These past two days, we’ve looked into Chevy and the Chevy small block’s past and present, and between these time periods and products is a singular emotion. What joins the creation of the small block, the history of General Motors, and events like the Woodward Dream cruise is passion.

Passion is not merely performance numbers, fuel economy, or just design alone. It’s the melding of the three parts by groups of people to create great products that they are proud of. On top of that, it then appears with the customer and how they interact and love the product. You can’t engineer or design a passionate car on purpose, just like you can’t create a perfect spouse. It’s all about the process. A car that elicits response from owners and passerbys is one that was created with a genuine care for the result. It is the result of this continual effort that creates the story of these cars and makes them more than just pieces of metal.

You see this passion in the creation process when you visit GM’s Heritage Center. Surrounded by the significant cars of the past, you see the thoughts and dreams of car designers that ended up in the final process. From a design and engineering standpoint, you can feel what their creators and teams were thinking when they created these pieces. You see a visionary mindset that is not stuck in the past, but it always pushing through to the future.

These designers and engineers were not only looking for performance, but also at fuel economy and evocative design as well. For instance, the 1953 Firebird concept used turbines in an attempt to get both performance and fuel economy. Plus, it was stylized like a jet. It was not a dowdy economical box to suffer in while you squeezed out every drop of gas. Fuel economy, to the designers and engineers, was just another boundary to push the envelope like performance, and it was another tool to capture the buyer’s attention.

You can see this today in concepts such as the Stingray, but also in products like the Volt and the Camaro. For the Volt, maximum fuel economy and cutting edge technology was key. Crating a new driving experience with the use of new technology was the purpose of the vehicle. For the Camaro, designers and engineers had to bring the feeling of old muscle cars with the expectations of today’s marketplace in terms of fuel economy and stirring performance.

The results of all this hard work are seen during events like the Woodward Dream Cruise. At events like this, you can view the legacy of cars that were made with a clear mission and care. This is seen by the people who line the streets with boundless enthusiasm for hours on end to get a glimpse of their favorite cars. It also materializes in the people who bring their own cars to the event.

Take for instance the 1968 Chevy Camaro convertible in the photo gallery. The owner of the car had a Camaro when he was younger and bought this one to restore as soon as he could. The car has gone through a full frame up rebuild, two engines, and a few additional touches as well (like the Pace Car graphics). What’s most astounding is that this transformation took 13 years. To put that in perspective, the average marriage in the U.S. lasts about 8 years. And every single car has a story like that. The search, the purchase, the project, the stress, the memories, and the fun after the build all are captured in 7 feet of metal attached to an engine with four wheels, regardless of the badge on the hood.

This same affect can be seen in cars built today, like the Volt and the Camaro. Everywhere I drove this car, people responded. For instance, a simple lunch break turned into an experience as guys and girls of all kinds talked about how their parents had one, how they love how it looks, how they want to buy one when the money is right, etc. And then you see a kid who wants to sit in it and hear it start. At that moment, you see a spark that will hopefully create another car enthusiast. Regardless of what some people want to tell you, cars are not appliances.

From the drawing board, to the showroom floor, to the owner’s garage and beyond, cars are products of passion. Men and women dedicate time, energy, and money because at the heart of it, cars speak to you in some way or another. It could be the Woodward Dream Cruise or Pebble Beach, but every car has this passion attached to it from the people who built it, buy it, and go to events to see it. What is important going forward is harnessing this energy and creating unique cars that speak to people that were turned off from cars before. To really find that visionary mindset to create cars that can both be fun and fuel efficient. Because without new, great cars, we’ll have nothing to cruise down Woodward 50 years from now.

The first day was all about the history and pedigree of the Chevy small block. Today, we experienced how the small block is being used nowadays and a firsthand account of cruising on Woodward. We started the day at the birthplace of ZO6, ZR1, and Grandsport Corvette motors. Then, we cruised Woodward in the Chevy parade and ended the day by sampling applications of the small block in both Chevy cars and others.

The GM Performance Center is where traditional craftsmanship and modern attention to detail meet to create some of the highest performing motors on the planet. Here, every 430hp Grand Sport motor, 505hp Z06 motor and 638hp ZR1 motor take shape. Each motor is built completely by hand and signed by the technician that builds it.

To ensure correct specifications, advanced torque wrenches are used to give the builder a guide when each individual fastener is bolted to the motor. In fact, each bolt’s torque is registered in a massive database for each engine to ensure quality even after the engine leaves the factory. No other facilities offer this level of attention to detail, not even many of Mercedes’ AMG engines.

Not only is every motor built by hand, but if you partake in the Build Your Own program, the hands that build your Z06, ZRI or Grandsport motor could be your own. For $5800, you can visit the performance center, and with the help of a qualified GM engine builder, build your own motor. At the end of the process, your own name will appear on your engine’s build plate.

