Need help decoding a VIN for an old cadillac. Help!

[OffRoad]

hey guys,

i searced on the net and couldn't find anything. my buddy has to decode the vin so we know what motor and year the car is. it's a beater at the back of a car stealership. the salesman doesn't know anything about it. he told me the wrong year (1965) and said it had a 400 v8.

it's around a 1969-70 model coupe devile softtop.

we're hoping for the 500.

i know you guys do VINs all the time so help a guy out. Thanks!

 

[1985_K5_Silverado]

You might find this board a treasure trove of Caddy info:

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/index.php

 

[roadnotca]

Alpha-num sixth dig is the year. My notes say the 500 started in '70, and that's the best year because its the highest compression ratio, 10.0:1. '69 might be 472(?). Fifth dig is the engine code but I don't have those.

 

[OffRoad]

thnkas.

so if we copied it down right (no guarantee there ) then the 6th number is a 7. the 5th number is a 6.

i wish the guy selling it knew what it was. he told me it's a 65. it's friggin not. or maybe he said 69....

 

[roadnotca]

Aw #$%&. Up through '67 year the VIN is on the front frame, '68 and up went to the base of the windsheild on the left. Through '67 the second # is the year, '68 the sixth. Up through '67, engines were 429. '68 brought 472. The 500 came in '70 on the Eldo. So with a CDV, you're probably looking at the 429 or 472. The '68 472 has AIR pump and integral cast water cross-over in the intake mani.
A bored and ventilated 472 would probably need SM465 or NV4500 or TH400, NP205, and the BIG axles. Let us know what you find out?

 

[hack500]

if it is a RWD caddy from '68-'74 with the original engine it will be a 472.

The '68 472 has AIR pump and integral cast water cross-over in the intake mani.

umm... where did you find this info?
because unless there are '68-only heads the 472/500 heads do NOT have any provisions for a wet intake.

 

[OffRoad]

it looked front wheel drive.

the salesman said it was, and i saw halfshafts.

i appreciate the help guys, keep it coming.

 

[roadnotca]

if it is a RWD caddy from '68-'74 with the original engine it will be a 472.


umm... where did you find this info?
because unless there are '68-only heads the 472/500 heads do NOT have any provisions for a wet intake.

Standard Catalog American Cars, may not be 100%. That web site mentioned below is probably better, just looked like dense forest.
So if its FWD, should be 500, yes? 1970 ELDO?

 

[SHAWNSTER]

give caddy corner a call-he helped me with the same thing this morning
the # is 888-592-2339, he is in Justin, TX

 

[OffRoad]

i'll try to get my friend over ther to double check the vin. i think we're missing some of the digits. they're on the drivers side under the dash right?

 

[hack500]

if it's a '68-'69 eldo(FWD) the original engine was a 472. '70-'76 had a 500.

 

[OffRoad]

thank you hack 500. i think it's the coupe devile because it's a convertable. it's a 2 door if that helps. it has 2 headlights in a horizontal line. not vertical.

 

[roadnotca]

thank you hack 500. i think it's the coupe devile because it's a convertable. it's a 2 door if that helps. it has 2 headlights in a horizontal line. not vertical.

From my picture book, it looks like all the Caddys went to horizontal headlights in '69. Check this out, book says the '68 ELDO could burn rubber (FWD)!

 

[hack500]

From my picture book, it looks like all the Caddys went to horizontal headlights in '69. Check this out, book says the '68 ELDO could burn rubber (FWD)!

what!? never seen a fwd burnout? I know I have.

 

[roadnotca]

what!? never seen a fwd burnout? I know I have.

Especially a barge like the Eldo. Back in the '60s, some mechanics involved in SCCA racing, swapped a Lotus twin-cam into a first gen. Mini Cooper S; on a good surface it could hop.

 

[BranndonC]

there was a pic i saw before of a FWD motorhome powered by a 500 caddy doing a burn out!
EDIT found it, 530 CID twin turbo

 

[roadnotca]

Hue doggies! Would have been Bitchen to see that out at Pomona this weekend.