Having a unique, robust design, developing an impressive power and achieving a great overall performance, the 350 (5.7) Chevrolet Engine has quickly entered in history as one of the best and most reliable original car engines ever manufactured. In fact, the entire Chevy 350 Engine series is extremely popular among car enthusiasts, rapidly transforming Chevrolet into one of the most desired and highly respected Hot Rods not only in the United States, but also in many different corners of the world.
In only a matter of years, the great features characteristic to the Chevy 350 Engine have rendered Chevrolet a prominent and competitive brand, establishing new trends in designing and manufacturing car engines. Much of todays popularity and prominence regarding the Chevrolet brand in general is strongly related to the initial success of the Chevrolet 350 Engine, as well as its gradual evolution into better performing and more powerful engines.
The Chevrolet 350 Engine is almost identical in shape and size with its successor, the 400 HP LS2 Engine, another well-performing engine that is still manufactured today in various places in the world. Although the first small-block was first manufactured and equipped on Chevrolets in 1955, and other later released, improved models in the series were more powerful and performed a lot better than the 350 model, the Chevy 350 Engine has somehow managed to become a lot more desired and respected than both its predecessors and successors. The Chevy 350 Engine is by far the most equipped Chevy small-block, being extensively installed in sports cars, station wagons and even heavy trucks!
The first step into history made by the Chevrolet 350 Engine was registered in 1968, when it was first installed in the series models Chevrolet Camaro and Chevrolet Nova, at that time producing at most 300 horsepower for the high performance models. However, the Chevy 350 Engine was successfully embraced by many categories of car enthusiasts, winning the appreciation of both novice and experienced car owners and drivers. Considered to be a success, by 1969 the Chevrolet 350 Engine was also being installed in various other Chevy vehicle lines such as the magnificent Corvette. Around 1969, the Chevy 350 Engine also began to suffer various modifications that would further increase its performance.
By 1992, Chevrolet has released the Gen II LT1 350 Engine in models such as Corvette. The Gen II Chevy 350 Engine produced the highest horsepower ever reached by any Chevrolet small-block model. By 1993, the Gen II LT1 350 is modified and also installed in the Fourth-Generation Camaro Z28 and Firebird Trans Am. In 1996, the upgraded Gen II LT1 350 Engine, referred to as the LT4, became available as an option in Corvettes, the upgraded version quickly becoming popular among the series fans. |
