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Caddy big block swap...

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Poohbair

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Yeah, I did a search... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
I am wondering who here, if anyone, is running the Caddy 472 or 500, how you like it, and how you did the swap? Did you make your own pieces/parts or did you buy a kit?
Did you use a mostly stock Caddy motor or did you build it w/ aftermarket parts (cam, rods, pistons, etc...)
Are you happy w/ the way the engine performs and would you recommend it?
I am asking because I should know by the end of the week if I am getting a Caddy w/ a 500 in it for FREE! If so then I am planning on putting the motor in my 79 Jimmy.
 
bigbad75k5 was looking at doing that. he has a 500 in his 70 ish caddy. check with him maybe he can help you out.

nathan
69K5
 
I just did that exact swap into my 83 blazer. I bought the truck with a 472 in it and found out after 2 weeks it had a broken timing chain but the original swap I helped with so I have technically done it twice. Free /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif how lucky are you, I had to buy my 2nd caddy for $100. Good thing about caddy's they are cheap and plentiful.

Check out www.cad500parts.com they got everything you will need for the swap. Only thing changed on the motor itself was motor mounts ($80 for universal), added a custom machined remote oil filter relocator, mulit pattern flex plate (drilled extra holes in the stock one). On a 4x you won't have to change the oil pan or the exhaust manifolds but do keep the exhaust pipe off of the car. We also used a BPO tranny case (Buick/Pontiac/Olds multi pattern case) with T350 guts mated to a 205. Only issue we had with the tranny was the caddy's use a T400 therefor the original quadrajet didn't have a hook up for a kickdown so we made a custom spacer and used the butterfly's off of another quadrajet for the kickdown. You will also have to relocate the transfer case crossmember about 4" forward.

It was tight fit but went together very easily even with the stock A/C and brake booster. As for power I am very highly impressed. It will leave a 20 foot black mark from a dead stop foot to the floor with 38" swampers and 4.10 gears. It sounds very tame even with flowmasters. But as for gas mileage I have driven it enough to really get a good guess.

Any more questions about the swap feel free to email me [email protected]

btw...I used a 71 Deville 472 that is bone stock. Stock hp and tq ratings are 500 ft/lbs tq@2800 rpms, 345 hp@4400 rpms.
 
Well, I just talked to the guy and I should know by the end of the week if I can have the car...and it comes w/ a "mid 70's Chevy truck box / trailer... if ya take the car you have to take the trailer too..." Wow, twist my arm! I havent' seen the car, but my dad did go look at it for me since he lives closer to it... I guess it is a 76 w/ a 500cu motor. 2 door car, dad didn't look to see if it was a Eldorado or what, but he said other than a peeling vinel top and a bent rear bumper it is in pretty good shape... I am keeping my fingers crossed! And damn, I have been looking for a trailer like that since I can't haul much in the Jimmy w/ the toolbox in the back!
 
Oh, and I also have a 4spd...so I dont know what the deal will be w/ the flywheel, etc...
What is the purpose for moving the xmember?
 
moving the crossmember was for firewall and frame clearances. Just use the forward bolt holes as your back ones and redrill for the front ones. Just a few crank mods for a pilot bearing should work for the 4 speed and use a BPO bellhousing but not sure about a flywheel but I am thinking an olds would be about the same crank bolt pattern.

An Eldorado would be kewl thats the oil pan people use to do the 2wd p/u conversions that people pay $250 and up for. The hp/tq ratings are down after 73 because of the gas crunch era. And a free trailer, oh yea he is really twisting that arm /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
 
If it's a '76 Eldorado, then it will also have the correct brake calipers on the back to use on a 14-bolt FF disk brake conversion. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
if it is in need or a rebuild or you want to build one hell of a motor, go to cad500 and get the 540 ci stroker kit, should put out around 600 hp and 700 ft-lbs, about 500 ft-lbs when you turn the key if i remember correctly. But the just an idea.
 
If I was gonna swap it out right away then you would be first in line Brad...but I will probalby leave the 350 in the Bitch until she blows...but you know my driving style, so that probably wouldn't be too long.
 
Also something I just found out that some Eldo's 70-76 weren't 500's but the baby brother 425 which was still a high hp/tq motor. The outer stuff is all interchangable from 500/472/425 from '68 to '79. Also if its an eldo that the stock exhaust manifolds won't work but you can modify big block chevy aftermarket headers by cutting the flanges and redrilling them for the caddy bolt pattern. I have a set I plan on doing it to one of these days. I have been noticing how forgiving this motor is to hard driving. Doesn't seem to mind spending most of the drive to the floor. Comparing this motor to my 400 sb I had in another truck with 38.5" swampers this current motor has way more bottom end grunt.
 
My dad said that this has a sticker under the hood that says 500 CID. Maybe it is not an eldorado...maybe a coupe de ville? I should know more next week. I also hear that you can run the stock manifolds and notch the frame for clearance?
What are you running for motor mounts?
 
Thats a good motor, probably a deville which has tons of reusable parts. I used the stock manifolds and didn't notch the frame at all just used a pry bar on the frame to get part of manifold by it then I have almost an inch clearance on each side.

As for motor mounts mine were custom made by the guy who I bought the truck from, he is a machinist turned comp geek. But the ones they sell on the cad500 site look exactly the same. When he made the original one he used precise measurements and its a perfect fit. He helped us with the 2nd swap and I learned tons more the 2nd time around. The mounts look alot different the normal motor mounts, they have a slot for the bolt that is an adjustment. But they work awesome. I would suggest buying the mounts from that site because they aren't a bad price. I am not even $500 in extra parts putting it together (that includes driveline shortened, new hei electronics, all fluids, all new filters, all new belts and hoses).
 
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