If We Show You a Classic Car, Can You Match It to Its Original Engine?

By: Robin Tyler
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
If We Show You a Classic Car, Can You Match It to Its Original Engine?
Image: Youtube via Angeloti Palirno

About This Quiz

There really is nothing better than taking your time looking around a classic car show. These beautiful machines are kept in tip-top condition by proud owners that realize owning such a car is demanding. These beauties need to be shown off, and that takes hard work!

But thank goodness they do put the time, in so car lovers like you and me can see these classics in all their glory. 

Of course, it's not only about those classic lines, pointy tailfins, beautiful rims, or the car's overall stance. 

A classic car is just as much about the parts that cannot be seen as it is about the overall look. And here we are talking about the engine. Some classic cars have monster V8s that drive them. These behemoths not only look incredible but also sound amazing! There is nothing like hearing an American V8 engine rev up. It makes your hairs stand on end. Other classic cars are not as powerful, but that doesn't take away from their style or desirability.

If we show you an image of a classic car, would you be able to identify the original engine in it? It's not that simple. Best you give it a go!

1956 BMW 503 - 3.1-liter V8
Youtube via DW English
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
3.1-liter V8 overhead valve petrol engine
This two-door, two-seater came in the form of a coupe or cabriolet. It was produced by BMW between 1956 and 1959, with 413 built over that period. It was aimed in particular at the U.S. market, but saleswise performed poorly. The 503 was powered by a 3.1-liter V8 overhead valve engine.
1.0-liter diesel engine
500cc petrol engine
9.5-liter W12

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1927 Chev Series AA Capitol - 2.8-liter 4 cylinder
Youtube via samspace81
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
250 cc two-stroke petrol engine
2.8-liter 4-cylinder petrol engine
Although it was only produced in 1927, the AA Capitol series saw Chevrolet sell over 670,000 units and, for once, break Ford's domination of the American motor scene. This series included eight different body types, all based on the GM A platform. All were powered by a 2.8-liter 4 cylinder engine.
1.2-liter Wankel petrol engine
Steam engine

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1965 Audi 60 1.5-liter engine
Youtube via Automobile Classics
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
80 kW synchronous Electric motor
Rotary engine
1.5-liter petrol engine
The Audi F103 series of four-seater sedans was produced by Audi from 1965 to 1972. The Audi 60 featured either a 1.5- or 1.8-liter engine.
Hydro engine

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1950 Chevrolet Belair – 3.5-liter straight six
Youtube via samspace81
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
1.8-liter Wankel petrol engine
7.3 liter M120 AMG V12 petrol engine
1000 cc diesel engine
3.5-liter straight six petrol engine
One of the most iconic vehicles ever produced by Chevrolet was the Bel Air. First manufactured in 1950, it will always be remembered for its fantastic trim and those beautiful pointy tailfins on the mid-'50s versions.

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1934 Chrysler Airflow - 4.9-liter inline eight
Youtube via iiiTEDiii
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
2.0-liter diesel engine
4.9-liter inline eight petrol engine
Built between 1934 and 1937, this full-sized Chrysler Airflow was available as a four-door sedan or two-door coupe. Its design incorporated the concept of streamlining, one of the first American cars to do so. It was powered by a 4.9-liter inline eight engine.
Electric motor
Steam engine

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1928 Duesenberg SJ – 7-liter DOHC straight 8
Youtube via The Barnaby Chronicles
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
1.0-liter diesel engine
250cc two-stroke engine
Wankel engine
7-liter DOHC straight 8 petrol engine
A real looker, the Duesenberg SJ was only for the rich and famous. After all, it was produced during the Depression, so the man in the street was certainly not going to get behind the wheel. These cars had a 7-liter DOHC straight 8 supercharged motor and were capable of traveling at over 100 mph.

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1957 Fiat 500 - 479cc petrol engine
Youtube via cecmaro
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
479cc petrol engine
These popular small cars were loved all around Europe but especially in Italy. Many Fiat 500s were powered by a small 479cc petrol engine.
9.5-liter W12
Electric motor
Hydro motor

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1968 AMC AMX - 4.8-liter V8 engine
Youtube via Vanguard Motor Sales
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
1.0-liter petrol engine
Electric motor
4.8-liter V8 petrol engine
Produced by the American Motors Corporation between 1968 and 1970, the AMX was a GT-style sports car. It featured a 2-door coupe-styled body and had six different engine options, all V8s, the smallest of which was a 4.8-liter V8.
500 cc four-stroke petrol engine

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1962 Ford Cortina - 1.2-liter straight four
Youtube via FordHeritage
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
100 cc petrol engine
Rotary engine
Turbine engine
1.2-liter straight four petrol engine
The Cortina was a product of Ford Britain and found throughout Europe between 1962 and 1982. Early models were powered by a 1.2-liter straight four engine.

