GM’s Tonawanda Plant Retooled for Gen-V Engines
09-09-2013, 07:19 PM
#1
Race Director
Thread Starter
GM’s Tonawanda Plant Retooled for Gen-V Engines
As a result of GM’s $400 million investment, Tonawanda will eventually produce four versions of the Gen 5 Small Block – a 4.3L V-6, 5.3L V-8 and two variants of a 6.2L V-8. When the plant is at full production, it will produce more than 1,000 engines daily. The new family of engines will power nine GM models by 2015, starting with the all-new 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups, and the all-new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.
09-10-2013, 12:52 AM
#3
Race Director
I wish I still had connections there. All my contacts are retired.
09-10-2013, 10:47 PM
#6
Instructor
I think GM doesn't know what they're doing. Before the BASH, they said the Vette engines were moving from the Wixom, MI plant that the LS3's were built in and the LT1 was going to be built in the Tonawanda plant, then at the BASH, they said, no they will be moving their engine building to BG "to increase efficiency", now they're saying back to Tonawanda? I wonder where the first 1000 engines were built and in fact where the engines on later cars will be built.
09-10-2013, 10:51 PM
#7
Race Director
The Performance Build Center in Wixom, MI only assembled the LS7 and LS9 engines for the Corvette.
It was/is a small facility, and it is moving to the BG plant during 2013/2014. The LS3s were always built
somewhere else (maybe at Tonawanda, not sure).
It was/is a small facility, and it is moving to the BG plant during 2013/2014. The LS3s were always built
somewhere else (maybe at Tonawanda, not sure).
09-10-2013, 11:01 PM
#8
Team Owner
The LS3's were assembled at St Catherine's, Ontario plant.
LS7's, LS9's and LS3's for the dry sump GS's were assembled in Wixom. That is the operation that is moving to BG.
LS7's, LS9's and LS3's for the dry sump GS's were assembled in Wixom. That is the operation that is moving to BG.
By: Dale Jewett on 1/30/2013
General Motors is moving its Performance Build Center, which let enthusiasts pay $5,000-plus to build the high-performance engine for their Chevrolet Corvette, from Michigan to the Corvette assembly plant in Bowling Green, Ky.
The move is expected to be completed by spring 2014. It will let a Corvette buyer build his own engine, with help from a GM technician, and then see it installed in his car as it goes down the Bowling Green assembly line.
Which engines the relocated build center will produce will be announced in the future, GM said in a statement on Wednesday. So far, the only engine disclosed for the redesigned 2014 Corvette Stingray is the 6.2-liter LT1 V8 rated at about 450 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque. That engine will be built at the Tonawanda engine plant in Buffalo, N.Y. Production of the new Corvette is expected to begin in August.
The Performance Build Center was opened in the Detroit suburb of Wixom, Mich., in 2004. The plant let GM build high-performance engines in small volumes. Each engine was built by one worker, who spent about four hours per engine. At the end of the line, the worker affixed a signature plate to the engine. The engine was then tested before being shipped to the assembly plant.
At launch, the Wixom plant built the 7.0-liter LS7 V8 used in the Corvette Z06 and the supercharged 4.4-liter LC3 V8 used in the Cadillac STS-V and XLR-V.
In 2010, GM opened the build center to Corvette owners who wanted to build their own engine. The Corvette Engine Build Experience for a Corvette Z06 or ZR1 added $5,800 to the sticker price of the car, plus the buyer had to pay his travel expenses to the plant.
Last year the Wixom center built the 6.2-liter LS3 V8 with the dry sump oil system used in the Corvette Grand Sport, the 7.0-liter LS7 V8 used in the Corvette Z06 and the supercharged 6.2-liter LS9 V8 used in the Corvette ZR1. The plant also let enthusiasts build high-performance engines for crate motors and engines for the COPO Camaro drag-race cars.
In 2011, the center built about 3,400 Corvette engines.
The Wixom center has about 30 employees.
The move was included in a GM announcement that it was spending $200 million to expand its powertrain engineering headquarters in Pontiac, Mich., and moving work there from sites in Michigan, Indiana and California.
Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/2013...#ixzz2e3aPygQ0
Follow us: @AutoweekUSA on Twitter | AutoweekUSA on Facebook
General Motors is moving its Performance Build Center, which let enthusiasts pay $5,000-plus to build the high-performance engine for their Chevrolet Corvette, from Michigan to the Corvette assembly plant in Bowling Green, Ky.
The move is expected to be completed by spring 2014. It will let a Corvette buyer build his own engine, with help from a GM technician, and then see it installed in his car as it goes down the Bowling Green assembly line.
Which engines the relocated build center will produce will be announced in the future, GM said in a statement on Wednesday. So far, the only engine disclosed for the redesigned 2014 Corvette Stingray is the 6.2-liter LT1 V8 rated at about 450 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque. That engine will be built at the Tonawanda engine plant in Buffalo, N.Y. Production of the new Corvette is expected to begin in August.
The Performance Build Center was opened in the Detroit suburb of Wixom, Mich., in 2004. The plant let GM build high-performance engines in small volumes. Each engine was built by one worker, who spent about four hours per engine. At the end of the line, the worker affixed a signature plate to the engine. The engine was then tested before being shipped to the assembly plant.
