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Projects Blown 500 Cadillac

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by OldSkoolIronJunkie, Aug 18, 2011.

  1. OldSkoolIronJunkie
    Joined: Mar 11, 2010
    Posts: 40

    OldSkoolIronJunkie
    Member

    I have a 1972 Cadillac Eldorado with the (8.3L sorry it is in metric but that is the number I can remember of the car.) That I am transplanting in to a 1950 Chevy 2-door sedan. I am not familiar with these motors as most guys by me all run Chevy's and a few Fords and Mopars. I was wandering if any one on here has bolted a roots style supercharger to one and how it ran for them. I have used the search on here a few times, but never found a blown motor thread. I was also wandering what these motors are like in stock form, as to the power and fuel mileage etc. Is this the 500, 503 or 505, and how do I tell.
    Any information would be great, thanks in advanced.
     
  2. WDobos
    Joined: Jan 7, 2007
    Posts: 234

    WDobos
    Member

    check with cmd or max torque for one of their manuals and you'll get all your questions answered
     
  3. Sprout
    Joined: Mar 26, 2001
    Posts: 799

    Sprout
    Member

    More then likely its a its either the 472 or 500, they didnt make the others. Bore and stroke are about the only diff. between them. MTS is your best bet, they sell everything you need.
     
  4. OldSkoolIronJunkie
    Joined: Mar 11, 2010
    Posts: 40

    OldSkoolIronJunkie
    Member

    Hey Thanks Fellas, I really appreciate it. I will check it out, a "friend of a friend" called it a 503 and another called it a 505 so that is what confused me.
     

  5. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

  6. sheltonfab
    Joined: Jul 18, 2011
    Posts: 52

    sheltonfab
    Member
    from Mo

    Great engines and with the right gear and power to weight ratio I have seen 20+ mpg. Hella lot of torque in stock form!!!
     
  7. v8 garage
    Joined: May 18, 2006
    Posts: 276

    v8 garage
    Member

    If it is the original '72 Eldorado engine it is a 500.
    V/8
     
  8. 8.2 litre. The 472's came in ONLY rear wheel drive Cads except for 75/76 which got 500's. The 500's were only in Eldorado front wheel drives except for the first year (67?). Both the 472, and 500 were no longer used from 77 on. About the only external differences are oil pan and engine mount (on some), and these parts are easily swapped, so the only way to tell the difference is to measure the stroke or to get the casting numbers from the crank. (both engines use the same bore). To put a supercharger on one, I believe you need to use an intake for a 429/460 Ford as to my knowledge there are no manufacturers of a manifold to supercharge one. They are great torque monsters (have one in my OT 64 Buick special 2dr sedan). Fuel mileage, I've heard is about 18-20 in a big Cad eldorado, same mileage pulling a 25 ft heavy trailer. Mine doesn't tend to get great mileage because I have to much fun feeling the torque, and can't keep my foot out of it.
     
  9. JeffB2
    Joined: Dec 18, 2006
    Posts: 9,503

    JeffB2
    Member
    from Phoenix,AZ

  10. 40StudeDude
    Joined: Sep 19, 2002
    Posts: 9,540

    40StudeDude
    Member

    Check with MadCad here on the HAMB (real name Tim)...he's at Bonneville right now, running a Model A with a blown 500" in it...he owns a couple of records out there with his car so he knows how to make a blown Caddy run...

    R-
     
  11. Gimpapotamus
    Joined: Aug 11, 2010
    Posts: 95

    Gimpapotamus
    Member

  12. CutawayAl
    Joined: Aug 3, 2009
    Posts: 2,144

    CutawayAl
    Member
    from MI

    Anytime I post something about the limitations of the 472/500 Cadillac engine someone doesn't want to believe it, but I'll do it anyway. These engiunes were fine in stock form, and they can tolerate some power increase without problems. With sufficient modification they can tolerate a little more power increase. In spite of what you can get away with running a few minutes or seconds in a drag or Boneville car, the engine won't tolerate sustained high power or RPMs without a LOT of upgrading. So, if you put a blower on the engine, either don't run a lot of boost, or don't plan on leaning on it hard too often.
     
