While we fondly remember the 1960s as the pinnacle of American muscle car performance, the seeds of this V8 revolution were planted in the late 1950s. Full-size, big-engine automobiles like the Chrysler 300C and Ford Fairlane 500 got their racing chops by racing on the beaches of Daytona for early NASCAR competitions, and several rule changes in 1957 allowed for these already-powerful cars to step it up a notch.

The new rules allowed for fuel injection and supercharging, which Ford took full advantage by attaching an early Paxton supercharger to the Fairlanes 312 cubic-inch V8. But in order to compete, Ford had to sell a limited number of these vehicles to the public, and a few of these supercharged ‘57 Fairlanes have managed to survive the interceding 56 or so years, including this one Mecum will be auctioning off in September.

Backed by a three-speed manual transmission, the supercharged V8 was conservatively rated at 300 horsepower, which seems absurdly low for such a motor. The supercharger option added special low-compression heads and a unique carburetor that even comes with a Concours-correct air cleaner.

But the real selling point is the rare-and-desirable T85 three-speed manual transmission, the most successful transmission in 1957 Ford racing history. Alright, that’s a rather specific title, but regardless this Fairlane has less than 300 miles on it since a full frame-off, well-documented restoration. This is a show car, through and through, and a reminder of the forebears of performance that gave birth to the era of American muscle.