About 350 Chevy Small-Block
From the day it was introduced in 1967, Chevrolet's legendary 350 small-block engine jumped to fame as a powerful and efficient V8 that took well to aftermarket modifications. Although newer derivatives, such as the LS-series, don't share one single component with their forefather V8s, they do maintain all the basic architecture and power potential.
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Introduction
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Chevrolet introduced its new-for-1954 overhead-valve small-block V8 as a high-performance replacement for previously inline-six and inline-eight engines. The small block was originally offered as a 162 horsepower 265, growing to 283 cubic inches (220 to 315 horsepower) and 327 cubic inches (250 to 315 horsepower) before hitting 350 cubic inches in 1967.
First Generation
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The first-generation 350 small block was (and still is) one of the longest-running engine designs of all time. In 1967 and 1968 it was available only in the Camaro and Nova, but by 1969 it was either standard or optional equipment in almost every car and truck Chevrolet produced. The "emissions years" weren't kind to the 350; by 1979 power output had dropped from a fantastic 370 horsepower to a pathetic 175. Although part of this drop can be accounted for by the switch from measurement by "gross horsepower" (horsepower without mufflers, water pump or engine accessories) to "net" horsepower (horsepower including all of those things), that's still a massive drop-off.
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Second Generation
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The Gen II (aka LT series) made its debut in the 1992 Corvette. The Gen II used a new block, cylinder heads, distributor and accessory drives, but all of these were primarily used to create a "reverse flow" cooling system that better served the small block's needs. All basic block dimensions remained; the Gen II's crankshaft, connecting rods and pistons will all interchange with the traditional small block.
Third Generation
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For better or worse, GM's LS-series V8 sounded the death knell for the old 350. The LS was an all-new engine design, sharing the basic architecture of the old small block but not a single component or dimension. The LS split into two different families: aluminum-block LS engines for cars and the iron-block Vortec series for trucks. The LS series forms the basis for all of GM's V8s (except for Cadillac's overhead-cam Northstar-based V8), and has gained near-legendary status for its ease of modification, amenability to supercharging and its ability to withstand high horsepower levels.
The Future
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There's no reason to pine for GM's first-generation 350; while this venerable old engine is no longer offered in any GM vehicle, the company still produces brand new blocks and "crate" engines for hot rodders. Outside of GM, several companies offer brand new blocks that are much stronger than the originals, and aftermarket parts for all generations of 350 are still common as of 2010. The 350 (in all its iterations) is still still the V8 darling of hot rodders worldwide and shows no sign of fading into obscurity anytime soon.
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