So i've finally come to the stage in the progress of my 49 chevy fleetline, where i can drop in a mill, so i have a 472 caddy sitting in my garage, or i can get a chebby 350 from a friend of mine for free... my question is what would be better to build big horsepower? i havnt worked much with caddywhacks, but i hear they have high torque numbers even stock, but they also cost alot to buy performance parts for them, the 350 on the other hand is very easy to find parts for and u can build m***ive hp numbers with them with only a few grand, caddy would be something new that i havnt done and would be a great learning experiance.. but the 350 would take me only a month or better to build and install? whats ya'lls opinion on this? anyone faced with the same problem? caddy horror stories? thanks in advance for all the info.
49 chevy fleetlines that want to go fast should have a big block chevy in them, or a built small block. save the giant caddy for another giant caddy or a truck you need some torque in. now a 331 caddy with 6 carbs.. that would be OK.
hmm ok that's what i was leaning more towards, was looking at supercharger for bbcaddy with a 5k pricetag.. no thanks.. thanks for the info man
caddy will put out better number's stock than a decently built 350 will and will do so at much lower rpms. I 'm running a caddy 500 in my 74 K20 and love it. Think low rpms and tall gears for a car. The have the torque curve of a diesel engine. Caddy engines are basically the same design as the Olds 455's All you need to put a chevy ****** behind one is a Buick, Olds, Pontiac (BOP) adapter plate which can be had easily on ebay. I would suggest a TH400 as opposed to a TH350 though... If you want a stickshift theres a little more to it since caddys never had a manual behind them stock. Performance parts can be had for them, yes more expensive but think along the lines that you had more power to start with. Go for the Caddy... It's worth it.
damn.. lol i mean that caddy would have some braggin rights around here, there are alot of teens and their ****in ricers.. but i dont know i've got money for the caddy parts that's no big deal. maybe i'll use the 350 for the rest of the summer and then drop the caddy in next summer build it up over the winter..
If the car is lightweight, a high winding free revving engine such as the Chevy would be the most fun to drive, especially with a stickshift. If the car is a bit heavy, you will be very pleased with the way the Cad motor will pull it much better than a small Chevy would. The Cad motor radiates a whole lot of underhood heat, usually needs the starter protected from the exhaust pipe heat, usually needs oil pan work, or remote oil filter work, and tall gears... It is "almost" fairly cheap to rebuild if you don't go wild, and you dont need to go wild to get good power from it. The Chevy motor is the easiest to install, and if the car is light you will not notice the missing torque that the Cad engine has. I have been using a Cad engine in my trailer towing Studebaker Hawk for a couple decades as a family car. I like the Cad engine for that car, but there were many things to do to make it survive the tremendous underhood heat... oil coolers, 4-row radiator etc etc In the 1970's and 80's I had a banana yellow 51 Stude bulletnose Starlight Coupe with those wrap around conning-tower back windows. 1971 Chevelle 350 4bbl engine in it (an almost-brand-new Chevelle climbed a tree). I airbrushed the Beatles YELLOW SUBMARINE from the album cover on the sides of rear fenders. That lightweight car was a blast to drive with the free-breathing 350 in it. From decades of hot rodding and daily driving with both..... I believe you would probably be happiest with.. Chevy engine for a light car or Cad engine if the car is heavy. Chevy if you like to hear it wind and get the hot rod sound and feel... Cad if you want a steady, smooth, hard, quick, pull up to speed even if you are carrying some weight.
I have a 48 Olds sedanette. she is patiently awaiting a mildly built 472 or 500 caddy because it is something different. Not a run of the mill chebby clone. And the m***ive amounts of torque will ***ist it in thwarting the rice winders on city streets.
Go with the Caddy! according to the book Practical Engine Swapping the Caddy weighs 600lbs the SBC 550lbs the Caddy weighs less than a BBC.But think the Caddy has 122 more cubes,you don't really need to buy a bunch of speed parts with all that torque,just make it look pretty.Its like when you go to car shows and you hear"Oh,it's just another Chevy small block,YAWN!!" Show some balls,Dare to be different!!
Only from my expierence. I run a 500(506) with BLAH!BLAH!BLAH! mods to it.Edelbrock intake & Holley 850 Street Avenger. After a careful build & setup (All with the help & guidence of the fantastic guys @ www.cadillacpower.com) I stuffed it in a 51 Caddy sedan w/a th400 & all else stock. It scares the s**t out of the 5.0 boys & has the ricers scratching thier heads when they can't get away from GRANDPA'S CAR So my 2 cents......Do the Caddy. Al
I put the 472 into my 60 cad...in a word TORQUE! ..but also, a chev motor in a caddie would just be wrong. Yours is going in a chevy at least..not too out of place.
Put the 472 in it ,you won't be dissapointed,If the motor is a good runner give it a lick of paint and bolt it in.If not refesh the stock bottom end with new bearings and rings,freshen up the heads and put some stiffer sbc valve springs in there,put a healthy cam in it with an edelbrock intake. I'm a bit biased tho 1930 Model A 540ci caddy 1956 Coop de ville 500 caddy 1970 Coop de ville 514 caddy Tim
I have a 512cid caddy in my '29 model A rpu, more fun than any thing else i've ever driven. It's a torque monster, I've had my speedometer peg'd at 120mph and it still keeps pullin'. More power stock than most built SBC's. Plus not every body has one (yet). So, yeah, go with the caddy!
go with the cad. i have a 71 500 in my 56 chevy truck and it pulls great. the only thing that maybe can be a problem is the length of the engine. you have to use a proper radiator and fan.
Caddy's are not the same design as an Olds 455, well unless you want to say they're big V8's with monster torque, then they would be the same as every other monster motor, Buick 455, Pontiac 455, etc. And there is no need for an adapter plate for a ****** for them, most of them came with a BOP ****** that is fine, no Chevy ****** needed. Basically a stock 472 is gonna be more than you need with a very ild build. It'll fry your tires in stock form. Go Caddy... Yep...
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