305 sbc in a 61 Cadillac

305 a POS in a light car. I wouldn't waste my time or money putting it in a Caddy.

 

I was reading the other day in a main stream publication about a shop that is building speed aprts for them and building some monster engines as well. In a custom or cruiser that you are trying to get on the road you could take a stocker and cruise it until there is a glut of pieces available then build yourself a monster if you want.

i have been building the little chebby for a long time and I know what it takes to get good HP and torque from one and it iosn't cheap to build a small block that makes what a 472 or 500 inch caddy makes stock. One that makes that kind of zot is not going to be a fuel miser either.

 

Here we go again with the 305 hatred.......

i was able to turn a 17.9 e.t. with a stock LG3 305 with 2GC 2bbl. This was in a stock 1/2 ton pickup so 3800-4000 lbs. No headers, 2.56 rear gear.

Does this answer your question wether it will power the "boat" around?

Unless you have Oprah money, NOT using the 305 would be financial suicide.

Does anyone give a flying **** what's under the hood when the car is cruising on by? i mean as if you would actually race a car like that......

Come on.

 

My Mom... God rest her soul..had a late "70's" Buick with a V6 in it...No Power..but good on gas...So I'd guess a 305 would be an improvement...

 

I agree with c10 simplex.

A friend used to tow a car trailer interstates hauling a full size car, with a then new, mid 80's C10 with 305. He loved that truck and it got good mpg. He also is a drag racer and he would have said if it was gutless while towing.

Drop back to late 50s to mid 60s and the little 283 2 barrel was used in the big heavy full size chevy convertibles and wagons and some pulled camp trailers. So, yes the 305 should do ok on the Cad.

Now if money spent is critical, a direct bolt-in cad motor in good used cond would be the cheapest way out. Bolt in meaning no need for different exhaust, hoses, belts, driveshaft etc.

 

Are you really using a 17.9 sec quarter as the redeeming quality of a 305?

 

Getting off topic...but...a SBC with 415 hp and a 4 speed in a 3000 pound car is way more fun to drive that a 500 ft pound torque low reving Caddy with an auto ******.In my opinion....

 

Bake sale?

 

This is why we should all use a sbc in what we own, when they break down we can get parts anywhere and cheap to build too .....

Honestly I would wait for a proper engine .

 

My 2 cents...... It's YOUR ****ing Cadillac, put whatever you want in it! Be a doer, not a talker! Get it running and drive it! Who gives a **** what people think about you not running a CADILLAC motor! I love that people are so ****ing intense that you're a SINNER if you don't put a Cadillac motor in a Cadillac...... Just plain dumb! STUPID! But Ford guys who run Nailheads are COOL! **** this ****!

 

I have a '62 Caddy 390 that turns over smooth and has relatively low miles on it, I'll sell it for $600 pulled and for that you get the ****** too and the motor is complete from carb to pan. Bolt it right in. In the end I bet it'll be cheaper and certainly easier than the 305 swap and it'll probably be nicer to drive.

 

Weee-haw! Tear 'em up Ian. Do the 305 to USE what you have on hand. The 305 is no POS. It responds like any other sbc. To the nayer-sayer'z : The OP did not seek your opinion, only help.

 

I built a 305 stroker for a 4wd suburban. It had plenty of torque right in the rpm range I needed. A stock 305 wouldn't be a very good choice, but it would work with the right gears.

 

Here ya go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Well said Ian.

 

Do it.

 

Pretty sure it looks like to me the op is asking for an opinion/advice?

I could care less if the guy wants to use what he has, maybe temporary at least. He could also be looking for a 425 and have a later trans too.

 

Drop it in there and run the mess out of it!

 

Ok the caddy is going to tip the scales @ around 4K give or take. It is a land yaught, not a speed boat.

He is talking about using the 305 in his garage and not trying to make 415 from it and I agree a high winding SBC is the bomb. I don't think we are on opposite ends of the spectrum on that point.

