1981 Chevrolet El Camino Base Standard Cab Pickup 2-door 3.8l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

How easy is it to rebuild a Chevy small block V8?

Chevrolet's famous small block V8 stands as one of the workhorse engines in American auto history, with its variants going into vehicles from hot rods to pickup trucks. But do you know that you can fully disassemble and completely restore one of these mills in just under four minutes? Well, as long as there's some assistance from time-lapse photography, that is. Hagerty created this short clip showing a dirt-covered small block turning from a frog into a prince. Thankfully, the time-lapse doesn't speed the process up too much, and it's still easy to see how all of the principal parts fit together. With all sorts of sensors and software helping to drive the modern automobile, viewing the internal combustion engine in its purely mechanical form is still fascinating. Related Video:

Weekly Recap: Lamborghini to build SUV

Finally, Lamborghini will build a sport utility vehicle. The Italian supercar maker confirmed this week that it will launch a luxury SUV in 2018. It will be built at Lamborghini's soon-to-expand factory in Sant'Agata Bolognese in Italy, and will double the company's current sales volume. Lamborghini did not announce a name for the vehicle or other details, but noted a concept version, the Urus, was displayed at the Beijing motor show in 2012. It will be sold around the world, but it's expected to be a critical offering in the United States, China, and the Middle East. The automaker projects the SUV will sell about 3,000 units per year, and it will be the third product in Lamborghini's portfolio. It currently sells the Huracan and Aventador supercars. "The introduction of a third model line endorses the stable and sustainable growth of the company and signifies for us the beginning of a new era," Lamborghini chief executive Stephan Winkelmann said in a statement. The project is also a boon for Italy, which will get 500 new jobs in the Emilia Romagna region as Lamborghini's factory will nearly double in size. Ian Fletcher, principal analyst for IHS Automotive, said the SUV will position Lamborghini for future growth. "It could well also bring new customers to the brand [who] may find the dramatic styling of Lamborghini products appealing, but find its typical sports cars restrictive," he said. "If it is a success, the SUV could be a catalyst to Lamborghini broadening its portfolio further." OTHER NEWS & NOTES GM invests in Chevy Camaro factory General Motors is investing $175 million to upgrade its factory in Lansing, MI, to build the 2016 Chevy Camaro. The investment will pay for new tooling and equipment. The improvements include three new paint systems and two new robotic framers. GM will add a second shift at the factory to build the Camaro, resulting in 500 jobs. The automaker had dropped the plant to one shift last year amid slow sales for its products, the Cadillac ATS and CTS. GM is spending $5.4 billion over the next three years to upgrade its US facilities. Last week, GM announced plans to spend $439 million to build a new paint shop for the Chevy Corvette. While the Camaro and Corvette plant improvements are intriguing to enthusiasts, GM also confirmed this week that it is investing $1.2 billion in its Fort Wayne (IN) factory that builds trucks.

GM recalling 135,000 SUVs with plastic jacks that can break

General Motors is recalling 135,400 compact crossovers because their emergency jack can break under load. The problem occurs when the jack — which is plastic — isn't positioned correctly as detailed in the owner's manual. This can cause the jack to fracture. If the jack breaks and the vehicle collapses, there's a risk of injury or death, according to an NHTSA recall alert. The recall involves the 2020-22 Buick Encore GX and 2021-22 Chevrolet Trailblazer. A GM test driver discovered the problem when he broke a jack during a durability test on a Trailblazer. GM started investigating in April and found 21 claims of jack failures, including one reported injury. "This jack design may not be sufficiently robust against fractures if improperly or incorrectly positioned on the vehicle frame by the user," a NHTSA safety report said. GM will start notifying vehicle owners July 26. It will provide free replacement jacks that are made of metal.   Featured Gallery 2021 Buick Encore GX View 21 Photos Recalls Buick Chevrolet GM