  13. theHIGHLANDER
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 10,264

    theHIGHLANDER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Even at 5-6lbs boost it'll scare the snot outta yer nose in 1st and 2nd gear!!
     
  14. 1949 caddyman
    Joined: Jun 30, 2010
    Posts: 225

    1949 caddyman
    Member
    from arizona

    I have a .060 over 500 = 512 with throttle body fuel injection from chev 454. Will get 20 mpg at 55mph. On a 2 week trip it averaged 18 mpg on the 3500 mile trip. This is in a 1949 Cadillac Coupe Deville. Motor is all stock inside, lots of torque.
     
  15. carcrazyjohn
    Joined: Apr 16, 2008
    Posts: 4,842

    carcrazyjohn
    Member
    from trevose pa

    Caddy's are light ,Wise choice and tons of torque..............
     
  16. jipp
    Joined: Jun 20, 2011
    Posts: 1,112

    jipp
    Member

    i have a caddy 500, but i was always told its a 502.. not sure what year it is would have to ask my dad.. thinking 70? i just remember the white caddy we took it out of was one fine ride.. little big but road like butter.
    chris.
     
  17. OldSkoolIronJunkie
    Joined: Mar 11, 2010
    Posts: 40

    OldSkoolIronJunkie
    Member

    Ok this is the front wheel drive Eldorado, it is in the car in stock form, I was mostly confused on how to refer to it. I thought I was a 500, but had three people tell me three different cubic inches on the motor. Thank you for clearing that up. As for the blower, it is an idea I am toying with... I am gonna stick it into my '50 in stock form and go from there. If that isnt enough I am probably going with the Potter setup, after that well who knows. You all know a hot rod is never done. Thank you all for the info and advice I really appreciate it. You are all to kind.
     
  18. OldSkoolIronJunkie
    Joined: Mar 11, 2010
    Posts: 40

    OldSkoolIronJunkie
    Member

    Perfect that is what I want, cause if it scares me, the poor kid in his stock V-tec should fear for his life. At least that is the goal. Not that I condone street racing. Its just sometimes you need to remind young wipper snappers like my self what real power is.
     
  19. flyin-t
    Joined: Dec 29, 2004
    Posts: 1,423

    flyin-t
    Member

    I was checking out the cad company's web site and saw their single engine, 472 powered liner is the worlds fastest gasoline powered car. 415 mph.
     
  20. Motochris
    Joined: Aug 13, 2007
    Posts: 128

    Motochris
    Member

    This shows the various HP output per year.... but does anyone know what the changes are that dropped the power so much from 70 (400hp) to 72 (235hp) and even less in 75 (190hp)?
    I know they dropped compression in 71 from 10-1 to 8.5-1 for a 35hp loss, but then what changes were made from 72 and on?
     
  21. Kiwi 4d
    Joined: Sep 16, 2006
    Posts: 3,582

    Kiwi 4d
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    In a 50 chev you will get good mileage, we go on runs with buddy's and they have a 500 in 50 caddy coupe and we get the same mileage with our single carb Y block in a 49ford as they do in the caddy as the caddy only lopes along. They have just rebuilt the caddy to mild stock , now it's running on 8 and tuned it really gives them a buzz it's a pure torque monster though almost stock.
     
  22. 73RR
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 7,205

    73RR
    Member

    Seems that most folks have forgotten about the changes in the way engine HP and TQ were reported, starting with the 1972 model year.
    Yes, almost all 1972 engines had reduced compression (due to a thousand reasons, mostly government decree...) but this alone would not account for the 'new' numbers. The manufacturers had to start playing a numbers game to satisfy the insurance industry and the government czars. As years passed, the numbers dropped even more due to the wacky emission equipment on some makes.

