Tonawanda Big Block Assembly Sequence

[Bill L.]

HI:

When were the engine assembly date and suffix ID code stamped on a big block engine at Tonawanda?

Prior to adding the heads or after?

Thanks in advance for any information you can provide...

Regards
Bill

[Larry M.]

Re: Tonawanda Big Block Assembly Sequence

Stamped before heads were installed.

Larry

[Bill L.]

Re: Tonawanda Big Block Assembly Sequence

Thanks Larry.

[Dave H.]

Re: Tonawanda Big Block Assembly Sequence

Can I make the following assumptions:
1. Assy date and engine code (the large font stamp) was applied before heads were installed on an assembled, unpainted short block.
2. Pad is taped over.
3. Long block plus extras are assembled complete (heads, intake, exhaust, water pump?)
4. Engine painted.
5. Tape pad removed.
6. Engine assy complete (carb, dist, wires, alt?)

Small blocks at Flint the same?

[Michael J.]

Re: Tonawanda Big Block Assembly Sequence

Distributor was in, wires, carb, alternator added in St. Louis

[Gene M.]

Re: Tonawanda Big Block Assembly Sequence

Can I make the following assumptions:
1. Assy date and engine code (the large font stamp) was applied before heads were installed on an assembled, unpainted short block.
2. Pad is taped over.
3. Long block plus extras are assembled complete (heads, intake, exhaust, water pump?)
4. Engine painted.
5. Tape pad removed.
6. Engine assy complete (carb, dist, wires, alt?)

Small blocks at Flint the same?

No, number 1 not same and number 3 depends on model year.

[John D.]

Re: Tonawanda Big Block Assembly Sequence

Were big blocks tested and run at Tonawanda like the small blocks in Flint ? I've never seen any pics. If so did they put plug wires on for testing then take them off prior to shipping ?.

[Terry M.]

Re: Tonawanda Big Block Assembly Sequence

Were big blocks tested and run at Tonawanda like the small blocks in Flint ? I've never seen any pics. If so did they put plug wires on for testing then take them off prior to shipping ?.

Yes Tonawanda "hot tested" engines before shipping. Yes they had a set of spark plug wires that were part of the test stand. They were different than the wires we would put on the car and different than those that went on at St Louis or other vehicle assembly plants.

[Jack M.]

Re: Tonawanda Big Block Assembly Sequence

Were big blocks tested and run at Tonawanda like the small blocks in Flint ? I've never seen any pics. If so did they put plug wires on for testing then take them off prior to shipping ?.

Here's an GREAT article from 1966 Corvette News... unfortunately, I had to reduce the quality due to file size limitations.
You should be able to ZOOM into the pictures... click the link below:
1966 Corvette News (Vol-9 #5) - Building 427 Engines.pdf

[Joe R.]

Re: Tonawanda Big Block Assembly Sequence

Very cool article Jack! Thanks for posting!!!

[Terry M.]

Re: Tonawanda Big Block Assembly Sequence

Here's an GREAT article from 1966 Corvette News... unfortunately, I had to reduce the quality due to file size limitations.
You should be able to ZOOM into the pictures... click the link below:
[ATTACH]91548[/ATTACH]

Good you were able to dig up that story Jack. One needs to remember those details work for 1966, but smaller details may differ from year to year, as Gene mentioned above. One needs to study original examples of their year of interest to verify original details that are applicable to their specific year. In some cases it may be necessary to study specific months, weeks or even days of production to pin down fine details. That's what makes this so much fun.

[Bill M.]

Re: Tonawanda Big Block Assembly Sequence

Here's an GREAT article from 1966 Corvette News... unfortunately, I had to reduce the quality due to file size limitations.
You should be able to ZOOM into the pictures... click the link below:
[ATTACH]91548[/ATTACH]

I spent the summer of 1969 working in the Tonawanda Engineering Test Lab running engines on the 200 hour durability test and tearing them down for engineering inspection at the end of the test. (The guy running the test in the article's photo is Ralph. That is the big block test cell.) I did see both big block and small block self-destruct, but it was rare. Fun assignment; coming up on 50 years ago. The highlight of the summer was running L-88s on the test. They ran with headers and exhausted through a huge muffler through the roof of the plant. They made a sweet sound you could hear from outside the plant. All other engines exhausted through a system under the floor and were quiet.

[Michael J.]

Re: Tonawanda Big Block Assembly Sequence

That's a great piece of history Jack, thanks!

[John D.]

Re: Tonawanda Big Block Assembly Sequence

Many years ago as a young GM engineer I wandered into the dynamometer test area at the Tech Center in Warren. Back then you could get into almost any building by flashing your ID card. They were doing a durabilty test on Mark IV where they pumped very low temp coolant through the engine overnight until it was essentially iced up. They then started it up and ran it through a series of high RPM tests to see if it would fail. Very cool stuff.

[Ray G.]

Re: Tonawanda Big Block Assembly Sequence

Thank You for the experience and History ... LUV this kind of stuff.