Hot Rods Let's talk Cadillac 331's, 365 and 390's

That's pretty dang cool.

 

Would you mind sharing what all has been done to this engine? I have a 390 on the stand that I am collecting parts for.

 

OK Root...your fault
Picked up some additional Caddy parts. I had a fresh 331 that I had picked up at a fire sale but I got wind of... and I had to have more cubic inches after following your thread. So additional parts pictured...
It appears that the carburetors have the correct bases...got to look past the air cleaners. It has a DuCoil dizzy.
It's a 61 block with the K on the motor number so it could have been a commercial set up as it has room in the crank for a pilot bearing.
It also came with this....no marking as to maker but fits the back of the engine. No flywheel, I am in the market, I don't know the internal build but it is a zero hour rebuild and came from a racer who is now racing in the afterlife. Now I've got to find the car for the motor...I have a line on a cherry '33, 2 dr
I appreciate your thread and everyone that has participated it has awesome data and resource.

Larry

 

Awesome score.

 

That's a great Score. Yes, 33 Tudors love Cadillac power plants.

 

As I said before my 53 block was bored and a CT stroker crank kit was installed for 400 cubes , the pistons were 12:1 . The rods had the pins pressed in for strength and I sanded side bosses until I had .030 between installed rods , this is only way engine will survive hi-rpms at 6500 and over. I ported and polished heads to the max and installed bigger valves which were modified SBC . I used SBC hi po valve springs and retainers . I.6 Caddy rockers give me .512 lift with Smith adjustable push rods . The cam is a Crane Ultra Hi Rpm Drag Cam . Intake is a 57 Cad tri power with the big secondary carbs which I rejetted . The dist. is a 53 Cad which I set up for hi rpm on my distributor machine , it runs a Petronix which in turn sends signal to my Jacobs computer for very hot spark , runs cold plugs with a .055 " gap. Engine runs a stock flywheel with Scheiffer 11" clutch into a Muncie wide ratio 4 speed int a Olds. 3:42 rear . Cam comes in at 3500 and makes power up in 6500 range . Car will be a little nasty moving out until cam comes in then tires go up in smoke . I took a guy for a ride who runs a BBC Nova for a ride , he couldn't believe the top end power it has . I don't like to run it over 130 mph the front end seems to get light from the air getting under fenders and running boards . Engine runs the best with VP C-12 race fuel but that gets costly . The old guy who taught me how to build it has died long ago and now I'm pushing 80, soon time to slow down !

 

Picked up an early ‘49 motor and a 52’ motor in pieces, with some extra parts over the weekend, haven’t been able to find a lot of info on th early 49’ motors except for the valve covers being different and the “spring loaded cam” Can can the cam be changes out for the later style? Ide love to hop this motor up some . I know they don’t breathe as well as the later ones but still. Might end up using the ‘52 motor and save the ‘50 motor in the background for something else.

 

I have one of the same motors,apparently only made for 12-16 weeks then changed the cam and valve covers only. I’m sure reading about these a while ago on here that you can’t run a later cam, Egge machining or the likes could make one,possibly modify a later one.

 

Not trying to do your job Root...just letting you know I'm paying attention...
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/cadillac-331-oil-lines.1143026/
looks like @42merc is a real good resource to know and helpful to boot

 

Feel free. I try and catch them but occasionally I fall down on the job....
Yep, lots of good Caddy guys out there.

 

Larry, thanks for the good words.
These pics taken by you at the 2019 Hot Rod Hillclimb.


Don is here

 

So how does the Caddy run out on the road? I have the same basic chassis mine will be going into.

 

'40 does well, keeps up with traffic plus. My freeway speeds are 70-75 mph, it has power steering, very good brakes & cruise control. Ride is good, not Cadillac good but as good as my 4wd Silverado.
390 Cad, with 270 Isky, aluminum flywheel, 600 Edelbrock & Pertronix ign.
Late 60's 3 speed Saginaw with OD & an 8" with a 3:40 gear.
I'm happy.

 

I'd like to hear more about it too. I just finished rebuilding a '55 331 for my dad's '40 convertible. Did the battery have to move? Does the column shift linkage clear? How about the factory heater lines around the distributor?

 

I have to source a flywheel and get the pilot bearing figured out. I'll be using a Dodge gear reduction starter. I have a mild cam similar to the Isky 270, ground by Bullet.

 

All of the above, plus.
The battery goes to the trunk. The lower heater pipe must be re-routed. Use 1/2" copper water pipe fittings for this. (inside the cab)
Column linkage - depends - if adapting to original trans, things get close. I ground the protrusion from the exhaust manifold plus a small angle cut on the die cast bracket where the shift tube rotates.
If your're going open drive then move the motor forward 3/8-1/2".
I also cut & moved the oil pan sump rearward 2 1/4" to clear the drag link & tie rod.

There's a bunch of small things to do, nothing major.

 

Yes, Don I was wondering if that was you and I suspected with your avatar and location. Now I have confirmation. One of my favorite cars and you drive it lots. Less is more. Stay healthy....and that goes for the rest of you hoodlums

Larry

 

I still have a pilot bushing for you Chris, Just need to get off my ass and ship it to you

 

No hurry Steve Austin.

 

So, I may have missed this but talking to a buddy just now, learned that there is a "plug" in the end of the crankshafts. If you look, there is a hole in the center of the plug. He pulled the one in his crank with a strong magnet... No machine work required to accept the pilot bushing

 

AUTOMOTIVE STUD
I'd like to hear more about it too. I just finished rebuilding a '55 331 for my dad's '40 convertible. Did the battery have to move? Does the column shift linkage clear? How about the factory heater lines around the distributor?

Hey, aren't we talking Lincoln OD's on the Ford Barn?
This blue car is the one that was flathead powered with the Lincoln over drive.

 

My buddy is doing a 390 Caddy in a '32 frame and a '30 Roadster body. He sent me this as a tease.

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@lumpy 63 just went through this. He tried all kinds of crap. Maybe he will chime in.

 

Lumpy asked me to post this. On this thread he talks about the whole pilot bushing deal. We all were informed by Sutton Speed about the QuickTime bellhousings on clearance. So we bought em up. I should have bought 5. Oh well.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/qucktime-for-390-cad-anyone.1085403/

 

Thank you for sharing!


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Roothawg,
I got my flywheel and pilot bearing from wilcap.
Scott


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Hey Scott I too sourced my flywheel from Wilcap and also bought a pilot bushing which turned out to fit the early engines only and not the 390. I looked all through the Wilcap site and saw no listing for a 390 which is why I ended up making my own. Do you have the part # for the one you purchased?

 

I plan on getting the flywheel there at least.

 

I’ll go check in the garage this afternoon and see if it is packaged with a part number. When you say early engine is that 55 an earlier?
Scott


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Scott the one I got from Wilcap was # PBA 303 It is listed as early CAD OLDS. The OD is 1.093 which is much too small for 390 crank Which is 1.625 I never could get a definitive answer for what year the cut off was, I think the smaller bushing works in 331s not sure on 365s. Look in the back of the 365 you just got and see if it has that funky washer in the back of the crank like the 390s have.