Sure, we love Camaros, Chevelles, Mustangs, and Challengers as much as the next gearhead, but what really gets our attention is when someone thinks out of the box and goes down an unexpected path.

In the early 1950s, American car culture was obsessed with one thing: bigger engines with more cylinders. The V8 was quickly becoming king, and Detroit's giants were racing to prove who built the ...