Hot Rods Let's talk Cadillac 331's, 365 and 390's

Did the same with mine... except other side.

 

New problem. I bought a new flywheel and high torque mini starter from Speed Gems for my 331. Their flywheels have a 143 tooth ring gear instead of the stock 145 so I bought the starter they offer to match. Problem I’m having is I can’t mount the starter in the common way with the solenoid on top. The only way it will fit is straight down, at about the 7:30 position and at the 9:00 position. Anyone else run into this? I tried calling them Friday but they were closed for the week.

 

So…I was just scrolling through Marketplace on my wife’s phone and came across a 55-57 factory 2x4 intake and carbs. They are asking $400 and I have no idea if that is a decent deal?

 

It’s fair. The cast factory intakes don’t bring as much as aftermarket. You have to make sure it has the right carbs, linkage etc. a lot of them floating around with junk cores on them.

 

Who makes the roller rockers and where can they be purchased? Building another 390 Cad for my Deuce. Thanx in advance!! Davey

 

Harland and Sharp. They make them to order.

 

Thanx, will contact them!!

 

w problem. I bought a new flywheel and high torque mini starter from Speed Gems for my 331. Their flywheels have a 143 tooth ring gear instead of the stock 145 so I bought the starter they offer to match. Problem I’m having is I can’t mount the starter in the common way with the solenoid on top. The only way it will fit is straight down, at about the 7:30 position and at the 9:00 position. Anyone else run into this? I tried calling them Friday but they were closed for the week.

MIKE PAUL
I rotated the starter on my 331 that is just loosen the bolts and move it so it is where it needs to be.

 

Hi All! I'm back after a few years away. I'm picking up a 49 Cad with a 331 later this month. I see things have developed a bit for the early Cad engines since I built my 57 365 in 2015, so I have a few questions.

1. Do we have a source now to run a roller cam? I want the power but closer to a smooth idle.

2. Do we have a source yet for aluminum intakes? Not really wanting to run 3 deuces as I plan on daily driving this thing (ease of maintenance). I'd rather not source a a 4bbl or dual quad setup and run adapter places on it for a 4150 or two. I'd like then engine to try to breathe .. but i know the heads are small.

3. I thought I saw talk in these last 10 or so pages on oil pumps? I rebuilt my stock one in my 365 years ago. Super easy. Have we found something better than stock if we want to push these things harder?

4. Early 331 is weird with the bellhousing built in. Has anyone run the adapter with a muncie 4 speed or later 5 speed? I'm concerned about the length added away from the crank and it being less stable at higher RPM's. (I want to auto cross / road course my Cadillac every so often because I'm insane and because old car go fast = cool).

Great to be back! I'm looking forward to making this thing a bullet.

 

1. it seems that Tony from Ross racing engines is the only one with a roller cam available. I have one in my 54 331. I have videos of it idling that I can’t seem to figure out how to post. I haven’t been able to drive the car yet as my machinist overground the rear main surface on my crank causing a constant pressure leak. It’s back apart now and I’m hoping to have it back in the car by sometime in April and ready for the north east vintage drags in Maine Memorial Day weekend

2. The only person I know of making new aluminum intakes is gear drive and I don’t believe he makes anything you are looking for

3. I had my stock caddy pump rebuilt by Ross racing for added pressure (I don’t remember off hand as it hasn’t ran in 6 months or so but after running for half hour or so I never had less then 40 pounds at idle). There is a gentleman that I reached out to, I believe he is in Connecticut that modifies your rear bearing cap to adapt a big block Oldsmobile oil pump. It was quite reasonable if I remember correctly, but you need to modify the oil pan sump which I didn’t want to do. I can try to locate his info for you. Also Cory taulbert (who is on here and on Instagram) made some type of billet bushing to use on his oil pump to crank up the pressure. I believe it can be seen on his Instagram page or maybe reach out to him

4. I have a 54 (extended bell) with a speed gems adaptor to a s10 t5. I’m using an American powertrain hydraulic throw out bearing, a stock flywheel (drilled for a Chevy clutch pattern) and a stock starter. My engine has almost 10:1 compression so I don’t have long term testing of the stock starter holding up. The one thing I did do was change my s10 input shaft to a Jeep t5 input shaft. I had to cut about half inch or so off of the front of the shaft to get it to work, but I am now able to run a coarse spline 10 inch chevy clutch.

 

To post a video, you have to upload the video to youtube.com and then post the link for it on here.

 

Thanks for the reply. I contacted Ross and they were very knowledgeable about the old Cad. But they wanted to sell me a turn key motor. Sounds like a grand idea, when I have a ton more money. They just aren't in the builder price range and I completely understand as they deal within a niche genre.

I'd be interested in the contact info for the guy in Connecticut for the rear main cap mod. That sounds like a quality idea for longevity.

Next to find h beam rods and a decent cam. Cad Company in ABQ offered custom forged pistons for around 1k.

 

I might be getting 1 or 2 365/390s. I'm thinking about one in my '56 Chevy panel (in stock form) and 1 in something else. Gotta read through this thread.

 

I have BBC rods in mine with custom j and e pistons. I run about 9.8:1 compression

 

I did tons of investigation on the rods that would work. I want say that the Pontiac 455 was pretty close. I’ll have to dig it up and see what I have.

 

Heres something to share, I recently acquired this scot blower and intake. After some ID’ing it turns out its for a 331-390 cadillac. Good thing, since i have a ‘49 block for it to go on

 

Neat piece.

 

Tried multiple positions, that’s the only way it works to give access to the starter mounting bolts

 

What's the oil pressure usually look like on your engines? I rebuilt my oil pump with everything else apart. I primed it on the stand and had about 60psi, but running in the car it seems to have a pretty consistent 30 psi, idle, running down the road, it doesn't vary much. I was hoping to see a little more.

 

Seems about right. Not sure why they differ so much from the sbc. They are very similar design wise.

 

30 psi is all the factory specs. out, and that's what the relief valve opens at. I'm now into the 331 for my roadster and will rebuild the oil pump. Planning on building a test stand for it and intend to shim the relief valve spring to get some more pressure out of it. I'd feel happier with 50 psi or so.

Wish someone would build new pumps for these things...

 

Not a Cadillac, but on my early Pontiac V8 I put a eighth of an inch shim Behind the Spring and gained 10PSI.

 

mike , Do you have any roller cores or roller cams left ?

Do you have any roller cams you would like to sell?

 

Looking for a Harmonic balancer for a '55 331 if anyone has anything?

Any other options for harmonic balancers apart from core replacements?

 

Do you happen to remember if they were stock big block or maybe they were modified some?

Could you confirm the rods by chance? If I'm getting custom pistons again, then that part is whatever. Just want to avoid grinding down a crank if I can help it.

 

I'll have to dig through my research folder. It seems like the rods have to be narrowed a bit.

 

Here's a new article I found. Pretty good read.

https://www.onallcylinders.com/2023...vintage-dragster-inspired-by-pancho-gonzalez/

 

3,000 hp? wow!