At launch, the Wixom plant built the 7.0-liter LS7 V8 used in the Corvette Z06 and the supercharged 4.4-liter LC3 V8 used in the Cadillac STS-V and XLR-V.
In 2010, GM opened the build center to Corvette owners who wanted to build their own engine. The Corvette Engine Build Experience for a Corvette Z06 or ZR1 added $5,800 to the sticker price of the car, plus the buyer had to pay his travel expenses to the plant.
Last year the Wixom center built the 6.2-liter LS3 V8 with the dry sump oil system used in the Corvette Grand Sport, the 7.0-liter LS7 V8 used in the Corvette Z06 and the supercharged 6.2-liter LS9 V8 used in the Corvette ZR1. The plant also let enthusiasts build high-performance engines for crate motors and engines for the COPO Camaro drag-race cars.
In 2011, the center built about 3,400 Corvette engines.
The Wixom center has about 30 employees.
The move was included in a GM announcement that it was spending $200 million to expand its powertrain engineering headquarters in Pontiac, Mich., and moving work there from sites in Michigan, Indiana and California.
Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/2013...#ixzz2e3aPygQ0
Follow us: @AutoweekUSA on Twitter | AutoweekUSA on Facebook
09-10-2013, 11:04 PM
#9
Instructor
Clarification, I was referring to the LS3 in the manual trans Grand Sport (due to the dry sump). Auto grand sports and all other LS3, I don't remember where they were built, could've been Tona.
Maybe the performance engine build will be in BG otherwise Tona?
Maybe the performance engine build will be in BG otherwise Tona?
09-11-2013, 01:00 AM
#11
Melting Slicks
St. Catherine's Ontario built most of the wet sump LS engines, now that production moves back to Tonawanda. I say back because the very first production gen 1 small blocks were made at Tonawanda in 1955
09-11-2013, 01:11 AM
#12
09-11-2013, 01:24 AM
#13
Melting Slicks
I had a 68 Camaro 327, originally a 2 barrel so probably two bolt mains. A lot of famous engines were built in Tonawamda, including the original ZL1 and L88 427's if my understanding is correct.
09-11-2013, 01:32 AM
#14
09-11-2013, 06:38 AM
#15
Race Director
Thread Starter
^And speaking of guts...more info on what the other 6.2 coming out of Tonawanda will produce...
http://www.gm.com/content/gmcom/home...rtrain.gm.html
DETROIT – The 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and High Country and the GMC Sierra and Sierra Denali 1500, available this fall, with a 6.2L V-8 produces an SAE-certified 420 horsepower (at 5600 rpm) and 460 lb-ft of torque (at 4100 rpm), the most power of any pickup engine and torque of any light duty pickup truck engine.
09-11-2013, 09:31 AM
#16
Le Mans Master
The move to BG for the Corvette engine is great, along with the paint and chassis all getting done in one place, we get greater QC and it keeps the production cost lower. I think this is why they can offer this good of a car at this low of a price.
09-11-2013, 09:59 AM
#17
They certainly have a rich history of building some legendary powertrains.
The move to BG for the Corvette engine is great, along with the paint and chassis all getting done in one place, we get greater QC and it keeps the production cost lower. I think this is why they can offer this good of a car at this low of a price.
The move to BG for the Corvette engine is great, along with the paint and chassis all getting done in one place, we get greater QC and it keeps the production cost lower. I think this is why they can offer this good of a car at this low of a price.
09-11-2013, 10:18 AM
#18
On a sidenote to BlueOx I find it interesting how close the numbers are on the truck 6.2 to the corvette engine. The intake is not as high as on the previous ls truck engines, more like the car intake. I am sure the cam is different. I wonder how different the heads are if any...anyone know? The similarity is going to be good for the aftermarket. I am definitely getting the 6.2 silverado to replace my present one.
09-11-2013, 10:22 AM
#19
Race Director
Thread Starter
On a sidenote to BlueOx I find it interesting how close the numbers are on the truck 6.2 to the corvette engine. The intake is not as high as on the previous ls truck engines, more like the car intake. I am sure the cam is different. I wonder how different the heads are if any...anyone know? The similarity is going to be good for the aftermarket. I am definitely getting the 6.2 silverado to replace my present one.
09-11-2013, 10:30 AM
#20
Le Mans Master
I wonder what the 2 models of the 6.2 is all about?
As it is it appears that the LS 3 is still going to be produced for the Impala SS and the Camaro. I don't know why they just don't put the LT 1 in them as well.
Personally I would prefer Cadillac's new 420 hp V-6 turbo for the Impala SS as the base motor, then they could still produce a supercharged V-8 for it like they are doing for the ones sold in England and Australia.
Maybe all Corvette motors will be made in BG?
As it is it appears that the LS 3 is still going to be produced for the Impala SS and the Camaro. I don't know why they just don't put the LT 1 in them as well.
Personally I would prefer Cadillac's new 420 hp V-6 turbo for the Impala SS as the base motor, then they could still produce a supercharged V-8 for it like they are doing for the ones sold in England and Australia.
Maybe all Corvette motors will be made in BG?