Aluminum Small Blocks

[Michael B.]

I heard that an all aluminum small block was cast and assembled for a rear engine concept Corvette in 1964.

While other GM divisions were using all aluminum engines around that time, an aluminum small block Chevrolet engine never went into production. I also heard that some 1960 Corvettes were produced with aluminum heads but were called back because of casting problems.

[Louis T.]

Re: Aluminum Small Blocks

Hi Michael,



Louis

[John H.]

Re: Aluminum Small Blocks

Chevrolet was all about high volume and low cost. A high-volume production aluminum engine would have been a horrendously expensive proposition both in terms of investment for an aluminum foundry and engine plant machining systems and the immense increase in premium material piece cost, not to mention the enormous engineering and development expense required to make it reliable.

Buick and Olds could afford to play with aluminum on their low-volume 215-cu. in. V-8; that kind of thing was way out of Chevrolet's mission, and no business case could be made for it.

[Michael B.]

Re: Aluminum Small Blocks

So how did one go about commissioning a one-off aluminum SBC for the XP-819 project? It appears to be dimensionally the same as the current SBC at the time. Did they just send an aluminum ingot over to the foundry and have one cast? Or was it uniquely engineered? This one engine did run and power the car good enough to crash it during handling tests.

Is anything known about the production of this one engine?

[Dick W.]

Re: Aluminum Small Blocks

Engineering had the resources to do basically anything they wanted to do, DOHC small blocks, semi-hemi 302's, SOHC small blocks. Some of these engineering exercises were cast iron, some were aluminum. What ever suited their fancy at the time.

[Jerry G.]

Re: Aluminum Small Blocks

If you'd like one they are being made today. I was at a machine shop that builds race engines yesterday and they had one in for rebuild. These are modern off the shelf retail sale aluminum small blocks with sleeves. They look like they'd bolt right in our old beasts.

[John H.]

Re: Aluminum Small Blocks

So how did one go about commissioning a one-off aluminum SBC for the XP-819 project? It appears to be dimensionally the same as the current SBC at the time. Did they just send an aluminum ingot over to the foundry and have one cast? Or was it uniquely engineered? This one engine did run and power the car good enough to crash it during handling tests.

Is anything known about the production of this one engine?

Engineering designed and built LOTS of prototype engines, in many different configurations; a one-off prototype cast at Winters is a whole different ball game than a production engine.

[Jim L.]

Re: Aluminum Small Blocks

Is anything known about the production of this one engine?

I'd question whether or not that's actually an aluminum engine. The heads appear to be garden variety, iron double hump heads. Aluminum heads of that era had a simple rectangular end symbol. Also, the entire engine is painted. If it were aluminum, I'd expect it to be unpainted to showcase the technology.

There were several aluminum 283s made in the late '50s. One aluminum 283 block has been advertised in the Driveline for what seems like forever. On EPay about a year ago was an unfinished aluminum 283 casting. Here's a photo of it:



In the '60s there was a limited number of 4" bore aluminum blocks cast, perhaps a dozen. The Grand Sports and the Chaparrals of Jim Hall competed with some of these.

Fast forward to more modern times, Donovan makes an aluminum SBC that is a fit, form, and function drop in replacement for an iron block. Other companies also make aluminum blocks, but those from Donovan come the closest to resembling GM pieces.



Jim

[Stuart F.]

Re: Aluminum Small Blocks

Isn't the one that has been for sale so long a Mickey Thompson engine block that was developed for his Indy racing effort, I believe, way back when.

Stu Fox

[Jim L.]

Re: Aluminum Small Blocks

Isn't the one that has been for sale so long a Mickey Thompson engine block that was developed for his Indy racing effort, I believe, way back when.

Stu Fox

Yes, that is the claim made for that block.

Jim

[Jim T.]

Re: Aluminum Small Blocks

Anyone remember the orgin of the aluminum sb in Dale Pearman's 62?

[Jim L.]

Re: Aluminum Small Blocks

Anyone remember the orgin of the aluminum sb in Dale Pearman's 62?

I was told it was a Donovan block, but I don't remember the source of that information.

Jim