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  The Chevrolet 327-cubic-inch V8 engine belonged to the small-block family of engines that originated in 1955. Chevy developed its first small block, the 265, to streamline automobile production and to provide more power in a lightweight, compact engine. The 283 followed in 1957, and the 327 debuted in 1962. The 327's siblings were the 302 and 350. Chevrolet produced the 327 through 1969. It ceased production to make way for the big-block 396 and 454 V8s.
  
  

Early Versions

• The 327 was Chevy's first small-block that featured a 4-inch cylinder bore. Its stroke was 3.25 inches. Carbureted versions were standard for the 327, but the 1962 Corvette could be equipped with fuel injection that developed up to 375 horsepower. In all, the 1962 model 327 offered four horsepower ratings depending on the vehicle and performance enhancements.
  
  

Carbureted Models

• The base 327 featured a four-barrel carburetor and a 10.5-to-1 compression ratio to develop 250 horsepower and 350 ft.-lb. of torque. Chevy produced this version through 1965. A midrange version manufactured through 1968 was also equipped with a four-barrel carburetor and 10.5-to-1 compression ratio, and produced 300 horsepower and 360 ft.-lb. of torque. Chevy's performance 327 also featured a four-barrel carburetor, but the compression ratio climbed to 11.25 to 1 to develop 340 horsepower and 344 ft.-lb. of torque.
  
  

327 'Fuelie'

• For the 1962 and 1963 Corvette, the Rochester fuel-injected 327s, or "fuelies," provided the most power of any 327. The heads on the 327 fuelie were identified as 3782461X with twin humps at the end of the head. These heads had 1.94/1.50-inch valves. The 1964 and 1965 Corvettes also featured the same heads with larger intake valves at 2.02 inches. These heads were fitted on either the 365-horsepower 327 with a Holley carburetor or the 375-horsepower 327 equipped with Rochester fuel injection. The fuel-injected versions had an 1-to-:1 compression ratio and could go from zero to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds and the quarter mile in 14.9 seconds.
  
  

Late 1960s

• Chevrolet began to ignore 327 in 1966 with the emerging popularity of the big-block 396 and 427, which were sought by buyers of the muscle-bound Impalas and Chevelles. Available were the 325- and 350-horsepower, four-barrel carburetor 327 engines with 11-to-1 compression ratio. However, another version offered a 10.5-to-1 compression ration and just 275 horsepower and 355 ft.-lb. of torque. By 1967, horsepower dropped to 210 with 320 ft.-lb. of torque and an 8.5-to-1 compression ratio. In 1969, the 327's final year, a two-barrel carburetor version with a 9-to-1 compression ratio offered 235 horsepower and 325 ft.-lb. of torque.