Engine Autopsy

Probably the most numerous automotive engine ever made

A closer look at the legendary Chevrolet Small-block.

If there’s one engine that typifies the American overhead-valve V8, this is it. It’s not the first, the largest or the most powerful, but it’s by far the most popular. The design is elegantly basic. It’s sturdy, simple, cheap to produce and a very easy source of respectable horsepower.

Over 100 million units were produced wordwide between 1955 and 2011. It left mainstream production in 2003, but it’s still built in Mexico for marine and industrial applications and for use in the hotrod and classic market as a crate engine. Our example is a 350cu in (5.7-litre) version. It came out of a Seventies Corvette, but its engine and casting numbers reveal it was originally built for a Chevrolet C10 pick-up. We found a mixture of original parts and 'performance' add-ons acquired during at least one previous rebuild – a situation that's typical for any older Small-block.

[A] PULLEYS AND DAMPER At the top we have the water pump pulley. Lower left of this is the crankshaft damper, which fixes to the nose of the crank before the crank pulley itself, to the right. The three holes drilled in the damper, indicate that the...