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1963 Jeep Wagoneer - 5.4-liter V8
Youtube via Rated Red
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
Hydro engine
80 kW synchronous Electric motor
5.4-liter V8 petrol engine
The first luxury 4x4 sold by Jeep, Wagoneers were produced for a period of 28 years, from 1963 to 1991. Even though this was a massive vehicle, the 4x4 performed admirably off-road. It was powered by a 5.4-liter V8 engine, amongst others.
999 cc diesel engine

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1957 BMW 600 - 600 cc petrol engine -
Youtube via isettabroker
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
582 cc petrol engine
Based on the two-seat Isetta microcar, the BMW 600 microcar was bigger and could seat four occupants. It was the first four-person car produced in Germany after the war but was not much of a success in terms of sales. The 600 was powered by a 582cc engine.
5.7-liter V8 engine
1.5-liter diesel engine
3.0-liter diesel engine

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1953 Cadillac Eldorado – 5.4-liter overhead valve V8
Youtube via Automobile Classics
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
Rotary engine
5.4-liter overhead valve V8
Established in 1902, Cadillac is the second oldest automotive brand in America. The Eldorado, introduced in 1953, had everything you could wish for in a ‘50s classic, including ridiculously long and pointy tailfins and chrome, lots of chrome. The first generation was powered by a 5.4-liter overhead valve V8 engine.
Steam engine
1.0-liter diesel engine

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1953 Chevrolet Corvette – 4.3-liter V8
Youtube via carsbyjeff
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
250 cc two-stroke petrol engine
4.3-liter V8
The Corvette name is loved around the world. From its inception in 1953, the Corvette brand is the jewel in the Chevrolet crown. Of course, everyone has their favorite Corvette, with many citing the C1 as a personal preference. There were four engine options on the C1, including a 4.3-liter V8.
Steam engine
2.0-liter diesel engine

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1960 Dodge Polara - 6.3-liter V8
Youtube via Retro Garage
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
6.3-liter V8
Introduced in 1959, this full-spec Dodge Polara was aimed to compete with both Ford and Chevrolet offerings in the full-sized vehicle segment. Through the years of production, various models were introduced including coupes, convertibles and station wagons. Production ceased in 1973. Early Polaras were powered by a 6.3-liter V8.
Electic motor
Wankel engine
Hydro engine

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1941 Willys MB - 2.2-liter inline engine
Youtube via Angeloti Palirno
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
Electric motor
999 cc petrol engine
2.2-liter inline petrol engine
Over 335,000 Willys MBs were made for military use during World War II. They not only served with the U.S. Army, but also with its allies and in every theatre.
6.0-liter diesel engine

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1950 VW Bus - 1.1-liter petrol engine
Youtube via baywindowsbus
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
1.5-liter diesel
3.0-liter V6
Electric motor
1.1-liter petrol engine
Volkswagen started life in Germany in 1937. The first vehicle produced by the company was the iconic Beetle, or "People’s Car" as it became known. But Volkswagen also produced another iconic vehicle. Commonly known as the Bus, this vehicle made its debut in 1949 and still today, the company manufactures its spiritual successors.

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1966 Ford Mustang - 4.7-liter V8
Youtube via Saabkyle04
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
500cc four stroke petrol engine
4.7-liter V8 petrol engine
Arguably the most iconic muscle car ever, the Mustang was first released in 1964. It proved one of the most popular debuts ever, and within a year 400,000 units had been sold, which quadrupled Ford’s sale estimates.
50kwh electric motor
Steam engine

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1957 Dodge La Femme - 4.4-liter V8
Youtube via WorldAutoMotors
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
999 cc petrol engine
1.0-liter diesel engine
4.4-liter V8
Produced by Dodge between 1955 and 1956, this 2-door hardtop La Femme was specifically aimed at the fairer sex. Only 2,500 were sold in a two-year period, although little evidence suggests that it was well marketed.
1.2-liter petrol engine

