Top 15 Corvette Small Blocks Of All Time

[jolinari]

1

1955
Option Code 2934-8
265cid, 195hp/260 lb-ft of torque

The first small-block V-8 Corvette was the life preserver sent down by Mr. Duntov to save the Corvette marque. While the first V-8 helped turn the boat around, it required many years of consistent performance to win America over, especially in light of the competition from Ford's Thunderbird and the surging Hemi-powered Chrysler C300. Rated at 195 hp, the new 265ci small-block was lighter and had 45 more horses than the Blue Flame inline six it replaced.

2

1956
3,080 built with 225hp(official) 240hp(unofficial) engine
Engine Code 469
265cid, 225hp(official);240hp(unofficial)/270 lb-ft of torque, 2x4-barrel carburetion

To improve power and aesthetics, Corvette was available with optional twin four-barrel carburetors in 1956, rated at either 225 or 240 hp. The racing-style option was to improve the performance appeal of the Corvette, as well as overall driveability and racing potential. Two years earlier, Corvette had only 150 hp, so this was a marked improvement.

3

1957
713 built
Engine Code 579B
283cid, 283hp/290 lb-ft of torque, fuel injection

Face it: Fuel injection locked in the Corvette as a serious performance car, the 1hp/cubic-inch engine option being the stuff of legends. Rochester fuel-injection-equipped Corvettes set the bar high in performance racing events and drew an avid fan base. Inside and out, the new 283, although only a few cubic inches larger in overall displacement than the 265 it replaced, changed the entire feel of the small-block engine and the car that enveloped it.


4
1962
1,918 built
Option Code 582
327cid, 360hp/353 lb-ft of torque, fuel injection

More cubes are always good, and the move from 283 to 327 ci was a major jump for Corvette. An additional 45 hp from the previous model year, along with nearly 60 more lb-ft of torque, spurred the Corvette to its best performance ever. With finned-aluminum valve covers bracing an aluminum fuel-injector intake housing, this engine looked the part and delivered when called upon.


5

1970
1,287 built
Engine Code LT1
350cid, 370hp/380 lb-ft of torque

One of the most balanced Corvette engines ever, the LT1 was a hot performing powerplant that was able to handle low-speed, daily driver chores, yet unleash all 370 hp when required. With lots of torque, this engine in the three-year-old C3 chassis made for a better-handling Corvette than its big-block brethren. Of the early small-block Corvettes, this is one of the most often overlooked and unsung Corvette combinations ever produced.


the rest is here...great site

http://www.corvettefever.com/featuredvehicles/corp_0510_corvette_small_block_engines/