For a number of years prior to 1957, efforts on the part of domestic auto makers to produce normally aspirated engines of 1-hp/cubic-inch power capabilities had proven to be somewhat disappointing.

The 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 arrived at a moment when Detroit’s muscle wars were defined by quarter-mile bragging rights, ...

High-output engines live in a world of brutal cylinder pressures, extreme temperatures and razor-thin safety margins, and the humble piston sits at the center of that storm. When power levels climb, ...