V8's on endangered list?

[Steve L.]

When I was scouting out a machine shop for reboring work, the owner indicated that used V8 blocks are getting in short supply. He started hording them. He had a few racks full of blocks.

Any truth to this?

Steve L
73 coupe since new

[Joe L.]

Re: V8's on endangered list?

Steve----

Certainly, the source for most V-8 engines is shrinking. V-8s have not been installed in passenger cars in any sort of quantity for many years. Since the cars of the "V-8 era" of the 60s and 70s have pretty well "dried up", I expect that there's a lot less "fresh meat" out there than there used to be. Pick-up trucks seem to be kept in service longer than passenger cars so, even this source is probably not what it used to be.

On the other hand, how many chassis are there out there that need or can use a V-8 engine anymore? That's shrinking, too. So, while supply is shrinking, I would think that demand is, too.

In any event, brand new V-8 engines, from complete assemblies to bare blocks, are still available from GM. Although virtually all Gen I Chevy small block V-8 engines are now made in Mexico, I don't think that GM has any plans to cease production of them anytime soon-----the SERVICE market for these engines won't be drying up in our lifetime. The Mexico-produced engines have made large strides in quality, too.

So, as far as replacement V-8 engines, I don't think that they'll be any problems obtaining them for as far as the eye can see. However, original configuration engines WILL be getting harder and harder to find. But, most folks that are looking for an engine don't really care about "original configuration".

[Brian M.]

Re: V8's on endangered list?

I see GM V8's being loaded into sea containers 5 days aweek. Dest. unknown.