• Early Chevrolet trucks were powered by a version of the company's in-line six-cylinder engine.Old Grunge Truck image by Brenda Carson from Fotolia.com
  
  In 1928, Chevrolet and its two closest competitors, Ford and Plymouth, installed four-cylinder engines in their cars. That changed in 1929 when Chevrolet started using in-line six-cylinder engines in its cars. It took Plymouth and Ford three years to catch up, with both offering six and eight cylinder engines respectively in their cars in 1932. Chevrolet used in-line sixes in its vehicles into the late 1980s.
  
  

1929 to 1936

• The first use of a mass-produced six-cylinder engine in Chevrolet passenger cars was in the 1929 models. This first generation engine was used through 1936. This engine displaced 194 cubic inches and had an output of 50 horsepower initially. The output was raised to 60 horsepower in 1932 and then to 80 horsepower in 1934. The cylinder bore was 3.3125 inches, and the crankshaft stroke was 3.75 inches. All versions of this engine used a crankshaft supported by three main bearings.
  
  

1937 to 1963

• The second generation of the straight-six used in Chevy passenger cars had a displacement of 216 cubic inches. The cylinder bore was 3.50 inches, and the crankshaft stroke was 3.750 inches. Four main bearings were used on the crankshaft, as opposed to the previous generation's three-bearing set-up. Initial horsepower output was 85 but this was raised to 90 horsepower in 1941 and to 92 horsepower in 1949. The last year for the 216 engine was 1953. A 235 cubic inch version with 105 horsepower was used in cars that came equipped with an automatic transmission starting in 1950. This became the standard engine in all Chevy cars in 1954. The bore of the 235 was 3.5625 inches, and the stroke was 3.9375 inches. Power output was gradually raised over the life of the engine to 135 horsepower in 1963.
  
  

1962 to 1988

• The third and last generation of Chevrolet straight-six engines was introduced in some 1962 models. It displaced 230 cubic inches and had seven main bearings, instead of three or four as in the older versions. The power output was 140 horsepower. The cylinder bore was 3.9375 inches, and the crankshaft stroke was 3.25 inches. A smaller 194 cubic inch version was also available in 1962, and although it had the same displacement as the first generation engine, it shared no other parts with it. The power output was 120 horsepower. The 194 had a bore of 3.5635 inches and a stroke of 3.25 inches. The 194 was discontinued after 1967, and a 250 cubic inch version was made available for some 1966 models. The 250 initially had 155 horsepower, but this eventually dropped as low as 100 horsepower in later years as the horsepower rating method of engines was changed and emissions equipment was added. The bore of the 250 was 3.875 inches, and the stroke was 3.53 inches. This engine was used in Chevrolets through 1984 and in full-sized Chevrolet trucks through 1988.