The final General Motors “big block” V-8 engines — one of a series that has been around in one form or another since 1959 — rolled off the line at GM’s Tonawanda’s Powertrain plant on Friday.

The large engine was developed in 1958. It was redesigned several times to increase horsepower and improve efficiency, with the L18 going into production in 1999.

As cars grew bigger, the powerful engine grew more popular. But with the recent trend toward fuel efficiency taking over more of the market, the engine had dwindled to less than 3 percent of GM’s total production.  The Tonawanda plant — which 20 years ago employed 4,350 people — currently has about 663 hourly and 140 salaried workers.

The big block chevy engines are legends to many people, especially folks who enjoyed the muscle cars of the ’60,s and ’70,s. The power and performance left a permanent memory of what a ‘real‘ performance engine can do. The rest of the population will remember the reliability and power these engines make for performing heavy duty work in work trucks or in motorhomes. No gasoline engine will share the same legendary staus as the big block/rat motor Chevy engines.

No need for concern on the replacement engine front. General Motors made plenty of the engines from 1958 until  it’s closing in December of 2009. I remember them for their sheer unadulterated power in the muscle cars, but there are many times more of these engines under the hoods of work trucks, motorhomes and even many of the Impalas your mom took you to school in. In the day of the big block, it was not unusual to find these engines in the finest and most luxurious vehicles and grocery getter’s Chevy and GM made.

Good used big block Chevy engines of all sizes and years can be found at GotEngines.com. We sell the lowest mileage used engines on the market, all have been pre tested and certified to be 100 percent reliable or they get rejected. Call one of our representatives and let them help you determine what engine is the proper replacement for you. GotEngines.com @ 1-888-344-8044.