So I just bought a 54 Series 60 Fleetwood. Was suppose to just need a set of head gaskets. Well to make a long story short I just found out the block is cracked. So my question is. Should I try and find another 331? Put a different caddy motor in it? Throw a SBC 350 in it and just roll with it? I'm just at a loss right now, I really wasn't planning on having to replace the motor, but the guy kinda screwed me. 331 are so expensive to rebuild. If I could find a good running short block and not have to rebuild it, I would be good with that. But they are hard to come by. Part of me just wants to sell the car as is and cut my losses and move on. I have a couple of other cadillacs and I've been wanting a 54. but I wasn't wanting a huge project. So if anyone is interested in a non running 54 with a bad motor let me know. Opinions? Has anyone else swapped the 331 for something else? Matt
Opinion here: find another 331". With an SBC, it's a lot of work putting one in- build motor mounts, tranny mount, exhaust manifolds (or headers) might interfere with the steering box, pan clearance on the stock saddle, shift linkage will need work, stock brake booster (if there is still one in the car) may not work, and you would have to build a new driveshaft. Like I said, a lot of work. The 331" and the 1956 365" engine share most of the same components (mounts, driveshaft, etc.) so if you cannot find a 331", look for a 365" and IF you cannot find a '54 331" look for a 1955 331", I understand those do not have the built-in bellhousing. FWIW, we rebuilt the 331" engine in my brother's '54 Cadillac, cost right at $1700, not that much more than rebuilding an SBC...and he gets 19-21 mpg on the highway at 70 mph...not bad for a 60 year old engine...!!! R-
If you want to keep the original trans. setup you will need a '54 or earlier (late '49-54). There are actually a lot of pre-55 331s out there. There are all basically the same. 55s are hard to find.
Yea I would really like to keep it original with the 331. I was just curious of y'all's opinion. And just curious to see if anyone had done anything different. I have about 7500 in the car. I know I won't get what I have in it since the engine is bad. So with that being said I am open to reasonable offers
Starting in 55 the blocks changed and the 49-54 trans won't bolt up. Part of the bell housing is made on to the block pre 55. So if I went with a 55 motor I would have to use a 55 trans as well. I think I am saying all of that correctly?
There's a 331 in the Knoxville Tn. craigslist with 40,000 miles with 3 speed and extra parts. He sez the motor came out of a hearse.
Nope, you just gotta find the right guy to do it...we pulled it, we put it back in but all the machine work, parts and assembling the engine was done by the right guy...!!! R-
JEEZE! $1,700? I could of had 2 & 1/2 engines done! Take it from me, Cadillac is the way to go. I jumped up from a 53' to a 57' engine and even with all the little things to change over. I KNOW its a more simplistic/better approach then trying to go SBC. Plus, the sound man, the sound. Besides that car is beautiful, Give 'er a good heart.
Yea I wouldn't definitely like to go back as original as possible. I was just weighing my options. It just sucks because I was not planning on the car needing a new engine. I may try and see if I can sell it and just find me another 63. And if I can't sell it then I will get it going.
"Block cracked",.... Depending where the crack is located,..it may be repairable. I'd be checking it out. Happy Roddin' 4TTRUK
I'll be moving to the Boulder area soon, I'll be looking you up. I have a '54 331 sitting in the garage....
It's not repairable. I already looked into it..... The crack runs all the way from the front of the block to almost the back of the block.
When you do, watch for a green w/green flames '54 Cadillac and a Lavendar '55 Cadillac Coop D'Ville, that'll be me and my bro... R-
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