Can I drop a Caddy 390 into a 1950 Caddy?

I get the impression that the 390 is basically a 331, but does that mean it will bolt right in?

 

Nor it will not, but they are in the same family. You will have to put the early motor mounts on the 1959-62 block, not too big of a deal. It is the transmission and the back of the block that are different. The 1949-54 Cad had the extend cast in bellhousing like the Olds of the era. The 1955-62 Cads are the std block type and the bellhousing is on the trans. There were adapters to make up the difference, basically to put an early trans behind a later motor. Pretty tough to find. If you plan on changing the trans to a TH400 or 700R4 with an adapter than it shouldn't bee to big of a deal. There should be a lot of room as those early Hydramatics were pretty good size and had about a 2 foot long tailshaft on top of it all.

 

when my dad said why dont you throw a big block in the rambler . I said will it fit? he said anything will fit if you want it bad enough.

 

Great info, thanks.

 

a friend of mine is in the process of doing the exact same swap and he's had a hell of a time with the drivers side exhaust manifold... you'll have to do some serious work to make something fit.

I dont know if the earlier mounts will bold right on... I put a 62 in place of the 56 motor in my model A, and the mounts line up, but are further forward on the block, so the motor and trans moved forward 3/4"

 

You can drop any engine into anything if you get the engine high enough!

 

if you wiggle it right, you can also fit a 472 into a 48.

but we cheated and used a Trans Am clip.

 

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100&#37;" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on" width="100%"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">Do a 472 or a 500 you will be happier. Rags
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I think I would be happier. How much of a h***le though is it to put a 472 where a 331 used to be? Am I looking at a lot of fabrication, moving the steering box, radical suspension modification, etc? Please advise, because I really would prefer the later engine for a whole host of reasons.

 

No suspention mods needed, but you will have to fab up some mounts, and notch the crossmember to accomodate the oil filter on the 425,472,500. Make sure you get the TH400 trans to go with it.