Technical Cadillac Flathead Chronicles - Tell Us How You Are Doing.

Thanks Russ! Still trying to figure it all out! I guess flat cads don't fit under traditional customs so it was deleted, only Fords I guess? Still rounding up enough parts to get it running. It is looking good so far, if it runs well I will set it aside and start collecting more parts for a hotrod of some sorts. I need to finish my 56 GMC before I get too carried away! (That sounds kinda like my wife talking) I would hate to run out of projects......keep ya posted!

 

Thanks Ron, you can post here any time like as you are amongst friends and like minded flathead Cadillac nuts.

 

http://www.ipsco.org/Custom%20Services/Remote%20thermostat%20housing%20132.htm

 

This is what I was thinking for a inlet thermostat, it would go between the bottom of the radiator and the water pump inlet with the bypass port and temp bulb on the water pump side. You would then run a bypass hose to the left side cylinder head so when the t-stat is closed and below temp the pump would be circulating coolant thru the entire engine keeping it a constant temp. when the thermostat is open it would pull coolant from the radiator and push the hot coolant out of the water outlets and to the top of the radiator. Any thoughts?

 

Wow Ron, I can see you are going to be a valuable source of Cadillac flathead ideas as time goes on.
Thanks for the thermostat ideas and product link.

 

Hey Gang - not trying to 'hijack' this post in a terrible fashion . . . just soliciting some support for the FlatCad Bonneville car - so excuse us in advance . . .

The FlatCad crew is looking for some good ole' fashioned HAMB support!

We'd sure like you to register and vote for the FlatCad coupe in the Champion Spark Plugs 'Search for a Champion' contest that starts tomorrow. Lets be honest, we could use the money to help us be the first flathead powered competition coupe to go over 200 at Bonneville.

Our Entry: - you can vote once a day, so do

Dates: January 6th - February 2 . . . if we make it to a Top 15 finalist, we'll be begging for more support.

http://alwaysachampion.com/search-for-a-champion/entry/1568064#.Usltv_RDtuJ

Voting Registration: - Yes, you have to register, not a big deal . . . its the 'rules'

https://alwaysachampion.com/search-for-a-champion/register/voter

Thanks from the FlatCad Crew and all hotrodders who are 'Flat' . . . especially Flathead Cadillac hotrodders!


Lastly, if anybody has questions or needs help with Cadillac Flathead related performance ideas, feel free to contact any of us in the FlatCad crew. We've benefited from the help, support and imagineernig of the whole HAMB community, so we're always willing to 'Play it Forward'.

B&S

 

Glad to know about it.
Lets see what we can do to help out.

 

I voted twice already and put a link on my Facebook page. BTW all you can vote once a day!

 

Once again, I'd like to thank everybody that has been helping us!

We are still in the 23rd spot. Now I know, if we can get just another small percentage of the HAMB to jump on board, we could own this thing.

Please copy this post and post it on your own threads, facebook, heck-send it to friends in an email!

The FlatCad crew is looking for some good ole' fashioned HAMB support!



We'd sure like you to register and vote for the FlatCad coupe in the Champion Spark Plugs 'Search for a Champion' contest that starts tomorrow. Lets be honest, we could use the money to help us be the first flathead powered competition coupe to go over 200 at Bonneville. The world needs more things 'flat' that breathe fire, make noise, haul ass and excite the masses - and we plan on delivering just that!

Our Entry: - you can vote once a day, so do

Dates: January 6th - February 2 . . . if we make it to a Top 15 finalist, we'll be begging for more support.

http://alwaysachampion.com/search-fo...4#.Usltv_RDtuJ

Voting Registration: - Yes, you have to register, not a big deal . . . its the 'rules'

https://alwaysachampion.com/search-f...register/voter

Purpose: We'd like to show Champion and the entire racing community that a traditional, totally bad-ass engine stuffed in what once was Dad's old 'grocery getter' coupe, built buy a talented team of average guys . . . who all came together on the HAMB - is exactly what they should care about and WANT to sponsor. Why the hell not?



Thanks again, friends!

 

I REALLY appreciate all of the help and support we are getting! A week into the contest, and we are running 25th, so we have some work to do still.

One more time I must ask you to share the link with all your friends, and encourage them to participate. I know we can do this, but it won't be easy!

Thanks again!

 

Hey Buddy, I've been voting hard everyday! So where are we at now? or do we need to get some more friend support?...Ron

 

Hey Wayne, I got some dodgey scales (spring with a hook setup) and weighed both the aluminum timing cover and the cast iron stocker.
My reading came in as follows;

Aluminum 2.5 kgs or 5.5 lbs

Cast 4.5 kgs or 9.90 lbs

I guess even if the readings are not quite correct the difference in weigh between the pair of covers should close.
In this case the weight saving will be approx 2 kgs or 4.4 lbs.
In reality with the aluminum cover there are obviously other savings as the overall length of engine can be shortend by at least 1 inch plus the old pulleys and belts are designed out of the equation and also the stock fan and fuel pump are also gone.

