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Surely these things are known by a cubic inch displacement number
It has always been known as the "2.8" ever since it was born in the early '80s.
The USA converted to metric in 1976 if I recall correctly. Unfortunately it was a half-hearted conversion.
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particularly the older V6 Chevalay which is a 90 degree V8
Chevalier? Anyways the original 90-degree Chevy V6 (circa 1977) was originally known as the "Buick V6 3.8" of 231 cubic inches. Later known as the Jeep V6, then back to Buick.
A couple of years later Chevy offered their "own" V6, also called "3.8" (but only 229 cubic inches, nobody called it a 229). Now enlarged to 4.3, these are 3/4s of a Chevy V8.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Camaro#Engines_2