    If you need a sleeping aid you can find hundreds of magazine articles for the period all talking about the issue.

    .
     
  23. Motochris
    Joined: Aug 13, 2007
    Posts: 128

    Motochris
    Member

    I figured part of the changes were due to the government stuff. I'm just wondering if anyone knows if there were more changes beyond that.
    I just picked up a 73 elcamino with a 72 caddy 500 in it.
    It was an original 454 car, so it has the turbo 400 and good rearend too. I plan to swap the drivetrain into my 57 GMC pickup.
    Should be fun. It's a tire roaster in the elcamino. :)
     
  24. langy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2006
    Posts: 5,730

    langy
    Member Emeritus


    There are a few blower intakes for the 500, MTS do a low profile intake, got one on my 500 in my willys
     
  25. mohr hp
    Joined: Nov 18, 2009
    Posts: 941

    mohr hp
    Member
    from Georgia

    Back when he was alive, I talked to Larry Krusik, of Cadillac Motorsports Development, about building a blown 500. There were no manifolds at that time. He cautioned me on the pitfalls of boosting/racing these engines. They are great stock/mildly modded, but if you throw much power adder at them, they fail. Oil systems/ valvetrain/ pistons-con rods all need upgrades, which by adding to the build, negate the low cost buy in of these things. So go stock and enjoy or spend $8,000-$15,000 to build one to take the boost AND live in a performance/ race environ. Half ass it like I did with the 454 I built, and it will not hold up.
     
  26. Motochris
    Joined: Aug 13, 2007
    Posts: 128

    Motochris
    Member

    I figured on following Potters main suggestions. Intake, Comp cam, new springs and rockers plus some mild head work and call it good.
     
  27. TOMMAY
    Joined: Nov 11, 2005
    Posts: 88

    TOMMAY
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from MOBILE,AL

  28. langy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2006
    Posts: 5,730

    langy
    Member Emeritus

    Things have moved on a bit these days, there is a guy Terry running a 26T on the cadillac forum with a 512 Cad, still has stock pistons & rods running consistant low 10's and the motor has had a lot of runs. Spec below


    [​IMG]


    '26 Model T coupe drag car
    2480# with driver
    4-link rear,9" Ford
    3.50 gear
    3000 stall 10" converter
    TH400 short tail w/manual valve body and HD sprag
    29.5/10.5 slicks

    504" Cadillac
    500 block .020 overbore with stock replacement cast pistons (flat top w/small dish and .100 valve reliefs cut).005 in the hole
    Ported 76cc heads with 2.19/1.88 valves
    Custom stud mounts with Crower 1.7 rockers
    Custom 10.200" length pushrods
    263 @ .050,.550 lift,112 lobe sep single pattern solid cam installed 5 deg advanced
    11:1 compression ratio
    Edelbrock 2115 intake lightly deburred and smoothed
    Stock crank polished std/std
    Stock Caddy rods resized w/ARP bolts
    Stock aluminum oil pump w/ passages smoothed and radiused
    MSD distributor,Digital 6+ box,Blaster SS coil
    850 Holley DP
    Eldorado oil pan
    Corteco Head gaskets
    Cloyes timing set

    Makes somewhere around 550 HP
    Best 1/4 mile time 10.12 at 132 mph
    Best 1/8 mile time 6.43 at 107 mph
    60' - 1.455 sec.
     
  29. I has a 500 in my '31 Model A, ran great, mine was disguised a little to look older by the valve covers and the induction, I also ran a early dizzy with a Pertonix.

    [​IMG]
     
  30. mohr hp
    Joined: Nov 18, 2009
    Posts: 941

    mohr hp
    Member
    from Georgia

    Langy

    Like I said, they are great stock or mildly modded, as this coupe shows. It's all about the rpm. if you rev them up, they have issues, and a blower or nitrous tends to ramp up engine speed very quickly.
     

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