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Chev AK - 3.5 - liter straight six
Youtube via elleri ellerime
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
3.5-liter straight six
This light truck was part of the Chevrolet fleet from 1941 until 1947. In terms of transmission, the AK only had a three-speed manual gearbox. This was coupled to either a 3.5- or 3.7-liter straight-six engine. The AK was also sold under the GMC badge.
Wankel engine
999 cc petrol engine
Steam engine

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1956 BMW Isetta 300 – 300 cc petrol engine
Youtube via Automobile Classics
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
Hydro engine
300cc petrol engine
Mini cars have a certain charm, and perhaps the most famous of them all is the Isetta. Interestingly, this was not a BMW design but built under license. BMW built the Isetta between 1955 to 1962.
9.0-liter diesel engine
1.5-liter petrol engine

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1966 Toyota Corolla 1.1-liter
Youtube via Yanco57
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
Hydro engine
1.1-liter petrol engine
The best-selling car in the world, the Toyota Corolla was first introduced in 1966. It came with a 1.1-liter petrol engine
3.0-liter diesel engine
Bio-fuel engine

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1947 Land Rover 1.6-liter straight four
Youtube via Mächler Automobile
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
1.5-diesel engine
Bio-fuel engine
350cc straight-four engine
1.6-liter straight four
Maurice Wilks designed the first Land Rover in 1947. It was powered by a 1.6-liter straight four engine.

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1936 Cadillac Series 60 - 5.3-liter V8
Youtube via grautogallery1
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
5.3-liter V8
Manufactured between 1936 and 1938, the Cadillac Series 60, a full-sized vehicle was available as a 2-door coupe and convertible as well as a 4-door sedan and convertible. The Series 60 was marketed in the mid-priced category and was powered by a 5.3-liter V8.
Hydro engine
1.2-liter petrol engine
1.5-diesel engine

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1927 Chevrolet International Series
Youtube via AJ Schoenborn
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
Steam engine
Rotary engine
3.2-liter six cyclinder
One of the earliest pickups around, the International Series was the first to feature a 3.2-liter six-cylinder engine. Also, it had metal rims, a far cry from earlier models with wooden wheels.
1.3-liter petrol engine

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1953 Ford F-100 - 3.9-liter flathead V8
Youtube via Jay Leno's Garage
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
750 cc four-stroke petrol engine
3.9-liter flathead V8
The second generation of this classic Ford F-100 pickup was built between 1953 and 1956. And by 1956, they were sporting a 3.9-liter flathead V8, giving them around 180 brake horsepower - a lot of grunt for the time!
1.9-liter turbo diesel engine
Electric motor

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1965 Porsche 912 - 1.6-liter straight four
Youtube via MotorCar Collector
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
1.7-liter diesel engine
1.3-liter rotary engine
Bio-fuel engine
1.6-liter straight four petrol engine
An entry-level Porsche between 1965 and 1969, the 912 is a variant of the 911. Initially, it even outsold its more famous sibling. Although it was not as powerful as the 911, it was incredibly fuel efficient.

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1954 Volkswagen Beetle 1.2-liter petrol engine
Youtube via Chris Vallone
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
1.2-liter petrol engine
Has there ever been a car more iconic than the Volkswagen Beetle? Or a car produced for so many decades? No, there probably hasn’t been and never will be. A true classic!
1.9-liter turbo diesel engine
975 cc biofuel engine
Steam engine

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1954 Mercedes Benz 300 SL - 3.0-liter staight six
Youtube via a7xbass94
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
1.5-liter turbo diesel engine
3.0-liter straight six petrol engine
A true classic from the '50s, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL started life as a racing car in 1952 but soon became a production car in 1954 as a two-door coupe. The 300 SL became instantly recognizable, thanks to its gullwing doors. Just over 3,200 of the coupe and roadster were built up until 1963.
1.3-liter rotary engine
Electric motor

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Ford Model T
Youtube
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
3.0-liter diesel engine
2.9-liter straight four petrol engine
Possibly the most iconic car ever built, the Model T made vehicles affordable to the man in the street. Thanks to Henry Ford's use of interchangeable parts as well as a production line to build the car, prices for the Model T were kept low. And it showed in the sales figures, with over 15 million sold from 1908 to 1927. Early models were powered by a 2.9-liter straight four engine.
Hydro engine
Biofuel engine

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1959 Mini – 848 cc petrol engine
Youtube via CARWP
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
Electric motor
3.0-liter diesel engine
848 cc petrol engine
Perhaps one of the most famous cars ever produced, the Mini first appeared in England in 1959 with the Mark 1. This small car was produced into the late ‘90s by the British Motor Corporation, with various upgrades and changes over the years.
3.0-liter W6 engine

