HISTORY OF THE CHEVROLET V8 SMALL BLOCK ENGINES
 

THE FOLLOWING DATA WAS COMPILED FROM THE
MARCH 2001 ISSUE OF CAR CRAFT MAGAZINE
 

1955 SMALL BLOCK V8 BORN WITH 265 CUBIC INCHES OF DISPLACEMENT (CID)
 

1956 OIL FILTER MOUNTING PAD ADDED TO THE BLOCK
 

1957 283 CID INTRODUCED WITH MECHANICAL FUEL INJECTION, SLOT IN REAR CAM JOURNAL ELIMINATED
 

1958 SIDE MOTOR MOUNT LUGS ADDED TO THE BLOCK
 

1959 MAIN BEARING ROPE SEAL REPLACED BY TWO PIECE RUBBER SEAL
 

1961 283 CID HAS 315 HP WITH MECH FUEL INJECTION
 

1962 327 CID INTRODUCED
 

1964 327 CID REACHES 375 HP WITH 2.02/1.60 DIAMETER VALVES
 

1965 LAST YEAR FOR THE ROCHESTER MECHANICAL FUEL INJECTION
 

1966 327 CID, 350 HP ENGINE INTRODUCED WITH HIGH PERFORMANCE HYDRAULIC LIFTER CAMSHAFT (PN 3736151)
 

1967 LAST YEAR FOR 283 CID 302 & 350 CID INTRODUCED
 

1968 THE LARGER DIAMETER MAIN & ROD JOURNAL SIZES NOW USED IN ALL SB'S
 

1969 LAST YEAR FOR THE 302 CID SIZE ENGINE
 

1970 400 CID INTRODUCED. THE LT1 350 CID HAS 370 HP
 

1971 COMPRESSION RATIOS DROP TO COMPLY WITH EMISSION LAWS
 

1972 LAST YEAR FOR MECHANICAL TAPPET CAMSHAFTS & HOLLY CARBS
 

1974 HEI DISTRIBUTOR INTRODUCED
 

1976 305 CID INTRODUCED
 

1979 OIL DIPSTICK MOVES TO PASSENGER SIDE OF ENGINE
 

1980 LAST YEAR FOR THE 400 CID ENGINE. COMPUTER CONTROLLED ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS INTRODUCED
 

1981 TWIN TBI (CROSSFIRE FUEL INJECTION INTRODUCED)
 

1985 ELECTRONIC DIRECT-PORT FUEL INJECTION (ELECTRONIC) INTRODUCED
 

1986 ALUMINUM HEADS RETURN (RPO L98)
 

1987 FIRST HYDRAULIC ROLLER CAMSHAFT IN THE ENGINE SERIES

---------------- 8 YEARS EARLIER (1979) ----------------------

HARVEY CRANE DESIGNS HYDRAULIC ROLLER (RETROFIT) CAMSHAFTS AND BY 1987 WAS MANUFACTURING HIS OWN HYDRAULIC ROLLER LIFTERS

--------------------------------------------------------------
 

1992 GEN II INTRODUCED AND MANY PARTS DO NOT INTERCHANGE
 

1996 VORTEC TRUCK ENGINES INTRODUCED. LT4 GEN II 330 HP FEATURES FULL ROLLER ROCKER ARMS
 

1997 SMALL BLOCK PHASEOUT BEGINS AND ALL ALUMINUM LS1 INTRODUCED
 

1998 LS1 USAGE SPREADS TO THE CAMARO AND FIREBIRD
 

1999 CAST IRON VERSION OF THE LS1 USED IN TRUCKS
 

2001 LAST VOTEC 305 & 350 ENGINES USED IN FULL SIZE VANS

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