muscle Cars The road to the quintessentially American automobile is paved with death, violence, and gigantic lizards. 65 million B.C. The last remaining dinosaurs finally croak, fulfilling their biological imperative by decomposing enough to fuel our modern transportation with their delightfully carbon-laden corpses. 4000 B.C. Asian nomads domesticate horses. Ill-fated attempts to ride 300 at once result in tragedy. 3500 B.C. Inventive peons slap planks onto round pieces of wood and invent the first wheeled vehicle. Hauling hay, rocks, and the lifeless bodies of loincloth-clad tribesmen was never so easy! 1180 B.C. In The Iliad, Achilles has a chariot race to commemorate the death of his friend Patroclus during the Trojan War. On the bright side, People votes Achilles the Sexiest Man Alive—again! 1496 A.D. Columbus brings rubber to Europe after visiting the New World. Its usefulness on wheels and schlongs is soon discovered when Spaniards realize it tastes like shit in paella. 1776 America declares its independence from the British and their feeble, unreliable clown cars. 1885 Gottlieb Daimler creates a motor that becomes the basis for the modern gas-fueled internal-combustion engine. It’s the last time Germany does something useful until Falco emerges. 1923 Standard Oil of New Jersey, DuPont, and GM team up to make leaded gas, and deny its toxicity for years in the interest of smoother-running engines. Well done, gentlemen. 1955 In Rebel Without a Cause, James Dean leaps from a car to avoid an untimely death. Irony rules! 1963 John F. Kennedy is shot while riding in a convertible Lincoln Continental. A grieving nation demands the sniperproof safety of sturdy coupes that can peel out at a moment’s notice. 1964 Pontiac creates the first muscle car by offering a $295 GTO performance option on the midsize Tempest. Non-bleeding genitals, and now this? It’s so sweet to be a man. 1983 The minivan is introduced. The sound of testicles ascending rings out through suburbs nationwide. 2005 All hail the return of the pony car! For the first time in decades, power-hungry buyers can choose between a GTO, Mustang, or Charger. Let’s hope the return of free love is next.

The 300E's superb chassis utilized 170-pound torsion bar front suspension with seven semi-elliptical rear leaf springs. Power assisted 12-inch drums were located at all four corners and "Constant Control" power steering was standard. The 300E was the only American production car standard with Goodyear Blue Streak high performance tires, size 9.00x14, mounted on 14x6.5-inch stamped steel wheels.

The familiar massive 300 series grille was retained, with red contrasts in the grille depending on exterior color. On the driver's side, a 300 script was affixed on the outboard edge of the hood. A 300 emblem with red, white and blue field was located on the quarter-panels with the letter "E" in the medallion. Inside, the opulent interior boasted "Living Leather" seats, with front buckets that swiveled outwards. The instrument panel featured an engine-turned face containing three pods. On the left was a 150 mph speedometer, a clock in the center and cluster of gauges for fuel, oil pressure, amperes and water temperature on the right. To the left of the IP was the push button selector buttons for the TorqueFlite. To the right, the engine turned applique reached across the IP to the glovebox.

Only 550 coupes and 140 convertibles were built in 1959. Like any other carmaker, Chrysler wanted to increase volume, which resulted in the decision to build the "300X," a lower cost version of the letter car series. The 300X was to be introduced in the spring of 1959, based on the Chrysler Windsor with a smaller 122-inch wheelbase. Like the real 300 models, it would have an upgraded interior, special badging and a slicked-up version of the new 383 cid "Golden Lion" V-8. Fortunately, when word got out to the dealer body of the upcoming 300X, the resulting furor caused Chrysler managers to change their minds.

While the 300 letter series never sold in great quantities, they did showcase Chrysler's capabilities as a builder of high performance, luxury road cars. Just as the Corvette has been GM's flagship for performance and technology, the 300 series demonstrated Chrysler's superb engineering. And that 413 cid engine introduced in the 1959 300E? It went on to become the 426 Max Wedge, that by 1962 was dominating NHRA drag racing until it was replaced by a new generation of Hemi engines in 1964.

The idea of installing a powerful engine in a post WWII mid-size car was introduced in 1957. The American Motors (AMC) Rebel showcased AMC’s new 327 in³ V8 255 hp with a 4-barrel carburetor (fuel injection was to be optional), thus making it the first American budget-priced and intermediate-sized, factory hot-rod hardtop sedan. The Rambler Rebel came with a manual or automatic transmission, and dual exhaust. The Rebel was promoted as the fastest four-door car in America from 0–60 mph (0–96.6 km/h) and ran the quarter mile in 17.0 seconds. It was one of the quickest production automobiles at that time.

A muscle car, by the strictest definition, is an intermediate sized, performance oriented model, powered by a large V8 engine, at an affordable price. Most of these models were based on "regular" production vehicles. These vehicles are generally not considered muscle cars, even when equipped with large V8s. If there was a high performance version available, it gets the credit, and not the vehicle that it was based on.

The strict definition only includes intermediate size vehicles. In reality, performance oriented intermediate size vehicles didn't appear until 1964. Before then, manufacturers took existing fullsize vehicles and added extra performance to them. Because of this, the early fullsize performance vehicles are generally considered muscle cars.

In addition to fullsize and intermediate muscle cars, a number of smaller vehicles started appearing on the automotive performance scene. These new "pony cars" and compact cars are generally considered muscle cars only if they have the top of the line performance engines and options.

Although shortlived, muscle cars have become famous the world over from countless films like Vanishing Point and Bullitt and for their amazing performance, at least in a straight line. The muscle car era lasted just eight years between 1964 and 1972 but it ushered in a horsepower war which saw humble Chevrolets producing upwards of 450bhp from a 7.4-litre V8. As Americans say, "there ain’t no substitute for cubic inches".

Paul Zararine. Brute Force. . November 2007.

Motor City Muscle: The High-Powered History of the American Muscle Car The high-performance tale of what was undoubtedly the fastest, loosest era in automotive history. Specially commissioned photos plus dozens of archival 'behind the scenes' shots offer an inside look at the technical development of each of Detroit\'s greatest muscle cars. Packed with posters, ads and memorabilia that capture the flavor of raw horsepower.

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