 

Took my aluminum cover to the post office to confirm weight and low and behold it came in at $2.5 kgs.
So my scales aren't all that dodgey after all...

 

IT"S ALIVE!

Well I got my starter the other day, cleaned it up and got it working. Filled the engine with water and oil, hooked up some gas and cranked it over. It fired up after some cranking and then quit. Checked on the fuel delivery and cleaned and adjusted the points. Fired it up again, set the timing and she ran smooth like a Cadillac!

 

Congrats Ron, great news.
Can't wait until mine is running.
Must be a good feeling...

 

Thanks Russ it do feel good! Now to find a ride for it. Found so far a 40 Chevy sedan roller and a 51 Hornet that some kids busted the windows out of years ago, it's free but needs too much work. I got a lead on a model A that I need to check out.

 

Yeah, model A or T body should be just right.
Such a light vehicle with a 150 horses of smooth Cadillac power and torque you just can not go wrong...
Keep us posted.

 

btt Last day to vote!

 

Yes, been doing it twice daily, boy if everybody listsed as HAMB members voted only once I am sure the numbers would be huge...

Last chance to help out.

 

Can anyone tell me what head bolts I need for Cyclone aluminum heads on a 322 LaSalle engine? I don't have the engine here and I need to order and send the new head bolts out to the shop installing the heads.

 

Unless somebody has a set of those heads, would be next to impossible. Are you looking for bolts or studs? I would measure the hole depths in the heads and figure it out.

One word of caution - be very careful in the length/depth of the coarse threaded portion that goes into the block. The studs we used on the FlatCad were about 1/16 too long - didn't notice it. While at the salt flats we were changing the heads and tightened the studs down, one hit some block material and cracked the top of an exhaust port. Just wanted you to know this before you ordered studs/bolts and torqued things down.

Take care,

B&S

 

Probably studs. What would you torque the heads to for a naturally aspirated engine?

 

With the assumption that these are heat treated aluminum heads, then I'd go to 50 - 55 lbs and I'd make sure I had high quality thick hardened washers between the nuts and the head surface. If it was me, I'd go with ARP hardware - will maintain torque over time.

You'll need to heat cycle and re-torque the heads at least 3 times to get them to hold the torque settings. Also, I'd use the white liquid Teflon thread sealer for the block threads - as this is a 'wet deck' engine.

Good luck,

B&S

 

So over the winter I tore old smokey down for a ring and bearing job,,,,a quickie. I installed new STD bore rings and STD conn rod bearings. All of the journals on the crank looked pretty damn good for an old engine. Im getting ready to bolt the heads on and realized the headers i made last year will no longer due to the increased thickness and the tall fins.

Im in the process of flushing the block and making the new headers....well once I get some new header flanges..

Pete-

 

Thanks to Russ I now know both my 346 flathead and the hydra-matic are out of a 1942 series 61 Caddy! So I guess only the cylinder heads are military or industrial, that's OK with me as I like the looks of the "Cadillac Motor" logo on them. Still collecting parts and pieces, so some day it will be a hotrod of some sorts.

Ron

 

Pete, Glad to hear that everything is still standard, that's amazing! What are you going to do with the other set of headers you made?

 

Hope I’m not going over old ground but.. Any tips out there as to pistons.. whether anyone has utilised a piston other than the standard Caddy version that is available in the various rebuild kits, or modified a blank ?
Seems that there are quite a few sellers but the caveat “ Not suitable for racing or engines with Aftermarket Multi-Carburetion” raises a doubt re some suppliers, particularly the latter given that most here seem to be running duals , even blowers.<O
Would also be appreciative if anyone has any experience etc of what the wall thickness on the Caddy is like, how far can they be bored with reasonable safety. I’ve read of an 1/8<SUP>th</SUP> though I guess I won’t know till I’ve had the blocks tested. Thanks<O

 

Hi Wayne!

Unless you have a 322 block, there is no way that you can bore one 1/8 over. On most 346's. .060" will probably be about the max you will want to go.

On our race engine, we bored a 346 .052 over stock. The thinnest part of our cylinder wall is now .120" thick.

The stock pistons will probably work with up to about 5 lbs boost, but not much more. The stock lifter springs start to float at about 4lbs boost.

We had our pistons made at Venolia.

 

Thanks Buddy.. Appreciate the advice. I'll look at upgraded springs and will follow up on the Venolia lead , not that I plan greater boost, just engine longevity. Regards

 

anyone know what model of McCulloch Supercharger would be compatible with a flathead caddy engine?