Projects Who's runnin a Buick or a Cadillac Engine

What car is this going into? What is the current rear axle ratio? I think if you go Caddy 472-500 or Buick 455, you can run highway gears and have decent acceleration out the hole due lots 'o torque. Running a high gear, like 3.08s --> you can just use a tried-&-true TH400 and forget the 4L80E.

 

I have had better luck with Shell......no water or crud in it like I have had with Mobil/Exxon, and others. I never use no-name brands........additives in this area seem better in name brands.......keeps everything running well.

 

BigdogSS 65 skylark. I don't know the gear ratio

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I only hit the drags once a year on old car night so its not a major issue. I did change my rear gears from 4.11:1 to 2.78:1 and that helped quite a bit. I do a lot more highway driving than drag strip driving so the highway gears are awesome. The big Caddy has plenty of torque so taking off from a light is no big deal.

Great stuff in this thread!

 

Large nailhead would be cool in a 65 Skylark. Or a 455.....that's what I would do if I ever decide to go fast again. My dad ran a 430 in his 64 skylark and a buddy of mine did a 455 in his 64 skylark both paired em with a 4 speed manual. Both screamed.

My 51 runs a 263 straight 8! Not fast but you don't see too many.

 

COOL VIDEO
You know I have a chance at a Buick strait 8 from 1951 right now for 250$ with the trans. I'm just to broke to have a surplus of engines but it's kind of calling my name. I would not mind stuffing an i8 in a old buick parts car someone is trying to get rid off

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Somewhere on YT there's a straight 8 idling, he has it idling down pretty low. It was smooooooth! The exhaust note at the pipe was "blub (long pause) blub (long pause) blub (long pause) blub LOL!! Really cool, couldn't believe it.

 

I love straight 8's. I had a straight 8 in a 1949 Pontiac Silver Streak with a 4sp auto. Nice driving car, super smooth engine.
I'm currently working on a little roadster PU that I'm going to power with a 327ci Packard straight 8....woohoo

 

Ended up with a 472 got it this week

Pm me if your good at id'ing the years.
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I have a 472 in my avatar 49 Buick.

 

Got this of the web, hope it helps.

70-76 the block casting ended in 5200 for both the 472 and 500. 70-74 500's only came in Eldos so if its got the oil pan with the rear sump, notch in it, and 2 drain plugs it could be a 500. The rest of the cars got the 472 and had the oil sump in the front (which would be backwards from a more typical engine like a Chevy. 75-76 all cars but the Seville got 500's. The Eldorado pan is the closest to a typical GM setup and over the years the Cad motors have been popular to swap into other cars and trucks so its possible that was what someone had done or planned to do with this motor so it could be a 472,500,425, or 368 with an Eldorado pan. Its also possible that an original engine was replaced with what ever was available at the time.

500 has roughly a 4.3 stoke, 472 roughly 4.0 so you are looking for around a 1/4" difference.

Block casting number is on the top leftish side of the flange where it butts to the transmission.
About where the distributor would be on a Chevy.

1486238 was block casting number 68-69
1485200 was 70-76
1609110 was 77-79 425
1615255 was the 80-81 368 4bbl
1620734 was the 80-81 368 DEFI (including the 8-6-4)

1482464 was the 68-74 472 crank
1495094 was the 70 500 crank
1496793 was the 71-76 500 crank
1609142 was the 368 & 425 crank (same 4" stroke as the 472, smaller and tiny bores)

If nothing has been swapped around there are some visual clues to the year. They changed small things like valve covers and the breathers over the years. EGR started in 73. HEI distributor on some 74 and for sure 75. Electric choke started in 75. Intake was single plane and aluminum on the 425's and 368's. Timing cover slightly different on 425 / 368 vs the 472 / 500.

