The Chevy 454 big block V8 is an iconic powerhouse in American automotive history, and it sat under the hood of some absolute GM classics.

Introduced in 1970, the Chevy 454 -- affectionately known as the Rat Motor -- was the largest displacement Chevrolet engine to enter the big-block engine showdown of the muscle car era.

The Chevy 454 SS was introduced for the 1990 model year. This ten-mile example will cross the Mecum Auctions block at their ...

This 35-year-old Chevrolet 454 SS pickup truck has only 11 miles on the odometer and still has the plastic covers on the ...

So, even after a six-model-year wait, Oldsmobile still couldn’t release a car with a 454 in it. That’s what engine swaps are for, and a big-block Chevy in an intermediate body is the literal ...

This is where the 454 comes in, an engine that, while no longer in production, was so good that the company fitted it in 14 vehicles. Chevrolet's big block engine family saw its infancy in 1958.