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Ford Shutting Down Cleveland Engine Plant No. 2

Ford recently announced that it's closing Cleveland Engine Plant No. 2 for good. Ford opened Plant No. 2 in 1955 to produce engines for the Thunderbird.

Cleveland Plant No. 2  produced the 5.0L V8 and then was retooled to produce the Duratec V6. However, the its claim to fame comes from producing the "Cleveland" 351 V8 from 1969-1972.

The 250 workers from No. 2 will transfer to the nearby Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1, which is adding a third production shift to produce 3.5L EcoBoost and 3.7L V6 engines.

Ford had two versions of its 351 cid V8, one made in Brook Park (Cleveland) and the other in Windsor, Canada. The company designed the Windsor to power trucks and the Cleveland to shine in drag races.

Engine Plant 2 built the venerable V8s until 1994 when it began making Ford's Duratec V6 line. Those engines went into vehicles such as the Ford Fusion and Escape. But Ford hasn't been selling as many vehicles with 3.0L engine since the introduction of the EcoBoost.

The last engine from Plant No. 2 will go to one of the last 2012 Fusions. Ford plans to launch a new version of that car this summer that uses different engines. While Ford hasn't made the Cleveland engine in 40 years, the engine remains an icon in the eyes of many automotive enthusiasts.

Source: Cleveland.com