 

Check this out mine does not not have a hei, it has what appears to be the air system with all those hoses up front and a bronze egr up by the Carb, please correct me if I'm wrong

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If you can find a copy, I strongly recommend the book "Big Inch Cadillac" by Doc Frohmader.
https://www.amazon.com/Big-Inch-Cadillac-Doc-Frohmader/dp/B0006ROB9I

It has great info not only on the monster he built but on general history and parts interchangeability of the big Caddys.

Bobby

 

No HEI, with EGR. 73-74 ,I would say.
Just look at the carb number, left side, 4th digit is the year. What's it say?
You are not going with a 4 speed then?

 

Had a 430 Buick in my 55' stude. 7.40's in the eighth, 11.70's in the quarter. Swapping in a 703 hp 455 right now, drivability is probably gonna suffer.

 

401 Buick Nailhead with a ST400 switch pitch tranny.
Lots of fun to drive

 

425 super wildcat motor in my 51 Merc

 

I got a 401 nail head and it runs like a big dog with a 5 speed behind it. Oh yeah it's in a 26 buick

 

Easy enough to upgrade to HEI, the distributors for the 472/500, the later 77-79 425's and the 80-82 368's should all fit, just use the earlier ignition modules.
If you go with a 4spd you'll need to have the crankshaft drilled out for a pilot bushing as the Caddy's never had a 4spd. A BOP bellhousing will fit the Caddy engine.
It's also easy to get rid of the ugly AIR pipe across the front of the engine. Your local engine machine shop should have the smaller size expansion plugs that fit the ports on the heads.

Bobby

 

Thanks Bobby, I ment to tell ya thanks for the link to the book.

I wanted to go 4speed but my wallet ain't thick enough right now. I see you got rid of your air system, but what did you do for the pully from the air system?

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I know the question wasn't directed at me, but just for information sake -
I'm running 2.75s with my 472 to barely get 17.5 mpg.
The problem is that 0-25 acceleration has gotten slower.
When I was running 3.50s it was much more fun, but the 9 mpg was killing me.
I want both, or maybe I should say neither, but you get the idea
I end up wishing I had one more gear to get best of both worlds.
Only then will it become a car I wish to use all the time.


why be ordinary?

 

I don't remember...LOL
I'm only running 2 belts; alternator and power steering. I can't remember if I just left AIR slot on the crank pulley blank or if I changed out the crank pulley. Its been a lot of years and I've had a frosty beverage or two since then. I'll try and look at a stock set up and see if it jogs my memory.
I noticed that the Big Inch Cadillac is out of print....dang. I hope you can find a used copy. Its worth the money. Doc Frohmader is an engine building genius. I'm glad he paid some attention to the big Caddy.

Bobby

 

Built a 80 Malibu with a mild built low compression 500. Hand ported the exhaust manifolds and heads. Maximum torque specialties cam and valve springs.
Edelbrock intake and rebuilt Qjet with turbo 400 and 2.41 gear. It ran 13's in the 1/4 mile and I drove it back and forth to work every day. Sold it to another guy and he back halfed it and built headers and a tunnel ram intake. It ran low 7's in the 1/8th with a 3.91 gear. Lots of potential in that 472. Just put it in a light car with a turbo 400 and not to much gear and take advantage of the torque. Big gain with the Edelbrock intake so the air doesn't have to go down hill and back up like the stock intake. Gained 3 tenths with the intake change over an extrude honed stock intake.

 

Thanks for those numbers SouthCross & dare2B'different..

I'm going through trans options in my head also.

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Any of the BOP bell housing trans fits the Caddy. TH400 is strong simple and not expensive.

 

Lots of good engine info here also;
http://www.cad500parts.com/history.htm

This guy is a local hero. Used to burn up the strip in his big Caddy

Bobby

 

Hi...bobytnm...Has all the answers ...follow his lead.....

 

Thanks Morac41. I noticed hahaha

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1954 Buick Roadmaster, 322 in my avatar. Been a great motor, recommended!!

 

Loving your set up Graham

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