I'd go with the 472 because I don't like 6 cylinders. I could give you a ton of arguements as to why it is better but I just don't like 6 cylinders is probably good enough.
I'm a huge fan of inline 6s and the car would certainly be cool with a mildly built inline 6, but it would be both cool and nasty with the 472 Caddy engine. If I had both available and had the wherewithal to match the rest of the drive train, brakes and suspension and such to the bigger and more powerful engine I'd go with the Caddy for sure. Unless, that is, the car is your daily driver and you need to buy the fuel to drive it. That 472 will likely guzzle fuel at a frightful pace. Given where fuel prices seem to be headed that has to be taken into consideration.
given those 2 choices I'd go with the six. not a big fan of the huge Caddy motors in anything other than a Caddy, or maybe a truck of some sort that could use the torque. sadly, I am not one of the HAMB cool kids who hate SBC's and think they are boring. there is no better motor for these cars than that.
Ive heard rebuilds on the 472 can be pretty high, you might want to check into the cost of machine work etc.. for both before you decide, That way you are getting an honest comparison. If price is no object run the caddy motor, they got alot of torque and plenty o power for your chevy, and I just happen to have one complete from carb to pan with a trans for a caddy project I was thinkin about. EDIT ^^ I agree w/49 If you dont mind the naysayers SBC is probably cheaper and more efficient than both!
Caddy and an overdrive.....had a 455 Buick/TH400 in a 50 Chevy,easy installation and it worked great, got around 15-17 MPG without trying..
For me, it wold depend on what motor is in the car now, or what I had on hand, or what it might cost for time and money to swap in. You say inline 6 - do you mean the 216-235-261 generation, the 194-230-250-292 generation, or do you mean the cammer fuelie six in late-model GM SUV's? Or maybe not even a GM six? I'm a big fan of the 194+ family, running a mild 292 in my 63 Biscayne - and even with the stock 3-speed and steep gearing, I'll get 20MPG on the highway at a steady 65. So...there's my personal bias...but this isn't about me... ;-)
if your not worried about gas.........go with the caddy. Why not try to find a 500 though just to say that you have one? I dont think the caddy would be that god aweful on gas unless your driving like a kid and its geared steep. I got 15 MPG on three different trips out of an FE that people swore drank gas. And that was in a truck with 3.25 gears.
I have been looking for a 500 but I ran across a deal for the 472. 70 was the last year before the hp dropped. I think it was rated at 375
if the choice is; '51 216 with 3 speed on the tree or the caddy i pick the caddy. if it's any later six, i pick the six.
A bone stock 472 will push that car around like a Stage-I booster... Of course an upgrade to a better rear axle and a disc brake package will be in order. .
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