In the first half of the 1950s, Chrysler’s corporation was well known for its engineering intelligence. The Chrysler New Yorker was the top popular model in the line because of its engineering and styling with boxy bodies. At the hedge of that engineering was the new Chrysler 331 V-8 with hemisphere-shaped-head combustion chambers; the “Hemi.” The objective of the Hemis was to achieve an outstanding volumetric efficiency and a good performance while depending on a lower compression ratio that would allow using lower octane fuels than same sized non-Hemis and producing more power than similar-sized non-Hemis of equal or higher compression.
The Hemi proved powerful in competition in the Mexican Road Race and at National Hot Rod Association drag strips, Le Mans, and stock car oval tracks. The Hemi reigned supreme among V8s in the early 1950s and was costly to build lending Chrysler abandon it severally. Chrysler New Yorker had two further permutations in 1951 on the old Fluid Drive, the Fluid-Matic and Fluid-Torque which was optional. The Fluid Matic was the original fluid, the Fluid Drive is a fluid coupler invented in 1930 and was first used on the English Lanchester car. All the early automatics like Hydramatic and Fluid Drive used a fluid coupling.
The other innovation was the Torque converter which was similar to the fluid coupling except it had an additional third fan in between the first two. It produced much power at low speeds because its blades were arranged such that, they deflected the oil and caused it to hit the driven member with higher force. It would multiply torque hence the name torque converter. Engineers thought this would the desired transmission, perfectly smooth and automatic. It multiplied torque 2.6 times at stall similar to gearing down the transmission 2.6.1.