Anyone else have a big block Caddy engine?

[PowerPro]

Just curious if anyone else has a big block caddy engine in their truck. I bought mine with the 472 in it. I wish i had taken before pictures. My truck had a blue passenger fender, a solid rust hood. The rest of the truck was red, orange and white. There are several dents all over it here and there. I plan to pull all the dents out, weld up all the holes for the trim and emblems and make it look all nice. The interior is kinda funny... someone let their kid put cartoon network stickers on the dash and wrote "BOOM" next to Quick-Draw McGraw.

Needless to say, it's an interesting truck with a long crazy history that I'll probably write down when i get around to doing the build thread. So, anyway, i guess this is my introduction to everyone. Hi, I'm Chris and I'm proud to be a 70 Chevy longbed owner. =)

And for my actual question, if you do have a caddy engine in your truck, have you found a nice set of headers that will work on it? Obviously, i found a nice intake for mine...

[texanidiot25]

Longhornman, and spraybomb are the only two that come to mind. Longhornman has been running a Cadi bb for a few years now.

[Spray-Bomb]

Andy (Longhornman) is the only person I know that drives a truck with a cad under the hood

Mine is a 67 drag truck that hasnt gotten to see the track yet

ZUMO

[Longhorn Man]

there's a few of us, on here.
Sad to sat, my cad motor will be hitting the floor here soon and a 454 going in. I'll miss the torque. That little 425 has tons more torque than the 454.

[unclewatts]

from Lake County California! I'm just curious. What kind of gas mileage do you get with that truck?

[1956cameo]

My 56 has a 429 Caddy engine that someone put into it. Runs good but I am going to put a sbc back into the truck when I get a chance.

[Hottrucks]

sorry to high jack but why would you go to other power after having the caddy power?? I want to do the covertion but it sounds like you guys are having second thought??why??

[2tons of fun]

because the aftermarket sucks for them and what is out there is $$$$$$$


plus they are just dirt ugly motors.

[1956cameo]

As mentioned I couldn't find parts to work on mine. That and I want to restore my truck to stock; that and I want a Chevy in my chevy. Whenever I hear about a chevy for sale and it says it has an Olds or Caddy motor I usually lose interest in that vehicle. The only reason why I bought my Cameo with the Caddy engine is because it was cheap, complete (minus original engine), well optioned, and rare.

P.S. I still think BB Caddy engines are great! I have had a couple of old Cadillacs and they were powerful. If I ever had a hot rod I would love a Cadillac engine in it; just not my trucks. Personal preference.

[Hottrucks]

well then wanna trade I have a perfect runing 327 auto in my truck needs a pan gasket when it was rebuilt last year when the PO put the tin works on he over tightened the gaskets

[Jayss109]

Ive been running a cad for around 8 years now. Love it! Yes, the aftermarket is nothing like that for a BB, but it grows everyday.

PowerPro, I used a set of tri-y's for a BB and cut the flanges off, then welded on flanges for the cad. They work perfect. Take a look at the link in my Sig for pictures, videos etc.

Jason

[1956cameo]

If we weren't so far away from each other I would trade in a heartbeat. I would even give you the TH400 auto trans that is with it. Too bad we didn't talk earlier my parents just left for Hershey. You could have made the trade with them there.

[texanidiot25]

Originally Posted by 1956cameo

If we weren't so far away from each other I would trade in a heartbeat. I would even give you the TH400 auto trans that is with it. Too bad we didn't talk earlier my parents just left for Hershey. You could have made the trade with them there.

Man, if it was the summer I'd even consider the trade. But got too much planned this winter to try and swap a Cadi motor.


What did you cad guys do for motor mounts?

[Hottrucks]

Originally Posted by 1956cameo

If we weren't so far away from each other I would trade in a heartbeat. I would even give you the TH400 auto trans that is with it. Too bad we didn't talk earlier my parents just left for Hershey. You could have made the trade with them there.

DAM IT!!!!!!!!! Hershey is about 8 hours but still........when your ready let me know....I can pull both and the Motor/trans mount and exhaust in a few hours....I think it would make an easy swap since your motor already know where it needs to fit ...DAM IT!!!!

[1956cameo]

Sorry Hottrucks. I guess this is one of those day late dollar short type of circumstances. Maybe if my parents go back to Hershey next year.

Texanidiot25, You are within easy driving distance but I hear you on the part about being busy.

[texanidiot25]

Shall see this summer. Doing a cab swap this winter so I've gotta put forth me efforts into it.

What setup does your truck use for motor mounts?

[1956cameo]

I have no idea. Propably home made.

