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Chevrolet 4-bbl, special cam, specs: 348 ci (5.7L) 8-cylinder, 4.125 x 3.25 in (104.8 x 82.6 mm) bore and stroke, 11:1 compression. Rated 300 hp, 1959.
The Chevrolet 4-bbl, special cam, is oversquare — the 4.125" bore exceeds the 3.25" stroke by 26.9% — a layout that favors airflow and RPM over leverage at the crank. The 3.25" stroke does not reach 4,000 ft/min of mean piston speed until about 7,400 RPM, so piston speed is not what limits this engine's revs — valvetrain and breathing are. Each of the 8 cylinders displaces 43.5 ci (713 cc).
11:1 on iron heads is high enough that pump premium or better is normally required, and iron holds heat, so it is the less forgiving side of that line.
It is one of 15 engines in the Chevrolet 348ci family, all of them 348 ci — the differences between them are in compression, heads and rating, not displacement.
| Displacement | 348 ci / 5.7 L |
|---|---|
| Bore | 4.125" |
| Stroke | 3.25" |
| Cylinders | 8 |
| Configuration | V8 |
| Compression ratio | 11:1 |
| Bore/stroke ratio | 1.269 |
| Block material | cast iron |
|---|---|
| Head material | cast iron |
| Valvetrain | OHV |
| Fuel type | gas |
| Advertised HP | 300 hp |
| Years | 1959 |
| Bore/stroke character | 1.269 — oversquare — bore exceeds stroke, which favours higher RPM and larger valves |
|---|---|
| Mean piston speed at 6,000 RPM | 3,250 ft/min — conservative for a street engine |
| Displacement per cylinder | 43.5 ci |
| Static compression | 11:1 — high enough that pump premium or better is normally required |
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4 factory vehicles, 1958–1959. Each year opens that model's engine table.