TONAWANDA, N.Y. General Motors on Friday marked the end of the line for a class of V-8 engine that's been in production for 51 years.
The auto maker's western New York plant stopped production of the latest variation of the "big block" V-8 engines. Plant manager Steve Finch called it "the end of a remarkable era."
The big engine was developed in 1958 to keep up with the growing size and weight of American automobiles. Over the years it's been redesigned, with the latest version, the L18, going into production in 1999. Made only in Tonawanda, it powers full-size trucks like the Chevrolet Avalanche and some boats.
Its end puts about 150 employees on indefinite layoff.
"Although it bears older technology by today's standards, the reliability, ease of maintenance and the overall quality of this engine have made it a steady performer for many years," Finch said before the last engine rolled off the line at GM's suburban Buffalo complex.
It was the second time in a year the western New York plant has stopped work on an engine. Over the summer it wrapped up production of a "high value" V-6 engine, which accounted for about 43 percent of the site's total production volume last year. The company will continue manufacturing smaller-displacement "small block" V-8s at other plants.
The large V-8 was the plant's longest-running engine line, but has accounted for only about 3 percent of total volume lately as emphasis has shifted to smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles.
The phaseout of both engines was announced in June as part of the auto maker's bankruptcy restructuring, which spared the plant from closing but not from the loss of 25 to 30 percent of its work force.
The Tonawanda engine plant which 20 years ago employed 4,350 people currently has about 663 hourly and 140 salaried workers, spokeswoman Nina Price said.
The facility's main engine line now is the L850, a four-cylinder, 2.2-liter engine found in the Chevrolet Cobalt and Malibu. The plant also produces a slant 5-cylinder engine.
Yes, the big block was old technology, but just imagine what would have been possible if Chevy had spend all the money they spent on developing the SBC.
Anyway, the big block retired as Champion......ZZ572R - 720 horsepower
Even the amazing Corvette ZR1's LS9 6.2L supercharged small block could only muster up 638 hp. The ZZ572/720R just used a big ol' dump-gallons-of-fuel-down-the-throat carb.
Imagine that engine with supercharging or twin turbos.
Sad. Slightly surprising - I would have thought that since they did not need to invest in any more tooling or other captial investment, that the 'crate motor' market would have been a nice and profitable niche for them to stay in ...
Dave
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1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod
There's a chance you may be right. Although the "installed" production run is finished, I'm hoping that the over-the-counter aftermarket crate engines may still be available.
They'll even have to produce warranty blocks, etc. for some time related to current truck priduction, so some GM plant will be producing big block stuff for awhile, at least.
"So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think... The good outnumber you, and we always will." Patton Oswalt
There's a chance you may be right. Although the "installed" production run is finished, I'm hoping that the over-the-counter aftermarket crate engines may still be available.
They'll even have to produce warranty blocks, etc. for some time related to current truck priduction, so some GM plant will be producing big block stuff for awhile, at least.
I dunno. Tonwanda was the only plant that built big blocks period and now they have laid off all the employees. How and where would they build it elsewhere?
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Hillar
1970 LS4 (eventually an LS5) Laurentian 2dr hdtp -and a bunch of other muscle cars...
That's too bad ... but probably inevitable now that government is a major shareholder. I wonder how long they'll tolerate the Camaro. GM had better hope it sells well.
does that mean all the ones out there now just went up in value
The ones that may go up in value are the L18 service or crate motors. They were installed from 2001 until present so it seems like there will be a demand for replacements over the next 10 years.
It hurt bad enough to see Pontiac axed, to hear of all the dealerships axed and now this? My allegiance to GM (other than the type of cars we cater to here) is fading fast I have to say.
Really, what is left? Much of what used to make them head and shoulders above the rest is gone.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
Now that I think about it, I do not believe that the big block will die - actually, the ONLY part in my 496 that is original GM is the block (Scat rotating assembly with forged steel stroker crank, H-beam rods, forged aluminum pistons, and plasma moly rings, Brodix aluminum heads with stainless sttel valves, Comp Cams roller cam, lifters & rockers, Milodon oil pan, Melling oil pump, Edelbrock intake, Demon carb, Cloyes timing set, ARP fasteners, etc.) - and you can get a new block from Dart or World Products - so you can easily build a big block from all-new parts, no need for GM, eh?
Dave
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1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod
1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod
