1957 Chrysler 300-C

Fantastic is the best word for Chrysler's hot rod." So said Motor Trend editor Joe H. Wherry in our March 1957 issue. "If it were named Jim Dandy instead of 300-C, it could be the inspiration for a whole series of popular songs." Late-1950s campy, for sure, but this glowing report indicated that the huge, winged, 375-horsepower luxury convertible was a seriously popular ride. "Cubic inches, pure and simple, are the most direct route to super performance." Much as the new Hemi received a displacement increase for SRT-8 duty, for 1957 the original Firepower V-8 got bored and stroked from 354 to 392 cubic inches. Even though today's 300 has four doors and isn't available as a ragtop, its in-your-face four-sided grille harks back to these early Chrysler "Letter Cars"--and their similarly inspiring Hemi kick.

Coverage: November 1969
This month's cover story represents more than 1200 horsepower produced by just three cars. It wasn't much different in late 1969, as we celebrated the eight-cylinder power brokers coming to market for 1970. This turned out to be the era's zenith of compression and cubic inches. However, soon thereafter came unleaded gas, catalytic converters, and the performance abyss defining the rest of that decade.