 The Chevrolet small block 265 cubic inch engine was released in the 1955 model year and still the basis for the V8 engines in use by General Motors today. The original 265 cubic inch engine with a two-barrel carburetor produced 162 hp, while the four-barrel version in the 1955 Corvette produced 195 hp, an amazing amount of power at the time. By 1957, the engine had been increased to 283 cubic inches, including a fuel-injected version that produced 283 hp, the first engine to have a ratio of 1: 1 horse power versus cubic inches.
