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There’s an epic facility in Buffalo, New York, that has been pumping out legendary engines for nearly 90 years – engines that powered everything from World War II fighter planes to classic Chevy muscle cars and today’s high-tech Corvettes. That’s the incredible story of General Motors’ (GM) mighty Tonawanda Propulsion plant, a historical gem that continues to build all-American power.
Workers at Tonawanda Engine, formerly the Chevrolet Motor and Axle Plant, assemble six-cylinder engines, circa 1938.
Opened in 1938 as the Chevrolet Motor and Axle Plant, Tonawanda initially built inline six-cylinder engines and axles. But when World War II started, the plant, like much of GM, quickly switched gears to support the Allied war effort.
From 1942 to 1945, instead of car parts, its dedicated workers built thousands of powerful 14- and 18-cylinder Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines for legendary planes like the P-61 Black Widow and B-24 Liberator. In 1943 alone, Tonawanda produced an astounding 10 percent of all U.S.-built aircraft engines.
PIC 1: Tonawanda plant construction (circa 1937). PIC 2: Tonawanda’s first plant manager Alfred Gulliver (far right) with Chevrolet manufacturing director Hugh Dean (far left), Lt. Col Donald O'Neil (left), and an unknown man (right) as they inspect the 60,000th Pratt & Whitney radial nine-cylinder aircraft engine built in Tonawanda (circa 1945).
After the war, Tonawanda got back to making automotive engines, including power for the innovative Chevrolet Corvair. The 1960s were a boom time for V8s, and the plant was busy cranking out millions of small-blocks and big-blocks that helped fuel decades of American muscle.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Tonawanda continued to expand, adding new V6 lines and even setting a world record in June 1988 by building 8,832 engines in a single day.
PIC 1: A worker at Tonawanda, formerly the Chevrolet Motor and Axle Plant, assembling engines (circa 1951). PIC 2: A Tonawanda employee stacking components (circa 1988).
The 1990s brought a new name, General Motors Powertrain, along with major investments in new engine technologies, earning the facility accolades for productivity. More massive investments followed in the 2000s for families of inline-four and five-cylinder engines, as well as the Gen V small-block V8.
An ad from 1992 featuring the 4.3L V6 engine produced at Tonawanda.
Now called Tonawanda Propulsion Systems, since 2024, Tonawanda is still a vital facility that builds a variety of engines for Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, and Buick. That includes the impressive 6.2-liter LT2 Small-Block V8 found in today’s Corvette Stingray and E-Ray.
General Motors Powertrain plant exterior (circa 2000s). Photo Credit to GM News.
This summer, the facility will celebrate building its 77th million engine. Tara Wasik, Regional Plant Director and 26-year Tonawanda veteran, expressed her deep pride by calling the facility “an icon in the Western New York region”.
For people like John Kehoe, a fourth-generation employee whose family history is woven into Tonawanda’s fabric, the facility is deeply personal. Kehoe shared, “My family has been part of Tonawanda for as long as the plant has existed… And now, I work as the Lead Engineer for the line building the engine that goes into today’s Corvette Stingray.”
Tonawanda Propulsion Systems employee Shantelle Colston works on the plant line.
Tonawanda Propulsion Systems is a living piece of American manufacturing history built by generations of dedicated and industrious workers. From powering huge WWII warbirds to building the high-performance heart of today’s Corvettes, this facility has consistently adapted and delivered. Here’s to another 90 years of power!
