The Chevy Corvette is one of America’s most iconic cars. It’s known for style, performance, and most importantly, speed. The Corvette boasted a sleek design. Relatively unchanged from the previous year’s model, it was the introduction of the “Ramjet” fuel injector that made this car iconic. The Ramjet would then go on to be a staple in most cars. The fuel injector was a more effective fuel consuming strategy.

Zora Arkus-Duntov: His Development of the Chevy Corvette

The Chevy Corvette’s top-tier performance is a product of Zora Arkus-Duntov. In 1953, Duntov Chevy as an assistant staff engineer after writing to Chevy providing an extensive algorithm for factoring the Corvette top speed. By 1957, Duntov was now in charge of the High-Performance department.

“Ramjet” Fuel Injector

Duntov had well established himself with a professional level of expertise within the sports car world. After developing numerous sports cars over the years, his next goal was to make them faster and more fuel-efficient. By 1957, he had developed one of the first Fuel Injectors, the “Ramjet”. This invention went on to replace the traditional methods of fuel consumption. It would drastically change how cars and trucks drive today.

Chevy Corvette with Ramjet Injector

A major improvement to how automobiles would run for the time was the introduction of the fuel injector. The introduction of a mechanical fuel injection system,  by General Motors’ Rochester product Division. This method directed the inducted engine air across a “spoon shaped” plunger that stirred in proportion to the air volume. The plunger connected to the fuel metering system that automatically distributed fuel to the cylinders via distribution tubes. This method wasn’t a “pulse” or intermittent injection, however rather a relentless flow system. metering fuel to any or all cylinders at the same time from a central “spider” of injection lines.

How It Worked

The fuel meter adjusted the number of flow in step with engine speed and cargo and enclosed a fuel reservoir, that was like a carburetor’s float chamber. With its own aggressive fuel pump driven by a cable from the distributor to the fuel meter, the system provided the required pressure for injection. This was a “port” injection wherever the injectors square measure placed within the manifold.