Factory block machining process
 

Does anyone have any pictures of any of the machining processes used to manufacture small or big block Chevy blocks from Flint or Tonawanda? As a toolmaker I'm always interested in the way things were made, and the broaching process for decking the blocks is something I would like to see, along with other machining processes.

I've seen some pictures of the broach machine, but do not have any. It was a giant machine about the size of a van going over the rough surfaces of the block. It left broach marks on all the rough casting areas that were smoothed out on the block.

This is the only photo of the broaching machine that I have seen.

Great photo.

Thank you Rick. Looks like it cuts both decks and the center at the same time. It would be very interesting to go back in time and watch the whole process from casting to finished block. Maybe the other one is for the bottom of the block? Looks like it might rough cut the main bearing bore too.

It just amazes me that they could make such precise cuts to the decks and top of the block like that.

I watched the progressive broach in operation at Tonawanda, but it was totally enclosed - so it wasn’t possible to see it cut. It was the first machining station just adjacent to the foundry finishing department - so the blocks would come out of the foundry & could be positioned on the broach indexing conveyor while they were still warm.

At 15:41 mark of this video, you can see the ford raw cast block broaching & machine process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMlPonSrqVo

I have a vintage 16mm movie called TONAWANDA that shows the infancy of the engine building process too.

I don't care how much they were paid, a foundry had to have been a miserable place to work even in the best of conditions.