Projects 53' Cadillac engine swap. Out with the old, in with the....old.

***Updates always on last page***

Ok, now that its in full swing might as well lay it out.
Transmission has been taking a crap on me for a while now, engine was fine other then in need of carb work & a fresh oil pump wouldnt hurt.
I planned on doing a engine and trans swap, but was going to hold till the trans died. Then the starter ate its gear up.

Thats it, lets do it.

Mind the straps holding the battery.

I had a 57' 365ci four barrle engine I picked up, well, 2 miles from the ambassador bridge. Also had a 700R4 left over from the 58' chevy i had.

Sounds like a good plan, lets run with it. So the trans got worked over, and has been sitting in the garage for now. The engine for the past 3 weeks has been at my works machine shop. (It was complete when i got it out of Detroit, just dropped it off like this with the heads off)


It was all out of wack, everything needed to be bored/honed, but they got it machined out nicely with little need for anything but parts. So after ordering a few more things and getting it back to put the lump sum of parts back together, more will follow.

This starts my restart of this car, along with the new mill. The engine bays getting re-done, new wire system, fixing the floor, re-doing the previous owners made lines for the hydro seat/windows, kingpins, brakes & possibly seats.

Stay tuned!

 

I'll be watching the mate-up of the 700R-R4 to the 365"...want to see how you accomplish that...

Nothing like putting an old Caddy back on the streets...

R-

 

I'm glad you asked 40Stude, I stumbled on this site by mistake while looking for speed parts for the 331, Bendtsen’s transmission adapters has this nice little kit.



No idea how good it actually is, but if anyone has some imput, i would be glad to hear.

 

Hurry up Tommy!! Sloan car show coming up quick!

 

I've never used that kit but he is local and everyone around here loves his parts and his service is excellent. He did a ford trans for me and was a hell of a guy.

 

If I hurry on this thing, i'd probally drop the engine halfway out and pin myself ACME safe style. Ha.

Good to hear that Bendtsen’s has a few good reveiws. I only want to do this once.

 

With a loud swearing sentance, a stench of rotten trans fluid & a brow of sweat,

ITS OUT!!!!

Now, to clean this all up, paint & fix it, and get it ready for the new engine.
That damn engine & trans fought us every step of the way, had a nice 3 hour window between downpour to snag it out though,

 

Hows the swap going? just Pulled the 331 from my 51 goin to instal a
472

 

Is it running yet, Tommy?

 

I'm just playing the waiting game now. The new engine for it is almost ready to go together, been waiting for the parts to all come in. Just got the pistons yesterday.

Heads are done, blocks almost finished being worked, new guts are almost all shipped in to the shop. transmission adapters ordered.
Should be soon!
While im waiting i've been redoing the kingpins as well, no more swaying for me!

 

Like i said while im waiting for the engine to get finished, ive been cleaning up and fixing other bits of the car.
First up has been the new kingpins. Which after I got half the grease off was able to get out, and after two cans of brake clean, wrecking a brand new wire brush & bashing my head on the wheelwell, i ended up with this.



Im thinking a drop kit from Fatman fab might be in order...

 

Keep it up!

 

good work. cool car man

 

hows it coming along

 

I am being held up by what I'll be calling it from now on,
SUPER GREASE!
The grease all over the engine bay and front end will not come off for anything but a screwdriver and tons of brake clean, but im making progress.
Still waiting for the engine to get finished, parts.
Got the trans adapter in the mail, beautiful.

As soon as more headway is made, more pictures will follow.
Bare with me.

 

After a lot of waiting for parts, and a lot of extra work to be done.
We are getting there, hopefully the parts you see here. (Some are old one's not being used) Will become a fire breathing monster.


Stay tuned!

 

I really dig the early Cad stuff. Keep the wrenches turning!

 

Finally able to snag a picture of the block. Looks a lot better now then it did, it as a greased mess.
.030 over, not too bad.

 

Nice start with such a clean block....clean engine shop, too. They must do nice work, despite all the hours cleaning the place

 

Ha, they do good work indeed, Exellent even. I work for a Knights NAPA auto parts, the other shop does the machine work & the assembly room is fantastic. I'm glad to not have to worry or drive far to deal with it.

 

Gotta love a Caddy in a Caddy...

 

Nothing against the 700r4, but a 65-66 Turbo 400 might work, without an adapter, but come to think of it, the starter would need a place to mount, since the 365 starter mounts to the bell housing.

 

If ya need a hand this wkend....I can round up some Flint dudes.

 

Don't you just love freshly machined engine blocks ? Nice to see a Cad going back in there, and the OD trans will make it a whole different car to drive........for the better.

Bob Bendtsen has always been right with me and I bought his Olds to TH350 adapter. Really nice machine work on it.

Don

 

Willys, I agree with you, the only reason I'm going 700 is the for the O.D. and the fact I won't have to change the rear ratio. I want it low because ill be putting mileage on this new mill.

Pete, I'm down for the count, had to get some foot surgery done. I'm couch surfing. But thanks bud!

Don, your right, when that adapter showed up it was like Christmas. And that block? Ooooooh was it nice to see that first time out. So nice.

 

Lemme know when.

 

I used the same adapter on a 59:
http://www.modifiedcadillac.org/articles/Cadillac_700R4/Cadillac700R4.html

Hope the foot heals soon; keep up the good work.

Gary

 

Man thats great to have access to a nice shop like that. Looks like everything is going your way. My '52 club coupe also has a late 50's cad motor. Do you know what year they started the valve covers in script instead of cursive lettering? The numbers have been ground off but it starts up and acts like its got sense. Probly try and get it on the road next spring. Yours is lookin killer man. Keep it up. . .but i know what you mean gettin it "one piece at a time. . "

 

whats the name of the shop for the machine work.

 

Well I've been stuck in the house recovering from the surgery but I made good use of it, rebuilt the distributor and have been cleaning up the rockers. Soon ill be back in action.

Gary, thank you for the good wishes & that website is awesome, I was tossing around ideas for the trans mount, yours is perfect!

Rust, I might be wrong, but I think 55' was when it switched. Keep at bringing the yacht to the streets!

Buddy, I work for 1 of 3 NAPA's (actually called 'Knights NAPA'), that are owned by a family, the other store is the machine shop, they have everything & can do everything. Very professional & knowledgeable.