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anyone think a 500 caddy can,t be fast?


grumpyvette

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I did not see anything on that video stating it was a 500 cad in that car. Those old 500 cads are boat anchors. I used to work on those things years ago. I think it would make the car too front heavy. Everything on them is cast iron. Not much aftermarket parts around for them either. Limited to what trans will bolt up because of the bolt pattern on the bell housing. Last time I checked Jegs or Summit are not selling speed parts for that motor. It would be alot cheaper and more reliable to go with a 502 chevy crate motor, if your looking for a BB , plus you get a 2 year warr. on it. While your at it, I would get the Jegs 12 point cage with frame kit. Its setup for 4 link rear. If your looking to build up a drag only car.

Fred

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I did not see anything on that video stating it was a 500 cad in that car. Those old 500 cads are boat anchors. I used to work on those things years ago. I think it would make the car too front heavy. Everything on them is cast iron. Not much aftermarket parts around for them either. Limited to what trans will bolt up because of the bolt pattern on the bell housing. Last time I checked Jegs or Summit are not selling speed parts for that motor. It would be alot cheaper and more reliable to go with a 502 chevy crate motor, if your looking for a BB , plus you get a 2 year warr. on it. While your at it, I would get the Jegs 12 point cage with frame kit. Its setup for 4 link rear. If your looking to build up a drag only car.

Fred

 

Actually Fred it is stated its a 500 Caddy. The info on the video states:

 

"This is my 78 Deville that's run a best of 10.34 @ 127 with a 500 inch Caddy motor, no power adder, dual plane Edelbrock intake, T400 trans and a 3.70 gear. Its got a full factory interior with the exception of the two Kirkey racing seats & 6point rollbar. Still have the power door locks & windows. Need a better camera man! lol ... (

)"

 

 

Pretty fast boat anchor :)

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Guest TeamNissan
Actually Fred it is stated its a 500 Caddy. The info on the video states:

 

"This is my 78 Deville that's run a best of 10.34 @ 127 with a 500 inch Caddy motor, no power adder, dual plane Edelbrock intake, T400 trans and a 3.70 gear. Its got a full factory interior with the exception of the two Kirkey racing seats & 6point rollbar. Still have the power door locks & windows. Need a better camera man! lol ... (

)"

 

 

Pretty fast boat anchor :)

 

Fast boat anchor is right man lol.

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Guest Jason k

Ouch alum heads are out of production, any reasonable size cam is gonna require boring the bearing jounals and a 1000 dollar plus cam blank, not to mention you almost have to run an aftermarket rocker shaft. The 500 and 475 Caddy motors make a nice mild performance build for a car that will accept a big block but in a Z I would have to say a SBC or SBF would be a better choice.

 

http://www.cadillacperformanceparts.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

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Actually there are more after market parts available for the big cad these days.

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/aluminum_cylinder_heads_non_chevy_big_block_engines/cadillac_big_block_heads.html

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/116_0609_engine_combos/index3.html

http://www.caddyinfo.com

http://www.500cid.com.

http://www.bulldogperformance.net

I think the point of this thread is the caddy 500 can be had very cheaply. It is also very different from the been there, done that, SBC swap. Although there is nothing wrong with an SBC Z. Sure one could build a BBC Z, but a 500 Cad, would be daring to be different, which is the whole idea of building a hybrid Z in the first place.

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I googled Caddy 500 and saw a good write up on Wikipedia.

 

Unless I don't know how to read, they haven't made those engines since the Bee Gees were the hottest thing in music.

 

Might be an interesting one off engine, but just how many of those motors do you guys come across anymore?

 

Staying alive. Staying alive.

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Ive built a few 500 caddy engines, I think your fooling yourself if you don,t think 400hp & 500 plus ft lbs of tq at low thru mid rpms from a mildly modified engine won,t make for some impressive performance, while its no big block chevy or hemi stroker its no SLUG EITHER, and you don,t need to wind up the rpms to get the power, just floor the car and hang on, its right now instant power

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Might be an interesting one off engine, but just how many of those motors do you guys come across anymore?

 

Staying alive. Staying alive.

 

There were millions made. Hotrod had a figure in an article years ago, I just remember it was > a million. I'm pretty much talkin' out my ass, of course, because I can't back it up. They do weigh less than a BBC, and the '71 Eldo 500 even had 400hp from the factory. A Caddy big block has always been on my "someday" list. That list is getting too damn long...

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DavyZ,

Is that possibly the DATSUN radiator I see trying to cool that beast?

I guess if it's a 1/4 mile at a time it's alright :)

Btw, I have a 472 (and a 68 deville convertible) sitting at home (in pieces) here in Allentown.

I'm gonna put the car together and sell it unless one of you guys want to buy it as is and pick it all up! :)

I also have a nice 68 skylark that's probably gonna go up for sale.

Why? Well I have too many cars (rubbish :oP) but the real reason is that I want to get a 4x4 and a trailer and a snowmobile....my cousin finally got me when I had time to and we rode them around and....I'm HOOKED.

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Fred sed: "I did not see anything on that video stating it was a 500 cad in that car. Those old 500 cads are boat anchors. (so are all engines if you use them to anchor a boat) I used to work on those things years ago. (not disputing this) I think it would make the car too front heavy. (so does a big block chevy. your point?) Everything on them is cast iron. (yup) Not much aftermarket parts around for them either.(not mainstream) Limited to what trans will bolt up because of the bolt pattern on the bell housing. (actually it's shared with buick, olds, pontiac, plenty there) Last time I checked Jegs or Summit are not selling speed parts for that motor. (Jegs and Summit cater to chevy, ford and some chrysler, and not much else, mainstream stuff since that's what makes money) It would be alot cheaper and more reliable to go with a 502 chevy crate motor, if your looking for a BB , plus you get a 2 year warr. on it. (and you get to spend 10 grand at once, which most hybridZers can't do) While your at it, I would get the Jegs 12 point cage with frame kit. Its setup for 4 link rear. (if you're gonna do that why not just build a tube frame and plop the gutted z shell over it? I think this swap is more along the lines of a super-sleeper stock-bodied Z car) If your looking to build up a drag only car. (right, if building a drag-only car. If building a kick-ass street car that'll blow your rich buddy's viper away for half the money, and want something different than a chev or ford, the stock IRS with minor mods will handle the cad...and you don't want a rollcage in a street car, it'll kill you in an [inevitable speed related] accident due to your head being softer than the rollbar)

Fred (bryan)

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