1957 — Fuel Injection
4.6 liters (283 cu. in.)
283 hp @ 6200 rpm, 290 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
The first fuel-injected Corvette arrived in limited numbers for 1957. Its mechanical fuel-injection system, called Ramjet, used a high-pressure pump to deliver fuel into the intake plenum just before the cylinder head. This make for more accurate fuel metering that improved power and fuel economy, and also allowed for quicker throttle response than with carburetors. The engine delivered 250 hp when equipped with hydraulic lifters, and optionally made 283 hp if fitted with solid lifters. Power was increased to 290 hp by 1958 and to 315 hp for 1961. The system was relatively crude by today’s standards, but paved the way for fuel injection of all modern Corvettes.
