TONAWANDA, N.Y. — General Motors on Friday marked the end of the line for a class of V-8 engine that's been in production for 51 years.

The automaker's western New York plant stopped production of the latest variation of the "big block" V-8 engines. Plant manager Steve Finch called it "the end of a remarkable era."

The big engine was developed in 1958 to keep up with the growing size and weight of American automobiles. Over the years it's been redesigned, with the latest version, the L18, going into production in 1999. Made only in Tonawanda, it powers full-size trucks like the Chevrolet Avalanche and some boats. Its end puts about 150 employees on indefinite layoff.

It was the second time in a year the plant has stopped work on an engine. Over the summer it wrapped up production of a "high value" V-6, which accounted for about 43 percent of the site's total production volume last year.

By The Associated Press