GRKLGHTNG

Has anyone out there succesfully installed a Caddy 500 in a C3?

Ironcross

Why would you want too, there heavy slugs without any performance parts available........

Ben Lurkin

You must be a glutton for punishment! Some things that come to mind:

You will need a BOP transmission or a trans adaptor.

Most of these engines have a front or middle sump oil pan. Some Eldorodo's did have a rear sump though - if you can find one.

You will need custom built headers or fabrication skills to DIY.

Accessory brackets may get interesting. I'm not sure you will be able to get the hood closed.

Friend of mine put a 472 in a '76 Blazer years ago. It was a great motor for that application. In a vette? Not so much.

I bet by the time you're done, you could have had a nice 496 BBC in there for the same or less $$$ instead of an interesting conversation piece that leaves everyone wondering WHY? If you decide to move forward your skill, wallet, and patience will determine whether this is a nice swap, a hack job, or somewhere in between. Sorry if I'm raining on your parade.

aussiejohn

G'day,

At least the Caddy ( as well as big block Chryslers and most Fords ) has the dissy at the front of the engine, where it is easy to adjust. Most here, I would think, like to tune their engines themselves and , let's face it, the dissy is a pain in the **** to get to in a Corvette.

When I say "get to", I mean undoing the lock bolt, pulling it out, eyeballing the oil pump drive slot and re-installing and tightening the lock bolt.

The Caddy makes that job easier, but it is the only thing that has any advantage over a big inch big block Chev apart, perhaps, from the cost.

I had a front drive for a small block years ago that was on my 283 dragster engine, but sold it. I would like the challenge of fitting one to a Corvette and seeing if everything worked with it down there. You would almost have to go with an electric tacho if you did this though, so the post '74 cars would be easier.

Regards from Down Under

aussiejohn

fugawi

chevy big block!!! nuff said...

markdtn

A BB Caddy engine is very wide. I think you would have big issues with this, same as a BB Olds. As said, exhaust and oil pan would also be an issue. For less work you could install an LS engine.

mrvette

Yeh, them Caddy engine were only good for airboats.....a honest reliable open header 650 hp, and OMG for torque.....

gkull

How often do you do this? Because it is about a one time event when you first assemble the motor.

I started driving around 1970 and my Father was a Ford and Dodge man. The ignition on the front of the motor(points) in a wet climate leaves you stranded on a regular basis. Water splash or even rain streaming through the radiator would build up condensation under the rotor cap and kill the spark. I bought a 4X4 chevy and I never worried about even crossing running streams. A Ford 4X4 you wouldn't even think about crossing water deep enough to where the fan blade would be splashing water up on the dizzy!

With the advent of electronic distributors things became so much more reliable.

Woodsters

We modified our '46 Ford coupe to accept a 500 c.i. Caddy. Racing parts are available but expensive. I include a couple of links if you are interested. As others have said, adapting the engine to the corvette bay will be tough, especially trying to mount accessories. Plan for extensive fabrication, lots of head-scratching and significant unrecoverable financial investment.

FYI... The engine weight is approximately 600 pounds fully dressed. Big block Chevy = 675 pounds.

http://www.cad500parts.com/
http://www.cadillacperformanceparts.com/

roscobbc

Why not be REALLY adventurous and shoehorn a complete fwd Eldorado front clip in to a C3 - be REALLY different - just imagine the confusion it would give ricers burning-out from the front end

GRKLGHTNG

Hey folks, thanks for the replies. I've always been interested in the big Caddy motors, being that they were the largest passenger car production V-8 engine made and their sheer external size, and I've loved and owned C3's, so I figured why not bring the two together. I know the swap isn't for the faint of heart, just wanted some feed back. Still if anyone out there has ever pulled this off, I'd love to hear from you. Probably in the end I'll either get a factory big-block car or drop one in.

elke_10

curious if willing to spend the oney to try and cram a 500 caddy in a vette why not go all out and just grab a 572 ramjet crater and go from there

Vogie

I think the Allard J2 was caddy powered.

jboweriii

Tallant's Hot Rod shop KS. CITY MISSUORI

bashcraft

Chevy 502's are plentiful.

69elky

This is one of those questions that will spark a lot of debate I suppose so I'll add to it.First,why would you want to? Why not go for a 502 or the 572,seems like it would be an easier more practical swap.But it is your car and you have to do what it takes to make you happy.If you do it hope you can keep us posted. I would have to admit my age as a kid I had a Fordillac,it was fast for its time

wiseman79

I concur with the general sentiment that it's an odd idea, and not in a good way. Strange combos can often be cool, if you search there's a corvette diesel swap that really looked interesting, this one however sounds like a dud. If you're just going for odd, why not something that's more condusive to the style of car. I always thought a swap from a euro exotic would be cool (not cool enough for me to do it, but gawk at in a thread certainly). Good luck either way

Tom Sarno

A caddy motor in a Vette sounds cool! I will help if you are in the NJ area. I was going to but a Caddy 500 in a Gremlin, Had the car and the motor but it was four or five projects back and I sold the parts off before I got to it. I did get a small block in an Astro van. It was like building a ship in a bottle.

Imo Apita

I used to have a 1972 Cadillac Coupe DeVille as my daily driver.
Wifey made me sell it when I bought the C3.
Still miss that car. Had a 472 that I rebuild myself. As a first time rebuild was pretty happy with the results. Torque was brutal but necessary with a 4800lb car.
I'm still a member of the best Caddy forum around:
http://www.cadillacpower.com/forum/index.php
Here's a link with some engine dimensions including the Caddy:
http://www.carnut.com/specs/engdim.html

Richard454

I think you hit the nail on the head....Different but not cool enough to be different... Although I like different

Here's a couple of different ones-

Jag V12 in a Pacecar







And my project- a BMW V12 in a 71 Vert