Excluding aftermarket crate engines, the 496ci (8.1-liter) Vortec 8100 is widely regarded as Chevrolet's largest production big-block V8. Introduced in 2001 as the successor to the 454ci Vortec 7400, ...

The Chrysler Hemi and Chevrolet big block did more than power quarter-mile passes. They became shorthand for two rival philosophies of American horsepower, each with its own mythology and fan base.

Big-money engines are cool. We all drool over them, but the reality is that for a good street engine, there’s such a thing as too much power. For most working-class people, anything over 500 hp is ...