Corvette C1 Engine Progression – A Work in Progress

The Chevrolet Corvette is well regarded around the world as one of the fastest production cars made, especially when you are talking about the all new Corvette ZR1. But believe it or not, the Corvette started out as an inline six cylinder car and although it was fast for the day, it paled in comparison to the outputs of today's Vettes.

The first generation of the Corvette (C1) started in 1953 and ran all the way until 1962. During its first ten years of life, the Corvette had some significant changes to the engine and it is that first series of evolutions that has led the Corvette to be what it is today. Here is the work in progress of the C1 engine by year:

• 1953: The 1953Corvette had an inline six cylinder engine that put out 150 horsepower. This enabled the first year Vette to go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in about 11 seconds.
• 1954: Because the Corvette was still gaining its footing, the 1954 Corvette had the same engine that produced about the same results as the 1953 model.
• 1955: In 1955 the same six cylinders was still made available, but Chevy also came out with an eight cylinder for the Corvette. This new small block 283 ci V-8 put out 195 horsepower and did 0 to 60 miles per hour in 8.7 seconds, which was a makeable improvement from the 11 second mark of the six cylinder engine.
• 1956: The 1956 Corvette saw the death of the six cylinder engine and the birth of two V-8 options that would boost horsepower to either 210 or 225. Further modifications could be made to the higher horsepower engine to boost overall output to 240 ponies. The 225 horsepower engine would clock in a 0 to 60 miles per hour time of 7.3 seconds.
• 1957: In 1957 the Corvette swayed to the ultra performance scene and offered up a larger V-8 engine. There were four possible outputs of power for the engines of 1957 and they ranged in horsepower from 220 bhp for a single four barrel carbs, 245 for a double four barrel carbs, and then 250 and 283 for the larger V-8's that were fuel injected with Chevy's new Ram Jet system. The middle of the line engine was capable of sending the 1957 Corvette from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5.7 seconds.
• 1958: The 1958 Corvette continued to add power and the V-8 engines available for the year were capable of putting out 230 to 290 horsepower. However, because the car was much heavier than its predecessor the 0 to 60 miles per hour time slipped back a bit to 7.6 seconds for the 250 bhp V-8 for the year.
• 1959: 1959 Came with the same options as the 1958 model as far as engines went. Depending on whether or not the car was fuel injected or powered by carbs helped determine the horsepower. 0 to 60 times remained nearly the same as the year before.
• 1960: The 1960 Corvette brought much of the same as the previous two years although the top two engines did see an increase in power of 275 bhp and 315 bhp. The bigger boost was due to the use of solid lifters and a higher compression for the fuelie 283. Once again though 0 to 60 mile per hour time slipped, this time to 8.3 seconds for the mid level engine.
• 1961: In 1961 there were still five versions of the now famous Chevy 283 ci small block V-8. Power output could be achieved at 230, 245, 270, 275, and 315 horsepower with the last two options being so well equipped thanks to fuel injection. In 1961 Chevy got it right and 0 to 60 mile per hour time again began to improve. The 8.3 second mark was achieved by the low end 230 bhp engine and the big 315 bhp engine could do it in around 6 seconds.
• 1962: in the final year of the C1 generation the engineers at GM bored and stroked the engine to give it all new displacement of 327 ci. This came in four versions that would see anywhere from 240 to 360 bhp. With everything clicking right, the last year of the C1 could pull 0 to 60 miles per hour run in 5.9 seconds.

While the numbers that the Corvette was putting out seem to be nothing in comparison to today's Vette's, they crushed the middle year Vettes that lost so much muscle thanks to Government standards. One thing is for sure though, the C1 generation of the Vette laid the foundation of everything that the Corvette engine would go on to become for better or for worse.