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1962 Studebaker Avanti - 4.7-liter V8
Youtube via Classic-Car.TV
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
2.0-liter diesel engine
4.7-liter V8 petrol engine
Introduced in 1962, the Avanti certainly looked different from other cars on the market. Studebaker pitched the Avanti as a high-performance four-passenger car. And its performance at the time was pretty special, with the Avanti breaking close to 30 records during runs at the Bonneville Salt Flats.
250cc two-stroke petrol engine
Wankel engine

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1958 Subaru 300 - 356 cc straight twin
Youtube via WorldAutoMotors
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
2.0-liter DOHC petrol engine
356 cc petrol engine
This small city car was manufactured by Subaru from 1958 until 1971. This was the first model produced by Subaru, and over 392,000 were manufactured. The 360 came in a number of body shapes, including 2-door sedan, 2-door convertible and 3-door station wagon.
Steam engine
1.5-liter diesel engine

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1965 Buick Skylark - 6.5-liter V8
Youtube via Lou Costabile
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
750 cc four-stroke petrol engine
Hydro engine
2.0-liter diesel engine
401 cubic inch V8 petrol engine
Although the Skylark had been around since the 1950s, in 1965, Buick introduced the Skylark Gran Sport. It was available as a hardtop, coupe and convertible, powered by an engine produced for the first time in the 1950s - the Wildcat 445. This 401 cubic inch V8 engine produced 325 brake horsepower.

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1937 Studebaker Coupe Express J5 - 3.6-liter straight six
Youtube via WorldAutoMotors
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
10 cc petrol engine
3.6-liter straight six
Produced between 1937 and 1939, the Studebaker Coupe Express J5 looks like a moving piece of Art Deco. Over 3,500 of this beauty were built, but in reality it could never compete with the Ford and Chevrolet equivalents, which were priced well below the Express.
1.0-liter rotary engine
2.0-liter diesel engine

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1914 Stutz Bearcat
Youtube via WorldAutoMotors
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
1.2 - liter petrol engine
999 cc diesel engine
390 cubic inch four-cylinder engine
Considered the first sports car built by an American company, the Stutz Bearcat, introduced in 1914, had a four-cylinder 60 brake horsepower engine. Although by today’s standards that may seem like nothing, in 1914 the Bearcat was the fastest thing on four wheels.
7.3 liter M120 AMG V12 petrol engine

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1962 Dodge 440 - 3.7-liter slant six
Youtube via MotoeXotica Classic Cars
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
Steam engine
Electric engine
Hydro engine
6.6-liter slant six
First introduced in 1972 and produced until 1974, the 400 is considered to be an upmarket version of the famous Dodge marque, the Dart. It was available in a range of configurations from a 2-door convertible to a 4-door wagon.

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1926 Chrysler Imperial - 4.7-liter
Youtube via Nathan Nicholls
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
4.7-liter petrol engine
The Chrysler Imperial was first introduced in 1926 by Chrysler. The model saw various updates right until 1954, before the Imperial name was discontinued. It resurfaced for a brief period in the 1990s, from 1990 till 1993.
300 cc four-stroke petrol engine
80 kW synchronous Electric motor
Steam engine

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1959 Cadillac De Ville – 6.4-liter V8
Youtube via VINwiki
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
999 cc petrol engine
6.4-liter V8 petrol engine
Certainly an iconic name in American motoring, the Cadillac DeVille was produced between 1958 and 2005.
3.0-liter diesel engine
Hydro engine

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1931 Lincoln K-Series - 6.3-liter V8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8K68NifWBc
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
Wankel engine
1.8-liter diesel engine
6.3-liter V8
Built between 1931 and 1940, the Lincoln K-Series was partly designed by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford. The first models were powered by a 6.3-liter V8 engine.
100 cc two stroke petrol engine

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1908 Ford Model T – 2.9-liter straight four.
Youtube via carshowbrevard
What engine, of those listed below, is found under the hood of this car?
Electic motor
2.9-liter straight four petrol engine
Possibly the most iconic car ever built, the Model T made vehicles affordable to the man in the street. Thanks to Henry Ford's use of interchangeable parts as well as a production line to build the car, prices for the Model T were kept low. And it showed in the sales figures, with over 15 million sold from 1908 to 1927. Early models were powered by a 2.9-liter straight four engine.
1.3-liter rotary motor
Steam engine

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Youtube via Angeloti Palirno