The Big Block is Dead
12-23-2009, 11:17 AM
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The last big block V-8 made by GM rolled off the line last week. 
TONAWANDA, N.Y. (AP) ? 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.
Link here. The muscle car world will have a moment of silence…..
TONAWANDA, N.Y. (AP) ? 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.
Link here. The muscle car world will have a moment of silence…..
12-23-2009, 12:15 PM
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My Ride: 2008 535i:
(8/07 Build) Metallic Bronze, Beige NASCA Leather, Ventilated Seats, Sport Pkg, Cold Wxr Pkg, Logic-7 Sound, HUD, Night Vision, PDC, Split Rear Seats, NAV, Premium Pkg, Comfort Access, HD Radio, Sport Auto Trans
Current mods: M-Aero Kit, JB4, Motorcepts 6000k HID Foglamps
Umnitza ICE-Lite 10w LED 6000k AE's
1992 Camaro RS:
Fully Restored w/Custom Interior, 5.0L V8, T-tops, OEM Z28 Foglamps, Inst Cluster, & Spoiler, Custom Sound, Too many engine mods to list
The plant closing is bad news, but the "big block" still lives on (albeit in evloved form) in the GM LS series engines.
01-04-2010, 06:24 PM
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My Ride: 2007 530i. Purchased 6/28/07. Titanium Silver Metallic, Black Dakota Leather, Dark Poplar Trim, Steptronic, Premium Package, Cold Weather Package, Bluetooth, Adaptive Control Xenons. 10/30/07 Added OEM 124s with 245/40/18 & 275/35/18 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires. Installed red Cal Covers� from BavAuto. 11/21/07 Added OEM all-weather floor mats (for winter, carpet in summer) and coat rack. 6/26/08 installed M5-style rear spoiler. 6/30/08 put on red reflectors. 8/22/08 Euro turn signal stickers applied. 3/20/09 Installed Shadowline Trim. 3/27/09 Added Matte Black Kidney Grilles from Trinity. 4/03/09 Installed Bimmian Shadow Matte Black 530i Badges. 4/04/09 Installed LED license plate lights from Trinity. 5/01/09 Installed Brabus Interior LED Kit and White Angel Eyes. 5/02/09 Put in Brabus 6K Fogs. 5/14/09 Removed charcoal filter. 5/15/09 Installed light smoke LED side marker lamps from Trinity. 5/21/09 Sprint Booster. 6/12/09 Painted exhaust tips flat black. 6/13/09 Pulled red Cal Covers and painted calipers low gloss black. 6/27/09 RPI Ram Air Scoop from Trinity. 8/15/09 Installed Brabus's silver invisibulbs front and rear. 9/24/09 Installed R-Dash license plate LEDs from Brabaus (John).
That's a pretty good run--half a century.
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