283 Chevy Engine Specs

Chevy's 283 small-block was capable of 290 horsepower.

In the early days of the muscle car era, producing one horsepower per cubic inch of displacement in an engine was the impossible goal, but Chevy reached the mark with the 1957 release of the 283 engine.

Significance

Thanks to an optional Rochester fuel-injection package, Chevy's 283 made 283 horsepower, the company's first engine to make one horsepower per cubic inch of displacement. A year later, Chevy was able to get 290 horsepower from the 283 small-block.

Specs

The 283 is a V-8 engine that has a bore and stroke of 3.875 by 3.000 inches, 283-inch piston displacement and either an 8.5, 9.5 or 10.5 compression ratio, depending on the configuration. The engine was made from 1957 to 1960.

Fun Fact

Chrysler was the first company to make an engine that made at least one horsepower per cubic inch of displacement. The year before Chevy reached the mark, Chrysler released the 354-cid Hemi, which produced 355 horsepower.

References

• Antique Chevy Trucks: Chevy Engines Through Time
• Second Chance Garage: 1957 Chevrolet 283 (283 hp) V8 Engine Specs
• Second Chance Garage: Chevrolet Engine Specs Index