I am planning on fitting a 429 Cad with Tremec 5 sp in my 1940 Ford Coupe. Still with dropped axle and split wishbones. Any advice, help would be most appreciated ????
I read somewhere that later Cadillac engines are not machined for pilot bearings since they all ran automatics. No first hand experience however.
There are adaptors for the earlier version or 1st gen OHV engines. Someone else here would have to chime in on if those can be used for the 2nd gen caddy engine. The 64-67 engines are kinda hard to mess with aftermarket wise. https://cad500parts.com/product/ds31201/ This would mount a gm bell housing to it. Still have to figure out the flywheel and starter and pilot bushing issue. I traded my 64 caddy engine e away for 472/500 parts. One of the bosses here has a 40 with the earlier caddy 390.
I am no help on this, My 40 has a 49 331 with an adapter to the stock trans and hurst mounts that sit on the stock ford mounts.....
My '35 Pick-up has a Nailhead/ST400/Ford 9" drive train........it also has a Saginaw power steering box to help handle all that weight on the front end.....lots better than "armstrong PS" for a street machine. Something you might want to consider.
https://www.hellsgatehotrods.com/shop/cadillac-331-429-intake-flange/ Intake flanges if ya want to make a custom intake they should ha e exhaust flanges as well if ya want to build custom headers.
Do you have a picture of your valve covers. They had two different versions of the early Cads, then the "later model" that came out in 68/69 had its version as well.
Where are you going to get a flywheel? No place for a pilot bushing. They were automatic only engines.
Thanks to all for you replies. I have sorted all the parts reqd to adapt the T5 to the 429 Cad. Really wanted to know if it could be done without cutting the firewall. Appreciate the photos showing the 331 in the 40 coupe and it appears like the firewall is stock. Was wondering if anyone still does engine mounts or have to fabricate. Will be running an original rebuilt 40 steering box.
there was zero cutting on my car, but it probably is not the same as what you are doing. Mine has the stock trans and torque tube rear. The hurst mounts go right to the ford frame mounts. stock cad exhaust manifolds, 40 steering box, mechanical water pump fan with the rad in the stock location. everything fits with no cutting or welding. I don't know much about the 429. Is it dimensionally the same as a 390?
I understand the 429 is dimensionally very similar if not the same as the 331-390. That is why I chose the 429, looks traditional and is not a SBC.
A really cool engine, I'm not sure a T5 will stand up to the torque of a 427 for very long. I'm running a T400 to a 3.55 rear with 235/85x16 tyres. It lights up easily. It's fairly easy to make an inlet manifold, I was originally running 6 2GV's on a manifold I made, looked cool but this time around I am putting the original manifold and AFB on. More practical and a lot cheaper to run. Gas is $3NZD per litre at present here.
The 429 shares the same exhaust manifold pattern, but that's about it. The distributor was moved from the rear to the front in 63. I think the bellhousing is the same from 55-63, but in 64 it changed. The crank will have to be drilled for a pilot bearing as mentioned above. I agree with the T5 sentiments. These things make gobs of torque. If you are gonna just cruise it, then no worries, but if you are like me.....better look at something heavier.
so then it would seem that the 429 shares more with the 500 cube caddy than it does with the 390? how about a picture of your engine???
My engine is still on the water!!! Hopefully should be here in about 6-8 weeks, will share info then. As I understand whilst the 63 390 and 64-67 429 share very little with the 331-390 they are dimensionally similar, just the last iteration. The 425,472 and 500 are the big block, much larger physically and a better engine. The 429 is a better choice for the 40 coupe.
Nice to see someone putting a Cad in something. I'm working toward a 500 bolted to a Tremec Magnum 6speed. I bought a quicktime bellhousing that bolts it in place and is very nicely made. I asked about the 429 bellhousing pattern because I am not sure what the configuretion is for them. To the best of my knowledge the Cad/Chevy adapter from CadCo is for the 425/472/500 Cad, and I don't know if the 429 is similar. Also the flywheel they sell is for the 500 engines. It may be that the 429 has the same type of bellhousing configuretion. You also have to be sure that the flywheel will bolt on the crankshaft and be positioned correctly for the starter to engage fully. I would check that on some type of stand and get everything worked out prior to putting the engine in the car. Makes it a whole lot easier. As for the starter, I experimented a little with modifying a Pontiac V8 flywheel to fit a cad since it had the same tooth count. I have a new Cad flywheel but I have more than 1 Cad 500. What I found was that the Pontiac could be made to fit the Cad pretty easily, but the ring gear was about .100 farther away than the stock Cad. The Cad starter has a nose to support the pinion. The nose then interferred with the ring gear......so I bought a Powermaster mini-starter with no nose and more power. Works perfect. I say all of this because its the kind of issues you need to work out before installing your engine with any adapters. I'm not suggesting that you use a Pontiac flywheel, only that you may have to modify the CadCo if it doesn't bolt on properly, and its best to work out all the possible spacing and alignment issues on a stand of some sort prior to installation. Its pretty simple to drill most cranks to accept a pilot bushing. Of course you need a lathe, so it could probably be done while the crank is at the machine shop. Cadco actually sells one that fits a 500 Cad with no drilling. Don't know if it fits the 429 ......... To the best of my knowledge, the adapter is for a 500 to a Chevy, so again its a matter of whether the bellhousing config is the same. If it doesn't work, you may have to make one. Given the steel construction of the Quicktime housings along with some pretty compact size, you might consider using one of those for a Chevy. Then either weld additional metal to the flange or mill the flange off and weld one that designed for a Cad back in place. Take a little effort but would look nice. One other consideration is which side of the engine the starter is located on. I don't know about the 429s, but some GM engines had starters on the drivers side. Just something to check. Good luck with your project...........
The trans is more of an issue than the engine (in my worthless opinion) The TKO is larger and longer than the ford 3spd. I haven’t fit one in a 40, but I have in other rides. The floor and chassis had to be modified. The 40 shares a common chassis with 35-40 cars,41 trucks. Looking up tremec installs for those chassis could help
The 429 is longer than the 331/365/390, due to the revised timing cover which relocates the oil pump and distributor. On my ‘49 Cad there was no clearance for an engine mounted fan without moving the radiator. Another concern for the swap is the location of the oil filter which is low on the front, a short filter helps. The good news is the distributor location makes for no firewall interference. The ‘67 Eldorado oil pan has a more swap-friendly rear sump.
I think the 65 and up the bell housing pattern is the same as the 472/500. I stopped looking into the 429 when I realized there was no hop up parts for them. At all!! They are Cadillac’s red headed step child in a family of brunettes.
Appreciate all the input. you are all so far in front of me!!! I have never seen a 429 up close or a Tremec TKX, just doing everything remotely. Both motor and trans are on the water, should arrive in 6-8 weeks, then I will be able to digest all your input. I was originally going to put in a coupe with a recessed firewall, but I have been fortunate enough to buy a really nice coupe, all freshly painted with a stock firewall. Hence the reason for all the questions. The new coupe should arrive in 3-4 mos. Yes the 429 is the Cadillac oddity but it is still a "small block" with 480 ft lbs stock, so with a cam and good exhaust system should make a nice cruiser and it's different ,traditional and not an SBC. If money was not a factor my choice would be a new Ardun equipped flathead!!!
Hopefully you get the rear sump pan and not the front. Don’t fall into the “car is too nice to cut” trap. Make it fit properly.
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