70 years: A look back at the Chevy small-block V8 engine

As Chevrolet celebrates the 70th anniversary of its small-block V8 engine, let's take a look at the engine's history.

Nov. 15, 2024

This year, Chevrolet is celebrating the 70th anniversary of its small-block V8 truck engine. In late 1954, Chevrolet took the wraps off its 1955 line of Task Force pickup trucks, the first full redesign of Chevrolet pickups since 1947.

What made the V8 engine different was that the overhead-valve design optimized the flow of air and fuel into the combustion chamber, improving fuel efficiency and boosting horsepower. The engine became popular among everyday American car buyers and racers and hotrodders alike. This popularity prompted Chevy to create a larger, more powerful V8 engine variant for trucks and commercial vehicles, high-performance sport models, and large luxury cars. Over the past 70 years, approximately 100 million-plus small-block V8s were produced.

Today, the V8 engine lives on in the 2025 Silverado 1500, which offers the largest and most powerful naturally aspirated V8 engine in the segment: the 6.2-liter small-block V8, generating 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque.

About the Author

Jenna Hume

Digital Editor

Digital Editor Jenna Hume joined FleetOwner in November of 2o23 and previously worked as a writer in the gaming industry. She has a bachelor of fine arts degree in creative writing from Truman State University and a master of fine arts degree in writing from Lindenwood University. She is currently based in Missouri.