The 1970 Chevrolet LT-1 displaced 350 cubic inches with its 4.00-inch diameter cylinder bore and 3.48 inches of crankshaft stroke. The engine’s 11.0:1 compression ratio played a large role in delivering the Corvette version’s 370 horsepower and the Camaro Z/28’s 360 horsepower.
In addition to the 1970 Corvette’s 370 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, the LT-1 also made 380 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. That was enough power to launch the roughly 3,300 pound 1970 Corvette from zero to 60 mph in under six seconds.
By 1971, the Corvette’s LT-1 was detuned to 330 horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque. The final year of the LT-1, 1972, saw its compression ratio drop to 9.0:1 and net horsepower ratings fell to 255 while torque was reduced to 280 lb-ft.
While power comparisons over these years include discrepancies in reporting methods, zero to 60 mph times don’t lie. All three Corvette years weigh around the same 3,300 pounds, but the 1972 LT-1 equipped ‘vette posted an 8.5 second zero to 60 mph time compared to the 1970’s sub six second mark.
