So you want to install a Caddy BB...

[Ogier]

Greetings,

Hopefully this will provide some level of help for anyone wanting to do this swap. The benefits are big block power without the price of a bigblock Chevy.

Older Caddy's are practically being given away. I bought a 1974 sedan deville for $400 and drove it home.

To do the caddy swap, you will really want to buy the whole car. The main things you will need from it are:

1) Engine
2) transmission (th400 longshaft)
3) power steering pump
4) all mounts (engine and trans)
5) radiator
6) Alternator harness

You will also need a rear sump pan from a FWD caddy with either a 472 or 500. All rwd caddys have front sumps and they won't clear the crossmember.

I used the factory exhaust manifolds and made my own exhaust system with duals that exit just in front of the rear tires.

You will need to move the factory motormounts forward in the truck.

Cut off the factory fan but keep the flange that bolts to the waterpump(this keeps the pulley from flexing and breaking). You will have to buy an electric fan or move the radiator forward about 2 inches. I opted for the fan.

The driveline will have to be shortenned. I think I took about 6 inches out of mine but I am not sure.

You will also have to cut holes in the chevy motor mounts to accomodate the caddy mounts.

When I did the swap, I took the front end off the truck to install the motor and trans. This makes the job a bunch easier in the long run.

I will add to this in the morning when I am thinking more clearly.

Ogier

[LUV2XCLR8]

SOUNDS LIKE A MODERATOR NEEDS TO MOVE THIS TO THE "FAQs" SECTION.

IF THERE ISN'T ONE ABOUT CADDY MOTORS ALREADY ON THERE.

[GMC AMI]

If you have a engine tilt there is no need to take the front end off just the hood. There are Caddy performance places like Maxium Torque that has special motor mounts to install motors easier. Good info you provided, I just wanted to point out that anyone that puts a Caddy motor in a truck should check main berring clearance. The center thrust in Caddy has a closer tolerance than Chevy and tend to wear out sooner. I made this error once and had to pull out after one week because of a main berring. I found that the 71 -76 500 ci runs well on pump reg. gas. The earlier 472 with higher compression 10.25-1 needs high grade fuel to run proper timing with out spark knocking. After 70 the 472's also run great with more torque than you ever felt with any unmodified Chevy engine. I am not knocking Chevy just sharing info I have learned. Keep on trucking!

[krue]

Did a cut and paste copy to FAQ. Thanks for the info.

[method2mymadnes]

I would like to see some pics if u have any. I am planning a cad500 into a 1986 pickup.

[Longhorn Man]

Here's the info on my caddy swap. I was able to use the engine driven fan with room to spare, with a 4 row rad in the stock place. I sis dimple the firewall, but that was for my own comefort. I like an inch minimum between engines and everything else.
http://www.geocities.com/caddyoneton/
Yeah, the site hasn't been updated in a while...but then, neither has the truck.

[68C15]

so what kind of highway mileage is to be expected from a stock 500 & 3.08:1 gears?
you guys have got my attention on this swap.

[chevy_fatman]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

Here's the info on my caddy swap. I was able to use the engine driven fan with room to spare, with a 4 row rad in the stock place. I sis dimple the firewall, but that was for my own comefort. I like an inch minimum between engines and everything else.
http://www.geocities.com/caddyoneton/
Yeah, the site hasn't been updated in a while...but then, neither has the truck.

You slacker! when are you going to finish that swap?? it's been a while....

[GMC AMI]

Originally Posted by 68C15

so what kind of highway mileage is to be expected from a stock 500 & 3.08:1 gears?
you guys have got my attention on this swap.

I found the 500 to be way better on gas than a chevy 350. The motor hardly
has to work. With a load there is no comparison. I took a trip with a full load,
8' slate pool table plus other stuff over 750 miles and used 45 gals. of gas.
that comes out about 16.5 miles to the gallon. The truck has 410 gears and
half the trip was empty with a cap on the whole trip. I would like to see a chevy motor do that with a heavy load! The 350 was lucky to squeak out 12mpg. Plus the fact on takeoff you can surprise v-8 stangs. I think that GM
put there best truck motors in car body's. I also had a 425 olds big block in a 79 shortbed. A great combo for a drag racer pull truck. Not as good as the Caddy but still a nice BB. This short ran the 1/8 mile at 9.2 spinning the tires
half way down the strip. Of coarse this was not my drag vehicle, bunch of us wanted to try out our pull trucks. Any BB is a great transplant, just do it and have more fun than ever! Mike

SEE POST TEN for the 500 caddy PIC thanks to c-10ss500

['70 C/10 SS500]

Mike Files, that is a fine picture of a caddy motor in one of our trucks,...come to think of it MY TRUCK! If you are going to continue posting that pic all over this board, at least give some credit every once and a while. If you didn't know who's it was, then say something like this: "here is a pic from SOMEONE'S caddy swap"...etc.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php3?t=119347

[GMC AMI]

c-10 I never said it was mine. Other people asked for a PIC and I thought
your's looked good. I did not remember whose it was and since you posted it out to the net anyone could have posted it anywhere. If you wish me to delete the PIC on the thread I will. Thank you for the reply,now I know it is your truck, I mean't no harm and if you want I will delete from my harddrive
as well. I am sorry to cause you any trouble. I thought your PIC was the best to show other members. I was searching back to list who's truck it was and
I got side tracked and forgot before posting. You can bet it will not happen again,OK? Mike

[Shane]

Originally Posted by '70 C/10 SS500

Mike Files, that is a fine picture of a caddy motor in one of our trucks,...come to think of it MY TRUCK! If you are going to continue posting that pic all over this board, at least give some credit every once and a while. If you didn't know who's it was, then say something like this: "here is a pic from SOMEONE'S caddy swap"...etc.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php3?t=119347

Easy there big fella ... feel honored that someone thought so much of your work as opposed to automatically ASSuming that someone was attempting to take credit for it.