The Chevy Small Block V8 engine is one of the most iconic and important powerplants ever created, with countless iterations and applications offered since 1955. Now, we’re watching an impressive time-lapse video that shows a Chevy Small Block being rebuilt, step-by-step.
Coming to us from the Hagerty YouTube channel, the video is a little over 8 minutes long, and takes the viewer from a messy old Chevy Small Block V8 all the way to a fresh and shiny rebuild that looks ready to drop in an engine bay, with loads of stop-motion animation and time-lapse footage to document the rebuild process along the way.
“After our Chevy Small Block 283 disassembled itself, we couldn’t help but give it a full engine rebuild,” Hagerty writes. Apparently, this particular powerplant was plucked from the bay of a 1966 Chevy Chevelle convertible roughly 25 years ago, and was left to sit around ever since.
Now, however, this Chevy Small Block is getting the full restoration treatment it deserves. The engine looks like it’s in pretty rough shape to start, with surface corrosion, oil, and loads of grime all around it. First things first is disassembly, shown in stop-motion animation with the removal of the valve covers, pumps, exhaust, spark plugs, and various rags plugging up some of the holes. Then we have the block and rotating assembly, with more stop-motion goodness to illustrate the process.
Watching this thing get torn down, the simplicity of the engine becomes clear – as does the rough condition. Parts cleaning is next, with literal decades of grime to get through, followed by machining of the block and heads. The video switches to a timelapse showing technicians working on the components piece by piece.
Indeed, watching the engine rebuild process done in just a matter of minutes belies the amount of work required to make it happen, but it’s very satisfying to watch it done. Stick around to the end to hear this Chevy Small Block fire back up and give a few revs:
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Comments
Memories. It was the 1970’s. Hundreds of 1960’s SBC engines coming through the shop in Santa Ana California.
Disassembly, Hot Tanking, Head surfacing, boring machines. Re-assembly. Then do it again.
The engines were easy to work on. Lots of interchangeable parts.
Bellhousing on Small and Big Block interchanged so it was easy to swap engines around.
I built other brands, pontiac, ford, chrysler, international, but those chevy small blocks. Those are the ones I knew best.
Great memories. So easy.
It an AWESOME video! Brought me back to my teenage years with hot cars of the 60’s and 70’s.
Thanks for the video and a trip down memory lane.
barry
Nicks garage is the best
Really cool video reminds me of the movie Chrisine when the Fury was putting itself back together again.
No wonder gm is going to 3 and 4 cylinder engines in their cars and trucks.
283 and 327 small block motors. We’re the best ever chevy motors. Ever built..rebuild them and take care..they will last another 30 years. R
Why even bother with it when one can buy a brand new crate 350. It makes more power, has a roller camshaft, and will bolt right in. When my 283 died, I went the 350 route and couldn’t have been happier.
Wow, what a flashback to rebuilding SBC and BBCs with budies in the 70s. We all had card, and spent every spare penny on making them go faster. Fun times – need to do it again.