Cutaway engines have been a staple of the auto industry for over a century, going back at least as far as the 1904 New York Auto Show at Madison Square Garden, where Decauville displayed the inner working of their engine. The process would have taken ages, especially with the era’s cutting tools, but when you had perhaps the finest engine in the world to display, it was worth it.

Engines evolved tremendously in the next decade, to say nothing of the next 65 years, but when Chevrolet wanted to show what made the new 350-cubic inch Turbo-Fire V-8 engines special, they had to do it pretty much as it was done in 1904: laboriously, by hand.

While a dealership might create a cutaway for display back in the pre-war days, one like the example offered here would have been built by the manufacturer. It features a heavy-duty clutch and complete Muncie four-speed—including Hurst shifter—with cutouts for the bellhousing, gears, and rear section. The engine itself displays its intake and exhaust passages, valvetrain, distributor, and oil pan under clear covers.

Unlike working special engines, General Motors often donated cutaway engines for educational purposes; keeping with that spirit, this example has been displayed by the consignor, complete with a period-style stand and enclosure. It is just as arresting (and educational) now as in the 1970s and would be suitable for display with any collection, whether inside a home or office or as a showpiece at a dealership.