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Chrysler FirePower V-8 specs: 354 ci 8-cylinder, 3.938 x 3.625 in (100 x 92.1 mm) bore and stroke, 9:1 compression. Rated 280 hp, 1956.
The Chrysler FirePower V-8 is oversquare — the 3.9375" bore exceeds the 3.625" stroke by 8.6% — a layout that favors airflow and RPM over leverage at the crank. The 3.625" stroke puts mean piston speed at 4,000 ft/min around 6,600 RPM, which is where a production bottom end is generally considered at its limit. Each of the 8 cylinders displaces 44.3 ci (725 cc).
9:1 is low by modern standards and generally happy on regular pump fuel.
It is one of 4 engines in the Chrysler 354ci family, all of them 354 ci — the differences between them are in compression, heads and rating, not displacement.
| Displacement | 354 ci |
|---|---|
| Bore | 3.9375" |
| Stroke | 3.625" |
| Cylinders | 8 |
| Configuration | V8 |
| Compression ratio | 9:1 |
| Bore/stroke ratio | 1.086 |
| Fuel type | gas |
|---|---|
| Advertised HP | 280 hp |
| Years | 1956 |
| Year | Version | HP @ rpm | Torque @ rpm | Comp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | gross | 280 | — | 9:1 |
Factory specification sheet.
| Bore/stroke character | 1.086 — oversquare — bore exceeds stroke, which favours higher RPM and larger valves |
|---|---|
| Mean piston speed at 6,000 RPM | 3,625 ft/min — in the range typical of performance street engines |
| Displacement per cylinder | 44.3 ci |
| Static compression | 9:1 — low by modern standards, generally happy on regular pump fuel |
Each link opens the calculator with this engine's specs already filled in.
2 factory vehicles, 1956. Each year opens that model's engine table.