Just a thought but is any particular year the Caddy to have ??? Been thinking about one for a project i got lined up. Steve.
The early Cad was dad's swap of choice. We had 5 different pickups with various Cad motors and a 48 Continental as well. The Continental swap was pretty common since the OEM 12 was pretty lame and prone to early failure. Here's a couple early Dodge PUs with Cadillac motors. The old shot is an Eldo version and the later one was a 429 from a 64 DeVille. Both were quite fast even in stock form.
I believe it's the 1973 500 cid Cadillac long block you want. That is ONLY based on the camshaft specs for that year. ANY 500 will do you good and you can get cam's better than the '73 from any of the aftermarket dealers. The 500 is the same as the 472 except for the stroke of the crankshaft.
Hi All, Ive got a Caddy 331 in my 33 5 Window, just in the process of trying to adapt a Ford SROD to it. Ive got a NOS Schiefer ally flywheel and early Ford clutch. Ive been trying to seach the site for some into on the clutch, I guess I need the centre out of the SROD clutch mating to the early plate?? Also what have people done about the release bearing? (As the Ford clutch uses a very large bearing - Caddy used to have a 39 Toploader behind it) Im using a NOS Offy adapter to Ford tranny. Cheers Oh Here are some pics of my car http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2934313140053378712YnJKNw
Damn I wish I could have found a 331 but I'll have to settle for the 472 in the 55 Chev. Not exactly what I wanted but I'm sure it will do the trick with the M-22 behind it
As far as looks to cubic inch goes the year caddy mills to find is the '59-62 390. They look identical to the earlier 331 (except they don't have the bellhousing as part of the block like the 331), and like they always say, There's no substitution for cubic inches! '59 was the last year of the canister oil filter, so if you really want it to look like a 331 but want the bigger cubes, go for the '59 mill.
I love my Caddy motor, 472 out of a 73. Did you know Cadillacs have the highest nickel content of all the engines out there even the bowties don't measure up. Also you can bore and stroke a 472 to a 518 ci. and that is max tourque and a lot of horsepower to the rear wheels. I put mine into my 50 Buick and it launches that big motha' like you would not believe. It sounds bad to the bone with little glass packs on it through operational lakes pipes. Rags
I have a question for someone knowledgeable about 331 Cads. I put a 500 cube Cad in my '49 Fastback. But I have a four door parts car ('49) that has the original engine. The valve covers on that engine are held on by 2 bolts down through the center like an Oldsmobile. It appears that Cadillac made a change from this design to the four bolt valve covers like an early small block Chevy about halfway through the '49 model year. Does anyone here know why the change and if there were other changes made at the same time? I don't know if this is the right way to ask this question, or if I should have started a new thread. Thanks Alden
What a timely entry (for me anyways) Although my '51 Caddy is powered by a BBC, I just bought a '53 more-door that is was supposedly running quite recently. I haven't tried to start it yet, but it will be set aside for a later hot rod project - I've been jonesing for a little modified style roadster.
Swing low sweet cadillac comming to carry me home............... thanks Ryan cool thread...........................
Thanks for a great thread Ryan. This is my 51 more-door with a 500 (now 506) from a 73 Eldo.Sure scares the little ricers around here. We also have a pair of 331s a 425 & a pair of 500s (1 for the 47 hearse) just waitin' for something to push. Al
Always love the caddy engine threads. Diggin those speed parts fellas. Green with envy here. Here's mine. Need to get some more recent shots.
I've always loved the earlier caddy engines, especially the ones used in the 58 eldorados. I thought those were really neat for some reason
There's been many Olds/Cadillac headers bought at swap meets for flatheads. When the poor guys gottem' home-surprise.
They are completely different engines. The only thing they have in common are cubic inches, and you can put a log manifold from an earlier 390 onto the 63 engine.
When I started building my A roadster in early 2002, I was working on a very limited budget. Once I realized how much it would cost to build and hop up a flathead, that was out the window. The only other early V8 choice for me was Buick, Cad, or Olds. Nailhead was cool, but hard to run trannys behind the early motors. Olds had the starter on the "wrong side". Cadillac 331 was the ticket! They run super cool, built to withstand abuse, and hop up parts are out there in every configuration. An ad in the Recycler led me to an East LA house where a guy was building a bagged Sedan deVille that would run SBC-- (Why? I don't know! Its like people are afraid of any motor but a small block!!) Anyway, after a test drive around the block, I said- I'll take it! The next morning I got the motor and trans for $450 loaded in my truck! Thousands of Miles and tons of car events later, I'm still running it today...
You do have to give the firewall some room to retain your original Model A radiator position on the front crossmember, but it can be done-- I think the stock hood length looks best, IMO.
there is nothing better than a Cadillac 331, like the one in my 33 five window. They have nostalgia, history, power, available speed parts, fit most engine compartments, and look great dressed up.
The Jalopy Journal