[Longhorn Man]

I don't have a working speedometer in my longhorn, it gave up the ghost shortly after getting it on the road. However, with this junkyard fresh 425 that I have now, I followed someone on a short 160 mile round trip, and did a gas up at the begining and the end of the trip. This was the only MPG test I did, we kept it at 60 - 70, mostly at the 65 MPH speedlimit, I did get on it a few times but nothing crazy. Mostly back roads so there was some stop and go, not straight freeway. I ended up getting 14.5 MPG on that trip. That's with 4.10 gears and a TH350. Bone stock 100,000 mil old junk yard fresh engine that's worn .030 over. Freeflowing exhaust with 500 CID stock manifolds (flows better than the smaller engines) and a semi-fresh edelbrock 750 that was never tuned.
There's a guy here in town with a 67 GMC 1/2 ton (an inactive board member here) he has a 2.73 gear if I remember, and was getting 18-ish I think? The torque is massive and stomps right over those gears and is a blast to drive on the street.
As far as ugly engines... I don't quite get it, but whatever. Orange isn't exactly a pretty color either.
The reason I am pulling mine and installing the 454 is simple ecinomics. My cad motor is making death noises, still pulls like a Mack, but it makes some pretty nasty sounds in the lower end. I don't have rebuild money, and never seem to find the cad deals... only cad clunker motors. I'll be setting the engine and tranny aside, and even if I ditch the actual engine and tranny, I'll be keeping all the parts needed to swap one back in one day. The 454, I got the whole 78 burb for 600 bucks, and I've been driving it for 2 weeks now. It is a great running engine and the tranny isn't too sloppy. Plus it comes with a 14 bolt rear with a (I think) 3.73 gear, and brakes I can actually get parts for. I couldn't pass it up.
Cads rock, they are a total blast on the street, who cares about originality... my crappy longhorrn only has a few original parts left. And it is rather amazing how many people know who I am just becouse of the engine. I'll be at the gas station and someone will walk up and say "hey man, a buddy of mine told me you have a caddy engine in this thing" and it ends up a 30 min talk every time. Only a few haters give me flack for not keeping it chevy... whatever. GM made great truck engines, and put them in full sized lan yaughts. 3 seperate 455 engines, the 425, 472 and 500 cads, even the 428 pontiac.... all these are low RPM stump pulling torque monsters that SHOULD have been in trucks.

[Hottrucks]

thanx LH I'm like you no rush to do the transplant as soon as I find a deal on a car then I'll start..expecially since my truck is a beater and I want to get all the parts so I can even get my A/C to work....I like the thought of putting the caddy in ..I mean just about every street rod on the road has a chevy motor in it reguardless of the name on the hood...it's nice to be different..when I get ready I'm sure you'll be the first one to know..I want to pick your brain about it...but for now I'll keep running that mouse motor and see if I can find a few more ponies out of it but it will never be a BB...and theres no substitution for cubic inches

[oldcarfart]

I have been running caddy engines in projects for years, great engines!!! As for headers Sanderson is the only one I know sells headers (IIRC the 2 big caddy hot rod sources sell the sanderson's) they sell 2 styles, down dumps and swept back dumps.

[PowerPro]

As far as power, I'd never think of getting rid of the engine. Yes, they're expensive, but the power is amazing stock and it only gets better. No, there's not a lot of aftermarket parts available, but the ones that are available are amazing. Do some research and you'll find that you can get 700+hp out of a 500 caddy just by doing a few upgrades... they are very spensive though.

I am lookin at picking up another engine just to tear apart and turn into a power monster ... slowly, due to the money factor.

Gas mileage? I'm at about 14.. i might be better if i didn't romp on it, but why wouldn't you romp on it if you could just do a burnout at any given moment? lol

[PowerPro]

oh, and as far as the "dirt ugly" comment goes, with the intake, some chrome valve covers and some headers, i think that engine will look amazing! just my opinion.

I absolutely love opening my hood and havin ppl look at it and go 'oh wow' ... 'wait, what engine is that?' It gives me a giggle every time.

[Hertzdaddy]

I've got a 514 Caddy in my 73 Jimmy 2wd. Its not running yet but it won't be long. Check out some caddy boards and you'll find lots of these transplants.

I know a guy that modifies BB Camaro headers with Caddy flanges and gets them to tuck up real tight . Its probably what I'll do since the Jimmy is lowered. BBC truck headers are easier to modify but hang a little lower.

Eric

[Pont406]

I read somewhere that a caddy heads flow anywhere from 270-310 cfm STOCK.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Jayss109

Ive been running a cad for around 8 years now. Love it! Yes, the aftermarket is nothing like that for a BB, but it grows everyday.

PowerPro, I used a set of tri-y's for a BB and cut the flanges off, then welded on flanges for the cad. They work perfect. Take a look at the link in my Sig for pictures, videos etc.

Jason

Yours is the nicest one I`ve seen.The guy I bought my wrecker from has one he took out of a`52 car hauler he bought.I had planned to buy that,if I could work some kind of trade that would help offset his wacky value system,like I did for the truck.The torque would be great and it would sure make for a cool tow truck.But mostly,I want the 327 out of the truck.We don`t talk anymore and I need to sell the wrecker.