grumpyvette Posted December 6, 2001 Share Posted December 6, 2001 has anyone ever swapped a 472 or 500 cadillac engine into a (Z)yet? they are not as large or as heavy as a big block chevy and will fit better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted December 6, 2001 Share Posted December 6, 2001 Grumpyvette, I have not heard of anyone doing the swap...yet, but I would think the choice of transmission would be somewhat limited in a Caddy motor. It would make one heck of a drag motor, though, but how much lighter are they in comparison to the Chevy engines? 50 lbs or more? The increase in cubic inches is nice, especially when you can also get a reduction in weight! Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted December 6, 2001 Share Posted December 6, 2001 Yeah, Hot Rod (I think it was) did an article on putting one in a Chevette haha... They had it on they're show as well, the invited a Corvette club down to race they're 'Vette'. It was hilarious, but that big caddy motor was putting it to them let me tell you, only the more modified ones could even hang close (to the rear of the Chevette). It was an ugly sleeper. Black rims, unassuming grocery getter. I love those sorts of swaps.. haha... Tranny might be a problem, but I'm sure one of the cadillac specialist probably has a transmission that will fit behind one. If nothing else a beefed 700r4 with an adapter plate would probably work fine (have to be strong though, even stock, the 500 probably has 500 ft/lbs of torque or very close to it I'd imagine). It'd be fun for sure, specially when you pop the hood and see a quizical look on they're faces as they wonder WTF it is.. Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modern Motorsports Ltd Posted December 6, 2001 Share Posted December 6, 2001 "Yeah, Hot Rod (I think it was) did an article on putting one in a Chevette haha... " I caught that too, hilarious, thanks for the smiley I just put on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Bayley Posted December 7, 2001 Share Posted December 7, 2001 Ahhh... the old Caddy 500! I've been around the block a few times with the old 500. The ones to look out for are out of an either 70 or 71 Cadillac. Those were the ones that made 500 ft*lbs of torque. From there, the numbers started to fall off. However, the Chevette that Hot Rod built up (project: Bad Seed) had a 75 short block with 71 heads. This yeilded a sompression ratio of something like 12.5:1 on iron heads. Cool things can be done with the old Caddy motors, but it's always going to be more expensive and difficult to find, aftermarket parts. Also, the selection of go fast parts are inferior to the Caddy's Cousin, the GM big block. A generic aluminum intake manifold (nothing Hi-Po) set me back over $300. Headers... good luck! I don't me to be shooting you down too bad, but I investigated dropping my 500 into an 18 foot jet boat and it was just nickle and dime-ing me to death. It became financially obvious why the GM small / big blocks were the engine of choice for power builders. $$$ -Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted December 7, 2001 Author Share Posted December 7, 2001 heres some part sites; http://www.mts.simplenet.com/ http://www.chrfab.com/ http://members.tripod.com/~CadillacMan/79cadpage.html http://www.kanter.com/p17-can.html http://www.unitedengine.net/store/cadillacorders.htm http://www.cad500parts.com/ btw getting 500hp and 550 ft lbs aint that hard from a 500 caddy engine and thats at less than 6000rpm and would put a 2800lb (z) to about, 11.00et and 123 mph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z ya Posted December 8, 2001 Share Posted December 8, 2001 I currently have a 500 caddy in my jeep commando! The motor is only 30 lbs heavier than a sbc. Once you change to a performer manifold you will lose 22 lbs. I got rid of all the smog, had the heads rebuilt with comp springs,260 comp cam,carb shop Q jet,hopped up hei, dual 2.5 flows. I can not say enough how much I like this motor for four wheelin. It makes brute power everywhere in the band. My set up from what MTS told me should be good for 340 hp and 520 torque. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted December 9, 2001 Share Posted December 9, 2001 Dang! If those engines are so light, I'm wondering what it would take to mate one up to a T56 (I'm dreaming here ok). A big cubic inch torquey motor would be lots of fun in a 'heavier' 280Z or 280ZX, especially with a stick shift!!! The motor would hardly have to work at all to make great power, and smoking the hides would be so easy! Anyway, I can dream... Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warrenp Posted December 10, 2001 Share Posted December 10, 2001 a friend of mine put a 500ci caddy in his truck. he found a company who make adapter plates for about any trans to bolt up. the problem is they are good truck motors but not good car motors! they don't crank nearly as well as a 502ci chevy. i think they have a higher deck hight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Big Phil Posted December 11, 2001 Share Posted December 11, 2001 Someone has already done it. Last summer I was at the Carlsbad Drag strip in San Diego and this old guy shows up with a 240z with a 500ci caddy motor stuffed in it. The motor fit perfectly and because the distributor is in front he was able to set the motor way back and keep the stock hood release. The car looked stock and he was kicking import butt. He was running high 10s in the quarter all day and the motor was pretty much stock except for headers, an new intake and carb. He told me in had less than 10 grand invested in the entire car and it was clean. So if you want to go straight really fast for little money it may be the way to go. