Calling Cadophiles, Let's Build A Killer Cadillac Mill...

Hey Terd thanks for a great Cadillac thread ! I've been lurken since it started.
60'

 

Leonard, I already have the axle. I got it secondhand from a fellow hamb'er. Trying to find time to install it between selling a bunch of stuff to buy that engine. Plus my buddy is out of gas for his torch. *Maybe* next Wednesday we'll get it in the truck.

Apples to apples, you're absolutely right. Rare is as rare does, lol. And rare is expensive. But...I've always heard...you've gotta spend money to make money.

 

You're welcome! I love Cadillacs! All of 'em!

 

believe me it was a long road deciding to go with the AT, and I still waffle about it. my avatar has a 4 speed and I'm fundamentally a three pedal guy.

the truck is a chopped channeled 34 ford that, when last on the road, was about 38 inches from floorboard to roof (not headliner--roof). I'm 6 feet and 275, fat feet arent the issue, fat ME is.
I'm just not sure I can work the pedal in that space--it was an easier feet when I was 16.

 

I hear you falcon. I've almost always had a manual. This will be my first auto in years. Well, I take that back. My '63 pickup had a slip'n'slide. The hydro I'll use is freshly rebuilt and the price is right (thanks JJ!!). Its just the easiest thing to do for now and I hear they're plenty stout. Makes sense since they were put behind the 390 from t he factory, lol. Hopefully the rad cad under the hood will make up for the auto hydro under the floor!!

 

Great thread for sure.

 

Hahaha! I was born in Smithfield. Know any Jones'es? Good barbecue back east. Wish we had good Brunswick Stew out this way!!!!

 

Good to see you still hammerin on the old truck.My son still talks about burning his leg on the exhaust of the belair the day we traded.I miss that truck.Keep it going.

 

Thanks Ed! My dad is digging it as much as me! He had a '57 way back when.

 

Cool pic terd, so will we see you at breakfast on sat or are you going to get the engine,think my problem is solved puy the stats back in last night got it running temp got up 180 sat there there and ran fine for about 25 min,hope to see you sat.box50

 

very cool. looking forward to seeing the stance after it's installed.
keep up the great work man..

leonard

 

just a small thing but the 365 started in 56. I have 2 55 331's one has 120,000 original miles and the one in my 54 GMC only has 83,000. got the truck for $340. with the 331 running and driving. it had 58 eldo tri-power and a crager adapter to the truck granny geared 4 speed, I also have a later chev 3 speed overdrive that I might run if I can up with a free 9 inch third member with the right ratio, the one in the truck is 3.0 which is Bonneville gears with the overdrive lol

 

I knew a few around Kenly. And I know a few around here as well. Wilson and Goldsboro have some great BBQ joints. And I love Brunswick stew too. LOL

 

didn't know we had so many caddy guys in NC, specially 390 fans. I just wanna get my 390 to run right and stop smoking, and my trans to work as it's supposed to / although a nice 700R or 5 or 6 speed auto or manual would be sweet too.

So, what engine shops are yall using, trans shops, etc etc etc... or if you do this all yourself, where are ya located, and would you teach me?

I've swapped the motor in my 60 sedan twice, dropped the trans twice, and I know this car fairly well. I just can't seem to get my motor to last, and now that the trans has gone out, I need pointers on getting it right again, or swapping to something else that's cheap/easy/ and reliable.

Peace
Chris

p.s. As for the BBQ joints... yall tried Johnson's Big Oak in Wilmington?

 

Hey terd , The 2x2 intake by offy through somo is 359 bucks plus shipping and the complete unit as shown in HRD is 1500 bucks and change plus shipping. I checked on it for the 331 in my a coupe.

 

Thanks Tommy! That's pretty reasonable. Although my cad plans are on hold for now.

 

Hell yeah! A Caddy engine will be going in my 55' also. I'll keep track of this closely. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

 

DOn't you dare put those plans on hold. Well at least modify them with including a Nailhead and Olds in the mix as well. Don't worry, a V8 is going in that damn truck so help me god!

 

Hi !
Does anybody out ther know what it takes to "upgrade" a 1949 331 to match the horsepower of a 1955 365 ?
A friend bought my 48 cadillac convertible with an overhauled 331 of 49 vintage and wants some more power.He also wants to use as much of the overhauled engine as possible
I understand we need some more compression. a hotter camshaft and some kind of better intake.
Do we need to change to 55 or even newer cylinder heads ? He got NOS 49 cylinder heads with the engine . can we keep the original crank and rods and just change the pistons to get higher compression ?
We live in Norway and has not got any people with knowledge of these engines here. So any help and opinion is welcome

 

Funny this thread came back up. I finally got hold of a '58 365 this past weekend. Its a very fresh rebuild. Because of that, mods wil be limited to intake/carb, exhaust and ignition. Well, besides dress up stuff, lolz.

So with that said, let's discuss the best options for an otherwise stock engine with regards to the above.

 

I saw that thread. I'm headed to pick up a 390 this weekend.

can't go wrong with petronix for the price. and lakeheaders.com has a hit--but don't think that'd work in the truck. you can still do a cam and lifters with relatively little effort.

wish mine had been a fresh build, but it's running.

 

Hi Cadillac,

I am about to start resto of a '49 Club Coupe - has the original 331 which I am looking to squeze some extra power from without going too crazy - My car is very original so I would like to keep it close to that - not do anything that cant be reversed. So I am looking at 365 heads, triple carbs and a few other tweaks.

I asked a lot of questions about this when I joined the HAMB and am happy to share the info. PM me and I will send you what the brainiac's here told me They know so much!!

 

Its already converted to pertronix, lol. Its so fresh, I don't really want to go inside. I think I'd rather spend my efforts outside for shiny bits.

My buddy and fellow club member bought that 331 I was telling you about a while back and is building it for his '49 Merc.

 

Check my pics and profile........I've been headed down the Hot Rod Daddy road for 2 years +, and it' s a long haul!!

 

Careful on that '49, if one of your tweaks is a cam... early '49 had a different cam than the rest of the line...spring loaded. You have to defer to the braniacs if a later cam can be adapted.

 

Ya know I do cast these myself....

 

We did all the machine work for the Ray Zeller built 331 that i believe is going in the So-Cal Speed shop roadster for a certain three piece rock band member. JE flat tops,Smith Bros. pushrods, (i was the shop foreman for four yrs. when Doug Smith was alive). changed the C.D. and wrist pin size, offset the wrist pin bushings on our Tobin-Arp pin bore machine for .000 deck for req. comp ratio and better quench. custom cam, cylinder head mods etc.
We are working on another 331 for a 1950's vintage allard xj which Lime Works is restoring. those guys are amazing! this one's going to be kool. JE domed pistons, magurk adj rockers, 6 97's the list goes on.

If i can help with any questions let me know.

Chris

 

Thanks for the heads up r8odecay, I will keep an eye out. With that tip I think you qualify for the brainiac badge!

 

Ray zeller knows how to build one mean motor. He builds the big block chevys in our racecar and they haul ass and last forever.

Got any pics of that 331??

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This is a beautiful piece!!! I love it!!