When people talk about automotive icons, they usually name car models like Mustangs, Corvettes, Jeeps, maybe the Beetle if you’re feeling clever. But sometimes the thing that makes a car model iconic ...

However, Ford was thinking in another direction, deciding to focus on efficiency and balance. The result was the small-block V8, a compact, lightweight engine that proved you didn't need massive ...

It was considered a major breakthrough when Ford launched its Flathead V8 engine in 1932. Up until that point, V8 engines were expensive and limited to just luxury cars, but Henry Ford wanted one that ...