Removing a C5 Corvette Engine by Lifting the Body off Is Possible, but Not Easy

There is certainly an easier way to remove a C5 Corvette engine, but it isn’t as entertaining as this one.

There’s generally more than one way to accomplish virtually any task, and in some cases, many, many different ways. However, there’s a reason why we tend to use the same method to do things over and over – it’s usually the easiest and/or least expensive or time consuming way to do it. For example, removing something like, say a C5 Corvette engine is typically done by simply taking it out of the car’s front end. No one in their right mind would try and remove the entire body before the engine, right? Well, not the folks behind the YouTube channel Vice Grip Garage, who recently set out to discover if such a thing is possible.

While it seems a bit silly, there is a good reason why this science project took place – this C5 was stolen and then wrecked, and the new owner picked it up from an insurance auction for pennies on the dollar. He proceeded to get it running and drove it for a while, but the whole purpose of this purchase was to snag the engine that powers the car – its LS1 V8 – and use it in another project. Thus, he finally got around to doing that, but wondered – could he complete this task in a way that no one else does?

Since the car is essentially ruined thanks to the low-life thieves that trashed it, the new owner doesn’t feel bad about having to cut it up, as it was destined to be parted out anyway. Thus, he starts by removing all of the things that he can before the bodywork starts coming off as well. The front end and wiring is the easy part, but this overly complicated process of removing the C5 Corvette engine soon gets serious, mainly because, well, the car wasn’t designed for us to be able to easily disassemble it in this manner.

With a whole heck of a lot of work and many frustrating and humorous moments, our host eventually accomplishes what he set out to do, leaving the body hovering above its drivetrain. Now, the LS1 will be getting a new life when it’s installed in a Monte Carlo stock car tribute build, replacing an old roots-blown 400 cubic-inch small block that currently powers it. It’s a sad day for this C5, but given the fact that it was already past the point of being fixable, at least we can have a little fun with it, no?

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