Tagged: Ed Cole Cadillac OHV V8 history

5.2.77: Ret. GM president, Ed Cole dies in small plane crash

On May 2, 1977, the automotive world lost Ed Cole, former GM president and a key architect of Chevrolet’s small-block V8 legacy. His sudden death in a small plane crash marked the end of a remarkable career that shaped Corvette performance, Chevrolet engineering and Detroit’s golden era of innovation.