After the Performance center, we partook in the Centennial GM Cruise. There were multiple examples of both GM’s heritage and future presented here. Everything from vintage Camaro’s, a Corvair, the new ZL1, and 50 Chevy Volts whose owners drove from all over the country to attend.

Cruising Woodward in this formation is an experience in and of itself. For starters, it’s one of the few times you can have police lights in your mirror and not be terrified. And then there’s just the visceral experience of it all, especially in a new SS Chevy Camaro Convertible. You don’t go fast, but are just surrounded by thousands of examples of rolling Americana. The smells, sounds and environment all harken back to a time period that we are still waiting to return to.

The Camaro convertible is a perfect car for such a trip, because it’s a car of theater. In normal day-to-day traffic it has low visibility and is too relaxed, but in an event like this, or any day where you really want to enjoy the drive at any speed, and the Camaro shines. The styling stands out from miles away, especially in the Big Bird Yellow my car came in (there’s no other color to get a convertible in). The engine, burbling with anticipation and ready to launch at any moment, rumbles in the background. Plus, the best part of the convertible is that it solves the visibility issues of the coupe, with the top down of course. I could think of no other car to take to an event like this.

We finished the day with a celebration of cars with small blocks of any kind. Present were resto-mods, a rat rod, a modified Camaro, and even a Miata. The best part was that the owners were gracious enough to take us for a ride. I was able to ride along in a modified new Camaro with parts you can buy at a Chevy dealership today, and still keep your warranty. The differences from my stock one were astounding. The attitude is just ramped up with a new exhaust and intake. In addition, the heritage body parts connected the car to its past, but with a modern twist. If you’re interested in these parts, check out the Synergy packages on the Camaro configurator on GM’s site for the wheels and body parts. The performance parts can be had on Chevy’s site as well as GM Performance Part’s site.

Throughout the day we were able to experience the performance and tradition of the small block and Woodward in a way that numbers could never do. To see thousands of people lined up to catch a glimpse of these old cars is truly amazing. It was also to see the dedication and tradition that goes into the best Corvette motors and how the small block can end up in many other packages. The best part was that Day Two was just the beginning; today will be the full Monty with most of the cars making an appearance. Bullz-Eye will also be exploring some traditional Detroit landmarks in the SS Camaro. Make sure to check back tomorrow for our Woodward finale piece.

If there’s one automotive pilgrimage that must be made by gearheads everywhere, it’s the Woodward Dream Cruise. Located in the automotive Mecca of Detroit, MI, the Woodward Dream Cruise is a weeklong event that celebrates the religion of cars. The Dream Cruise specifically worships the sect of classic American muscle cars with big V8’s, aggressive lines and bad attitudes. All cars are welcome, but these vintage American hulks from a bygone era reign supreme. Today was the calm before these cars are awaken from their slumber and marched towards Woodward Ave. Every year brings something unique, and this year is no exception.

This year’s Dream Cruise marks not only the year of Chevrolet’s centennial anniversary, but also the 100 millionth small block Chevy V8 to be produced. If there were one spokesman for the entire muscle car movement, one defining piece, it would be the Chevy small block. There is no better place to pay homage to this piece of engineering than the Woodward Dream Cruise.

The mission of the Chevy small block was simple: create an affordable engine to bring the power that the marketplace demanded. In 1955, chief engineer Ed Cole completed that task. The result was the Chevy small block.

The formula for the small block is simple: 8 cylinders at a 90 degree angle, 283-350 cu. in., pushrods, and a 4.4 in. bore spacing. Its about as simple as a grilled cheese in terms of engine design and that is exactly why it is so successful. In true American spirit it brought power to the people with a fair price tag attached.

The small block and its descendants continue to be used to this day. It has evolved from 195 horsepower to 638hp as seen in the Corvette ZR1. Also, if you want the original small block for a period correct build you can buy a factory fresh one from GM’s performance catalog. In fact, they will build you any engine to fit in your project of choice from the original right up to the LS9 as seen in the ZRI. The materials, technology and performance may have changed, but small blocks all share the common origin and goal of simple, effective and inexpensive performance.

If anything, the small block is not only a symbol of the muscle car movement, but also a symbol of American ideals. Here is a power plant that is available for a very reasonable cost, simple and powerful. You may also customize it however you see fit with a variety of aftermarket parts from cams to superchargers. It’s the embodiment of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

In the distance, all around Detroit, you can hear the small blocks rumbling while getting ready for the annual dream cruise. Tomorrow, these small blocks will be out in full force with the rest of the automotive landscape on their annual pilgrimage to the Mecca of speed. However, this year is their year. It’s officially the year of the small block. Tomorrow, look for Part Two of Bullz-Eye’s trip to the Woodward Dream Cruise and a visit to the place where modern small blocks are born. Finally, we will cap off the week with the full Woodward Dream Cruise experience and a look into the future of Chevy, the small block, and what may come next.