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Buick Chevy 350 (VIN L) specs: 350 ci (5.7L) 8-cylinder, 4.00 x 3.48 in (101.6 x 88.4 mm) bore and stroke. Built 1977–1980. Used in the Buick Electra.
The Buick Chevy 350 (VIN L) is oversquare — the 4" bore exceeds the 3.48" stroke by 14.9% — a layout that favors airflow and RPM over leverage at the crank. The 3.48" stroke puts mean piston speed at 4,000 ft/min around 6,900 RPM, which is where a production bottom end is generally considered at its limit. Each of the 8 cylinders displaces 43.8 ci (717 cc).
It is one of 11 engines in the Buick 350ci family, all of them 350 ci — the differences between them are in compression, heads and rating, not displacement. 4 factory variants share these dimensions across 1977–1980.
| Displacement | 350 ci / 5.7 L |
|---|---|
| Bore | 4" |
| Stroke | 3.48" |
| Cylinders | 8 |
| Configuration | V8 |
| Compression ratio | 8.2–8.5:1 (published figures vary) |
| Bore/stroke ratio | 1.149 |
How to tell which you have: The 5th character of the VIN is the engine code: L is the Chevrolet-built 350 4-bbl (LM1). A Chevy block has a stamped suffix code on the pad in front of the right cylinder head and the distributor at the rear.
| Fuel type | gas |
|---|---|
| Firing order | 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 |
| Years | 1977–1980 |
| Bore/stroke character | 1.149 — oversquare — bore exceeds stroke, which favours higher RPM and larger valves |
|---|---|
| Mean piston speed at 6,000 RPM | 3,480 ft/min — conservative for a street engine |
| Displacement per cylinder | 43.8 ci |
Each link opens the calculator with this engine's specs already filled in.
These records share identical bore, stroke, displacement and compression. They differ by model year and factory power rating.
| Year | Advertised HP | Code |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | — | Chevy 350 (VIN L) |
| 1978 | — | Chevy 350 (VIN L) |
| 1979 | — | Chevy 350 (VIN L) |
| 1980 | — | Chevy 350 (VIN L) |
2 factory vehicles, 1977–1980. Each year opens that model's engine table.