Hello everybody! I was wondering if anyone has any experience shoving a Cadillac 429 into a '46-'48 Plymouth Coupe. I recently acquired a healthy caddy 429 along with a th-400 transmission for almost nothing and I would really like to drop it in my '47 Special Deluxe coupe. I realize not everyone would do this, but since I bought the car minus motor and trans I figured it would be a good idea to pick up the combo from my buddy for a very good price. I"ve heard of some customs that run caddy motors but I've never heard of a 429 conversion. I'm running the stock steering box and column and I was wondering if there was anything to beware of or watch out for? I got the motor and trans combo cheap enough to where I could just store it and save it for another car but I would really like to drop it in my '47. Any info or insight would be helpful. Thanks, Kirk
Probably should go with a early 70s Cutl***, Camaro or Chevelle front clip. With the OEM front it's hard to get room for a Hemi w/o recessing the firewall. With that clip a 331 hemi drops in nicely. I suspect the same with a big Caddy.
i know putting a 318-360 is a squeeze....sheesh id hate to think about trying to fit that m***ive engine in there look into the front clip idea...clearing the stearing box and such cause its hard for a small block to clear it
My 40 Plymouth Coupe was a daily driver for years with a 440 when I first got it on the road in the mid 80s....
Thanks guys for the info, and that 440 looked awesome! I'm new to the HAMB but I'm really starting to like this. Alot of good info from people who more than likely have already been through where I'm going. Thanks again for the help guys. Kirk
I would suggest that you look into the Fatman R&P adapter that uses a Cavalier rack and eliminates the steering box on the side of the frame issue. Chrysler used a center link mounted on the front crossmember and a different gearbox when that put the Hemi into their cars. Some used a drag link to the center link much like the 50's Chevys did, and some used a cross link from a box simular to the Mustang box that put most of the gear box on top of the frame to provide more space for the engine.
yeah i dont see how anything would get in around the stock steering. that thing is huge. here are an R&P threads i was directed to: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=144647&highlight=steering i found a cavelier R&P on ebay for 40 bucks. i havent got to that part on my project but hopefully i can get a 318 poly in there i am working out a trade on. do i have anything measured? nope. but my fingers are really really crossed. good luck. damn crazy mopar guy... where are the valve covers? looks awesome. but did you have to take the fenders off to bolt that thing in.
A rear sump LA 318 will fit in with an OEM steering set up. Just move the 318 1" to the p*** side & a small dent on the firewall for valve cover clearance. Not sure about outside dementions of the A 318. rear sump LA pan is supposed to fit the A. Some ninor inner fender cutting required for the LA.
Hello all...I am new to this site and love hotrods! I have a 50 Dodge Wayfarer and my Sister gave me an E-350 box van which has a good running 460. I want to install the 460 in the Wayfarer. Yes, I know it's overkill but it was free and and would like to put it in there. Rack and pinion with disc brakes and brake booster. Any ideas? Steve
Forgot to mention, my '48 with the Cutl*** subframe ran an Olds 455 for 8 years, fit as well as the Hemi that replaced it.
You need to do an intro @ the proper location. A 50 is about the same as the 46-8s. get out the tape measure.
I dunno....429 and 460 are bulky...After staring at my 49 and my 50, I think I see a couple of projects on Craigslist.... .
Once you pull the inner fenders out of the front sheetmetal, the 40s cars had a lot of room. It does get pretty crowded around the driver side firewall with the steering and brake master there someplace, and some clearance may need to be cut into the firewall on both sides (firewalls are pretty flat except where the indentation for the inline flathead 6 used to be). Careful measurements are the key, but like thay said back in the day, with a welder and a tourch, anything can be fit anywhere, some just require a little more work then others. A rear sump oil pan will help a lot with fitting any engine in this era Mopars, the front crossmember is big and is inline with the front spindles, pretty much. The Cavilier rack works well on the 39-mid 50s Mopar bodies and solves a lot of under hood clearance issues. Were I to do another one, I would make an adaptor to attach to the rack and use stock tie rods. The 39-mid 50s tie rod ends are the same ones Mopar used through the 70s in Dodge 1/2 ton trucks, they will be around for a while yet. Gene
Sounds like you guys have been there and done that...I had originally desided to go back original with the car but there is too much rust in the rockers and floorboard. Lots of nos parts that I have gathered off of ebay incuding a 251 engine with the Spittfire head. I looked at the rack in my girlfriend's Sunbird and it looks like the same one in the Cavilier. HMMMMM?? The 460 is in an E-350 box van as I said so I will use the box for a tool shead and instead of renting a cherry picker to pull the engine, I will use the saws-all to chop up the cab to make engine removal easier. Steve
Putting a cad in a old mopar is very cool so tired of put a mopar in a mopar nice to see some one that wants somethimg driffrent keep us posted
Cav & Sunbird are the same. Engines usually easier to pull out of a junk van by going out the p***enger front door, keeps your shed intact!
I grafted a rear steer Nova stub under my 51 Ply 3w coupe. For me, it's worth the effort to have modern suspension geometry and the ability to easily replace or upgrade the components. I'm running a 383 with a truck pan, and everything fit very nice. The steering column (Cad tilt/tele) goes right on the box with NO intermediate shaft or adaptors. P***. side firewall clearance will be an issue with any V8 unless you move it way forward. I kept the underfloor pedals and just upgraded to a modern power brake master and hydraulic clutch. The Nova track width is a little wide if you like the look of the stock wheel placement. Sorry for the ****py cell phone pic. For some reason it's the only one I can find of the front end...
Well... It wasn't a 460 but a 400. I have it in the Wayfarer now and have the cavalear rack mounted. Does anyone know the moog (ES) part # for the right hand threaded tie rod ends for the 50 Wayfarer? So far I have the Intrepid inner tie rods with adjusters which have M18X1.5 threads. I will have to cut off the end of the original tie rods which have the 11/16"X18 threads on the end and weld them to to the Intrepid adjusters. Unless I can find a metric tie rod that has the right taper. Checked out Moog's site as they have all the deminsions of there tie rods. http://www.moog-suspension-parts.com/Universal_Outer_Tie_Rod_Ends.asp The closest one I found is for a 2000 F-150! here's another one... http://www.moog-suspension-parts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=MOOG-ES3369T I just happen to have one outside so I will pull it and see... Steve
Steve, do you have part numbers for your steering u-joints? I ***umed that the left inner was the same as the right outer, no one seems to have the right one listed. I read on here somewhere that Explorer tie rods fit, which is probably the same as that F-150 tie rod.
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