Big-block engines sit at the heart of some of the most iconic American performance cars and trucks, yet the term is often used loosely, as if it were just a synonym for “big horsepower.” In reality, a ...

When the Y-Block V8 debuted in 1954, it boasted a long list of improvements over its predecessor. It was not only more powerful than Ford's previous Flathead V8, but was also significantly more rigid.

BMW's innovative hot vee engine design paved the way for modern turbocharging and became an industry standard. How did it do ...

Capable of producing massive torque with a proverbial yawn, the long-running big block from Chevy was born purely out of necessity in 1958, a few years after the small block. With cars getting heavier ...

Fire up a fourth-gen Ford Mustang GT and you'll hear one of two distinctly different V8 soundtracks, depending on when it rolled off the assembly line. From 1994 through 1995, that rumble came from ...

OHV stands for overhead valve, and these types of powerplants can also be called pushrod engines. OHV engines have the intake and exhaust valves located above the camshaft, which is in the engine ...

'The oddball, the anachronism, the redheaded stepchild-the Gen II small-block can be considered all these things. Conversely, it can also be regarded as the ultimate production version of the original ...

Hot rodders played with blocks as kids, and still play with them as adults. This vast level of experience notwithstanding, enthusiasts often insist on monkeying around with production blocks. They ...

Let's define "small-block" so no one will get mad (people will still get mad). General Motors may call the Gen-III to Gen-V LS and LT V8s "small-blocks" in marketing materials, but even Chevrolet's ...