With the spring book release season right around the corner we recently found a copy of The Ultimate American V-8 Engine Data Book, 2nd Edition by Peter C. Sessler. We’re motor and number geeks here. If that describes you, than this book needs to be on your shelf.
As the title says, this is a data book, not a narrative on the pros and cons of each engine. It is broken down in sections by the manufacturer and all the big domestics are covered, including AMC and Studebaker. The starting point for the book is 1951, so the Flathead and early Cadillac V8s are not included. We kind of wish they were.
Within each manufacturer section, all of the different engine families are profiled with every rendition of a particular engine getting its own description and short history. There’s lots of great stuff in here if you really want to learn about the engines that powered muscle cars and virtually every V8 powered car built from 1950 on.
Sessler even pays close attention to the horrible, smog choked engines of the mid to late 1970s and early 1980s. While they may not be interesting in terms of performance it is fun reading about just how weak they really were.
For you restoration minded guys out there, the end of the each section includes lots of detailed information on casting numbers and what motors were available in what cars and with which power rating.
To give some idea of the amount of detail and the sheer amount of information provided on each engine family, the FE Fords get 11 pages in the book and small block Chevys get nearly 50. We learned lots about Cadillac engines and about the oft forgotten Ford MEL motors.
We give this book two BangShift.com thumbs up and recommend it to any gearhead out there who loves learning about the most American of all powerplants, the V8.
You can score a copy of the book at Motorbooks.com or at Amazon.com – It will not be available on store shelves until March 10,2010.
