Chrysler unleashed the hemi in 1951, redefining performance. Featuring cars from the Brothers' Collection, The Art of Mopar: Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth Muscle Cars celebrates Chrysler muscle in studio portraits.

Naturally aspirated Mopar Wedge big-blocks are quite capable of producing between 600 to 900 horsepower. This book covers how to build Mopar's 383-, 400-, 413-ci, 440-ci engines to these power levels. Discussed is how to select a stock or aftermarket block for the desired performance level. The reciprocating assembly is examined in detail, so you select the right design and material for durability and performance requirements. Cylinder heads and valve train configurations are crucial for generating maximum horsepower and torque and this volume provides special treatment in this area. Camshafts and lifters are compared and contrasted using hydraulic flat tappet, hydraulic roller and solid flat tappet cams. Also, detailed engine builds at 600, 700, 800, and 900 horsepower levels provide insight and reveal what can be done with real-world component packages.

At one time, if you wanted big horsepower in your Mopar muscle car or truck, your choices were limited to a big-block swap or a coveted Hemi. At the very least, you need different engine mounts, K-members, transmissions, headers, etc. - and Hemis have never been cheap! But now there's another way to get more horsepower: boring and stroking your Mopar small-block to get more cubic inches - up to 476 cubes! The small-block Mopar is one of the easiest engines to increase displacement without extensive modifications or specialized machine work - the engine was practically designed for more cubes. This book shows you how to get that big-cube power, then it shows you how to optimize the small-block's other systems - induction, heads, valvetrain, ignition, exhaust, and more - to make the most of the extra cubic inches. Book jacket.

Now in paperback, this book covers Chrysler's incredible series of muscle cars. In 1955 Chrysler introduced the first of its famed 300 "letter series" cars. The company designed a stylish, sporty car, stuffed in one of its potent Hemi engines, and gave birth to the American muscle car. The C-300's combination of style and performance put the Mopar brand ahead of its competitors in the postwar performance race. When the Detroit performance wars began in earnest during the 1960s, Chrysler was well positioned to build the most outragous, bodacious cars of an outrageous, bodacious era, cars like the famed Charger, Hemi Cuda, Road Runner, Superbird, and Challenger T/A. These cars dominated the dragstrips as well as the NASCAR ovals, and with color combinations guaranteed to burn out the corneas of your eyes if you stared at them directly, they ruled the streets of America; they ruled not just the streets, bu the drive ins and parking lots. Nothing was cooler than Mopar muscle. Over the years these legendary Mopar muscle cars were the fastest, baddest assed, most outrageous machines to rip up American pavement. "This lavishly produced book is definitely a feast for all fans of this line of cars: the photography (by David Newhardt) is absolutely stunning. Not only are the pictures big, and of the highest quality, but the thought that has gone into their composition is plain for all to see. It could be argued that given the striking nature of these cars, and the wonderful backdrops, it would be hard to go wrong, but Newhardt went the extra mile here, and it shows. The story is also very comprehensive, listing all of the cars from the line, and taking time to tell the story in a well-researched, yet caring way. It is obvious that Robert Genat knows the subject well and loves it even more. . . . This book is a must-have for all lovers of American muscle, and thanks to the sheer depth of its coverage and drop-dead-gorgeous photography, the asking price of £34.99 is something of a bargain." - Classic Car Weekly (UK)

The LA-series small-block Chrysler engine is a powerful, efficient, and quick-revving engine that has dutifully powered millions of Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth cars and trucks from 1964 to 2003. And it's also a power unit for many renowned Mopar muscle cars, including the Charger, Barracuda, Challenger, Dart, and others. The LA designates the small-block as "Lightweight A," which was a huge improvement over the previous Ageneration engine. With its compact size, 50-pound weight savings, thin-wall casting, and polyspherical heads, it cranked out a lot of torque and horsepower, which made it ideally suited for the street and a formidable opponent on the track. Although this venerable small-block has delivered impressive performance in stock trim, it can be easily modified to produce much greater power for almost any application. The LA was offered in 273-, 318-, 340- and 360-ci iterations, and a full range of aftermarket products are offered for these engines. Mopar engine expert and author Larry Shepard identifies the best parts and clearly guides you through the specific techniques to extract maximum performance from this platform. In particular, he delves into the heads, cams, and valvetrain products and modifications that will achieve your horsepower goals. In addition, he provides in-depth build-up instruction for other essential components: blocks, cranks, pistons, rods, ignition systems, intakes, carburetors, and exhaust. If you own an LA small-block–powered Mopar car or truck, this invaluable guidance and instruction will allow you to optimize performance and maintain reliability. Whether you're building an engine for street, street/strip, or racing, this vital information saves you save time, money, and delivers results. Add this to your Mopar library today!

This richly detailed account of one of the most important men in American automotive history is based on full access to both Chrysler Corporation and family historical records. Curcio traces Chrysler's rise through the industry and gives unique insight into this colorful and passionate man. 50 halftones.

“Just what is a Muscle Car?” Road Test magazine asked in June 1967. The answer: “Exactly what the name implies. It is a product of the American car industry adhering to the hot rodder’s philosophy of taking a small car and putting a BIG engine in it. . . . The Muscle Car is Charles Atlas kicking sand in the face of the 98 horsepower weakling.” Unconcerned with such trivial details as comfort and handling, the vintage American muscle car was built for straight-line speed and quickly became the ride of choice for power-hungry racers and serious gearheads. In a country where performance was measured in brute force, a quarter mile at a time, the muscle car was the perfect machine. In the intervening years, these down-and-dirty, high-performing beauties have earned their place in the automotive pantheon. As prized by collectors and aficionados as they are by denizens of garages and drag strips, classic muscle cars now fetch upwards of a million dollars at auctions and feature in any story of America’s automotive glory days. The icons of muscle car art—including Camaro and Chevelle SS, the Hemi and 440-6 ’Cuda, Challenger, Roadrunner, Super Bee, GTX, Super Bird, Daytona Charger, Super Cobra Jet and Boss Mustang, Talladega Torino, Buick GSX and W30 Oldsmobile 442, and AMX Javelin—are all here, on full display in this lavishly illustrated volume, each described in a detailed essay followed by a gallery of portraits and special gatefold presentations that capture the art of the muscle car at its finest.