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Big Phil Posted December 11, 2001 Share Posted December 11, 2001 The guy with the 500ci caddi motored 240Z is from Orange County. He has several Z cars each one is built for a specific purpose. You can see he bonneville speed record holder on the web site below. It not V8 powered but it still pretty wicked.One Fast 2+2 Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jens Posted December 12, 2001 Share Posted December 12, 2001 Here is more links http://albums.photopoint.com/j/albumlist?u=977248 500 with a 5 speed richmond with mts adapter. running 11 s in a montecarlo and a 11 second 49 caddy another message forum but mts is the best http://www.centuryperformance.com/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=41&CAT_ID=1&Forum_Title=Cadillac+Performance potter automotive http://www.cadillacperfpts.com/index.html A 80s mustang with a 500 and a studebaker running 11s with a budget 500 http://www.powertoyz-playground.cityslide.com/contents/contents.cfm/182592 This one has 2 stories about building 450-500hp+ engines for 2-4 grand. http://www.geocities.com/eldocountry/ Olds 455 steel rods can be fitted and kb makes hypereutetic budget 10:1 pistons. And yes it can be stroked/bored to 529-570 cui Sanderson makes 1.75" blockhuggers but a chevy bigblock or ford 460 header can be used with a new flange. 70-73 500 uses smallchamber heads but different pistons. 74-76 use 120cc heads but kb makes a 9:1 hypereutetic piston. The 502 chevy is a easy choice but it has to have lighter alu heads which means its a 6500$ engine. The price for speedparts isnt that bad if 450-500 hp is the goal. Many smallblock owners use a supercharger to get that because they want the same idle as the 500. The 500 can be build for the same price as the superchargerkit. A 6 speed is a waste of money and they wont last with 580ft/lbs. Most caddy owners use a 3.25 rearend with a 28" tire and still reach 5000-5500 rpm in the 1/4 in the 1:1 gear there the 500 has lost its power. Any pictures of the 500 powered z and has it a solid rearend (i think so) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Will Posted February 8, 2002 Share Posted February 8, 2002 I've been meaning to post this for a while. Also check out www.500cid.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 6, 2002 Share Posted March 6, 2002 Cool, more 500 fans! I pulled one from a local salvage yard recently (for $108!), out of a 72 Eldorado. Its not going in my Z car, though...my girlfriend just bought a 76 International Scout II with no engine or trans, and it seems to be the perfect motor for it. A Z swap would be cool, though. You could either use a BOP-pattern short shaft TH-400, a Th-200R4 from a Grand National (built right,it will hold the torque), or any Chevy-pattern trans with an adapter plate. A T-56 would probably hold up as well as any of the automatic OD transmissions; if not, D&D Performance can upgrade it to Viper spec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jens Posted March 17, 2002 Share Posted March 17, 2002 The 425 cadillac might be worth considering too. Al from mts says it is 100 lbs lighter than the 595 lbs 472/500. The 500 cam kits and edelbrock intake fits. The heads has the same valvesize and look but a little smaller ports. With upgraded valvetrain and oldsmobile 455 or 7" 425 rods it could be reliable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToplessZ Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 any more thoughts or opinions on this. Anyone know where to get one cheaply or the best deals on performance parts or budget builds. Id love to hear some more talk on this. Also GRUMPYVETTE or anyone else please check out the link in the other engines forum on a similar subject. http://www.hybridz.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=192707#192707 thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuickSilverAWD Posted March 14, 2006 Share Posted March 14, 2006 Anyone make a motor mount kit for this setup?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JERRY Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 Has Anyone Put A Small Block Chev In A 85 300zx. If So Were Can I Get Info On It. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Some-Guy Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 hmm imagine a 570 cu inch engine in a Z ill have to start researching maybe i can source an egine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustinOlson Posted April 23, 2006 Share Posted April 23, 2006 Sounds good to me. I'm either doing a BBC 427 or a 500 caddy. Justin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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