Like I said earlier I have stuffed an SBC in about one of everything over the years I have nothing against them and I even had a hot 305 in a mid truck at one point, I loved it. I don't have anything against them what so ever.

In the land yaught I just don't think it is a good fit. I don't think that there would be a problem getting it in there I just don't think that it is a good fit for the car. He did ask for opinion when he asked if he should look for a caddy mill or spend money building a 350 in the place of the 305. In my opinion it would not be money well spent. he can be in for less with the cad mill, I believe Squablo offered him a runner bolt in period perfect mill complete with ****** for 6 bills. That is what I was talking about, they are not that expensive.

I don't believe that I count as a naysayer, I just believe that the OP will be more pleased with the bigger torquier mill in his land yaught.

 

No, it's just that one of the original concerns was will there be adequate "power to pull this boat."

i say definitely yes, because i was able to achieve this weighing at near or above 4000lbs. with 2.56 diff gear completely stock no headers. And i actually spun the right rear tire a little.

We have to remember that the 305 has the same stroke 3.48" as the 350 so some torque is there.


i mean this is a 61 cadillac for freaksake, not a 57 vette.

Cadillacs are for cruising, not racing.

 

Them there's fightin' words.

 

I couldn't agree more.
61 Caddy's,especially 2 doors, are cool cars. You asked for opinions and mine is don't scew up and put a small block in it.

 

Not caring about the HAMB Elite Foundation and the opinions given on what motors are acceptable in your Caddy, I have a '62 Sedan and you really wouldn't want any less than the 390 or similar. It's a BIG - HEAVY - SLOW car and no matter what you put it in, it's going to stay that way and the stock motor/****** set-up is pretty good on all accounts.

I think $600 is a deal and I would PM Squablow to see how to get ahold of it....

And if it's too far away, there is a '60 coupe on Craigslist in Houston that is being parted out. You might check there....

So there is my 2 pennies.....

 

it will work just fine with the chevy. but... by the time you get it sorted out you probably will have spent the same as getting a good '60-'61-'62 cad motor and bolting it in. sell the 305 to the right guy and stick with the cad.

 

The old saying fits here since we're talking about a Caddy. There's no subs***ute for cubic inches.
Cadillac put a 350 in their last full sized cars and they were nothing in comparison to the last 425 or 368 powered cars. To add, the HT4100 cars were total dogs.
Cadillac did put a 305 in their full sized cars in '91 but I don't have any feedback about how they performed but I have a feeling it was replaced by the 350 for obvious reasons.
The 390 for $600 sounds like a no brainer here.

 

My 64 caddy had a 305 and th400 was a pooch of the line but it cruised nice on the highway and got wicked gas milage

 

Only reason to put a 305 in a Cadillac is you don't have a flathead handy.

 

Opinions........... Just a thought, GM put a lot of 305s in mid 80 suburban's. most with a 700r4 which has a very low 1st gear. weight would be comparable I would think. Just sayin.

 

'71 was the last year for a higher compression 527/500 caddy motor in '72 they dropped them to 9:1 and I think they went to 8.5:1 in '73 ( I would have to get a book out to be sure on those compression numbers) I had a '72 Eldo that would roast the tires and it was front drive.

I hear a lot of bad mouth on the 305, I had a 305 in my last mud truck ( 84 Silverado) and it was the real deal more time in the bush then on the highway getting to the bush daily, granted it was only running 33" mudders but the 305 pulled it just fine and it would **** and git on the highway.

I have different reason to think that the 305 is not a good match for the caddy and it has absolutely nothing to do with brand consciousness. I would throw a flatty in a Camaro of that was what the engine de jour was. I just don't think it is a good match for the car.

Oh and you guys that say, "My car is a custom and the hood never gets opened" need to get back to the roots of custom cars. Customs were custom all the way to the bolts that held the A arms on. Low and slow is soooooo not traditional.

 

I think this pond is muddy enough...... lmao