Watch this great little 1955 promotional film pitching the engine that changed the auto industry forever: the all-new ’55 Chevrolet V8.
When the folks at Chevrolet Motor Division launched the Chevy small-block V8 for 1955, they had no way to know their new engine would soon reshape that American auto industry, or that it would revolutionize the motorsports world. As far as they knew, they had simply developed a powerplant that, thanks to some clever innovations, produced a lightweight, modern, overhead-valve V8 for the low-priced field. The true scale of their accomplishment would not become clear for a few more years.
In this 1955 clip, the entire Chevrolet powertrain lineup for the year is modestly presented, including two versions of the venerable OHV Stovebolt inline 6, but naturally, the spotlight is on the 265 CID V8. Note that In this period, the sixes were marketed under the Blue Flame label, while the V8s were known as Turbo-Fire. There’s great footage of the Milford Proving Ground, and some wonderfully quaint performance stats are quoted: how about 20 to 60 mph in only 19.2 seconds? Enjoy the film.
Typical GM operation, starting the timed run with a checkered flag.
Short stroke, upside-down green castings, stud-mounted ball rockers — many innovations here.
Yeah, all wrong. They will never work!
I had a 1957 Chevy with a 265 V8 with the engine painted chartruse yellow from the factory. true story.
I thought they dropped the 265 in 57 in favor of the new 283?
> I had a 1957 Chevy with a 265 V8 with the engine painted chartruse yellow from the factory. true story.
Maybe Chevy was considering putting out a competitor to the Dodge LaFemme and you got the prototype by accident.
Did I hear 18 and 24 mpg? Out of a V8? With points and a carb? If true, pretty good figures for a mechanical engine. Today’s V8’s don’t do a whole lot better with complicated electronic computer controlled ignitions and fuel injection. Sometimes simpler is better!
At 30 Mph