Chevrolet Big Block Engines

Big block Chevy engines emerged in the 1950s to keep pace with the larger cars and trucks being built after the war. The "W" series was manufactured from 1958 to 1965 and came in three displacements; the 348 engine, the 409 engine, and the 427 engine. The second generation Chevrolet big block engine was dubbed the Mark IV series. With new combustion chambers and valve placement that included an inclined position that allowed them to open away from the chamber and cylinder walls thereby increasing power output at high RPMs, the Mark IV design was touted the "porcupine" by the automotive media. In our articles below, you can view a number of detailed performance modifications executed by our experts at Engine Masters.