Biggest Corvette Engine in History

[salivagraphics]

I've had some guy tell me that the '66 Stingray had the biggest engine of any Corvette. I don't know that much about 'vettes and decided to ask some experts. Also, I read somewhere that the stingray isn't any different from the regular corvette. Any truth to that?

[Jaguar D-Type]

The 1970-1974 454 (7.4 liter) V-8 was the largest displacement engine ever fitted in a factory Corvette.

1970 LS5

1971 LS5 and LS6

1972 LS5

1973 LS4

1974 LS4

[sub006]

Some '66 427s were rated at 425 hp, others at 450hp. The engines were identical, just came with different numbers on the "Turbo-Jet" air cleaner stickers. Ever since, the 427/450 cars have been revered as the highest (advertised) horsepower Corvettes (until recently!).

A 454/460hp engine was mentioned in magazine ads for the '70 models, but none of these were ever delivered to the public.

Through the 1962 model year, all cars were simply Corvettes. All '63-'67s are Corvette Sting Rays. The Sting Ray badges were dropped from the '68 bodies, but some late-'67 magazine advertising identifies them as 1968 Corvette Sting Rays in print. Beginning in the '69 model year, "Stingray" (one word) badges were added to the front fenders above the "gills". I'm not sure when the Stingray name was phased out, but it definitely was gone when the '84s bowed in 1983.