The 1970s unleashed an era of unforgettable muscle cars, each roaring to life with the unmistakable rumble of V8 engines.
While the heavyweight big blocks often grabbed the spotlight, a handful of small block V8s earned their own place in American automotive history, packing a punch that defied their size and carved out a legacy in the golden age of performance.
Among the titans of this era, three small block engines stand out—not just for their power, but for the stories, quirks, and engineering feats that made them icons on the street and track alike. Their tales go far beyond horsepower and torque, revealing a wild chapter in the muscle car saga.
1. Buick Skylark GS350
Buick’s 350ci small block V8 powered the mighty GS350 muscle car starting in 1968. By 1970, the GS350 was pumping out an impressive 315 horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque thanks to high-performance heads, a hotter cam, and a 4-barrel carburetor.
The Buick 350 was known for its abundant low-end torque, making the GS350 an absolute beast off the line. Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 mph time of just 6.5 seconds in a 1970 model.
Not bad for an engine that displaced nearly 100 cubic inches less than the big block monsters of the day.
2. Oldsmobile L74 350
Not to be outdone by its Buick brandmate, Oldsmobile offered its high-winding small block V8 in the L74 350ci engine. In 1970, the L74 powered the 442 muscle car and churned out a healthy 310 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque.
The L74’s specialty was its top-end pull, thanks to free-flowing heads and a radical cam. It could rev higher than most small blocks of the era.
When bolted between the fenders of the lightweight 442, the L74 propelled the car through the 1/4 mile in a scant 14.2 seconds at 102 mph.
3. Ford 351 Cleveland
Ford’s 351 Cleveland small block is one of the most legendary engines ever to come out of the Blue Oval. Powering everything from Mustangs to Torinos, the 351C was a versatile performer.
But it was the 1971 Boss 351 Mustang where this mighty mouse earned its stripes.
The Boss 351 used 4-bolt mains, a radical solid-lifter cam, huge ports, and stratospheric 11.7:1 compression to crank out 330 horsepower. This made it the most powerful small-block Mustang of the era.
It could rocket from 0 to 60 in 5.8 seconds and blitz the 1/4 mile in just 13.9 seconds.
Even more impressive, it could do it all day long on the track without overheating, thanks to its high-nickel block and heavy-duty cooling system.
The three small-block V8s punched well above their weight and dominated the muscle car scene in the early 1970s. While the big-block engines of the day often overshadowed them, these potent small blocks left an indelible mark and cemented their status as some of the greatest performance engines ever built.
Their legacy lives on today, with the Buick 350, Olds L74, and Ford 351C remaining popular choices for engine swaps and performance builds a half-century later.
The New Powerhouse Revolutionizing the Road
Just as small-block V8s once revolutionized muscle cars with compact power and efficiency, Toyota’s new solid-state battery could be the modern engine that changes everything. These cutting-edge batteries pack incredible range and rapid recharge times, much like those iconic small-blocks that delivered surprising strength in a smaller package.
Could this be the “engine” that makes gas-powered muscle a thing of the past?
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Nancy Maffia
Nancy received a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.
