305 sbc in a 61 Cadillac

I've got a 61 Cadillac that needs a motor and I have a pretty fresh 305 in the garage that needs a home. Does anyone have any input on the transplant? Number one, how well would it fit? Number two, would it have enough power to pull that boat around? Number three, would I be better off spending money on a Caddy motor or a 350? Any help and/or advice would be greatly appreciated!!

 

305... not cool...., 350 better but still kinda lame. 500 caddy tricky to fit but a much better choice for a 61 cadillac. 305 in a caddy is a bit of a disgrace.

 

you will probably get a ***le wave of don't do it. My opinion on cars like these if you don't have or can't afford the original engine find a later model caddy engine. a 472 would be great. If it was an olds I'd say find a olds 455, buick get a buick 455 so forth.
Love a SBC but to me it has no place in that vintage of caddy.
Those bigger cubes will work far less harder I don't think you'll see any difference in gas maybe even better.

don't do it!

 

Here is my thoughts on it. If you have enough gears you can move a freight train with a washing machine motor.

I am a died in the wool small block chebby guy. I have stuffed one in just about one of everything. But in the caddy its going to look like a ball bearing in an oil drum. It will work and it will no doubt move the caddy but I doubt that you will be happy with it.

Don't get in a hurry unless you need to drive the caddy to work on Monday. Look around a little bit and find yourself a big ol pig of a motor. You can scoore big inch caddy motors cheap most of the time. You don't have to have the old caddy mill 472s and 500s are always availabel and one of those will be a good fit in your engine bay. Or maybe you'll run onto a big olds like say a 455, or a 400 or so Pontiac. they will fill it out well and make plenty of torque as well.

That's just my thoughts on it.

 

All of you guys must have money falling out of your ***es. Old caddy motors are not cheap. Micah, do what you can afford. A 305? prolly not enough balls, but a mild 350 will do ya just fine. I've got a mild 350 in my '62 Le Sabre which is roughly the same size and weight. That ****er moves pretty damn good. And I can cruise 75 on the freeway and get 18mph too Plus, I could LITERALLY break down in **** **** Egypt and find parts for that small block chevy. I looked at my options; I was damn near broke. I could build a good 350 for $500 or I could rebuild my nailhead for $3,000. Kind of a no brainer. I'm hangin on to that nailhead while I collect parts and have enough money until I can get it back in the car. A chev in a Buick a disgrace? maybe. But the car's a custom and I never open the hood at shows, so **** it. Only some old fart with a good ear could tell a difference from the exhaust note anyway. Do what works for you, man.

 

Well, it won't do the best job of hauling the car around but it will get the car on the road running and driving for cheaps and that is the main thing. Plus at a later date it can always be pulled out and replaced with a Bigger engine or a Caddy engine.
I'd rather see the car running and driving with the the 305 than see it sit there with no engine under the hood. Too many guys on here forget way too quick that not everyone has an unlimited budget where cars are concerned.
My spy shot says that the 61 390 has a rear sump oil pan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0b1n-92kLE So the 305 should drop in without too many h***les. In the end it would drive about like a mid 80's Chevy pickup with a 305 in it. Ok but a bit of a slug.

Another low buck option might be to look for a 77/79 Caddy Deville with a good running 425 and bad body. Those cars seem to be everywhere cheap and That engine is a bit smaller than the 472/500 engines and does have a rear sump oil pan. You could probably find one and drive it home for under 500, get the engine tuned up and then pull it and the trans and sell the hulk and get a good part of your money back.

 

I guess it depends on where you are at. I know a guy who sold one here with trans for $300. cheaper to buy the car running and pull it often.
.http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/pts/2368680852.html

this one has less than 60K on mtr and trans for $799 probably score it 600.
http://westernm***.craigslist.org/pts/2366341365.html

this was quick 2min search
472 Cadillac Engine w/ Trans - $400 (Sedalia, Mo 65301)

<hr> Date: 2011-05-08, 1:40PM CDT
Reply to: sale-w6yd3-2369415991@craigslist.org ^{[Errors when replying to ads?]} <hr>
Been inside for 4 years - 472 cu Cadillac Engine w/ Turbo Transmission - Call Dave at 660-654-1186 located outside of Sedalia, MO

• Location: Sedalia, Mo 65301
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

<table summary="craigslist hosted images"><tbody><tr> <td align="center"></td> </tr></tbody></table>

 

If a guy doesn't already have a SBC with a good auto ******,a driveshaft to fit the situation,and exhaust system,it's still not inexpensive.So if you want to use a SBC,make it one that will do the job the first time around.
The usual problem,do I sink a ****load of cash into the car and make it a dream,or make it something I can build with the money I have.

 

I've got a 61 and am about to do the same thing. I agree about people forgetting that we can't all afford whatever we want. I bought the car cheap and it came with a 305/700r4. The original motor and trans are mia. Will I keep the 305 in it forever? Hell no. But will it be ready to cruise for our wedding in two months? Yep.

 

You asked if a 305 will fit under the hood of a '61 Caddy??? Hell, you can fit 2 of those in there... In-line or side by side.... Or maybe even stacked on one another and still have enough room to slam the hood shut.. J/K...

 

A little under powered torque wise in my opinion. It will fit and get the car going though.

 

Now that's a thought!!! Two 305's might do the trick. Definitely kustom and nasty. Thanks for all the help guys.

 

don't do it! the smallest i'd go is a 390

 

the caddy starter prob has more power then the 305,,,,will it work yes ,,will it live probally not long,,but its better then not having a car on the road,,,do it and when the money tree grows get a 350 or 400

 

I don't care who you are that there's funny!

 

Just do it man. The small block Chevy is nowere as cool as the Cad. But it will push it down the road just fine. Keep the hood shut and drive it. The colst of rebuilding the Cad mill is way out of range, and dont get me started on the trans.

 

I'd go with the 305, put in a mild cam, clean up the heads or go with vortecs, quadrajet, quicker ign advance and headers. All cheap upgrades and you'll get good power and decent mileage.

 

Is there anything in Cali that's not pricey...???

Cadillac 472's/500's can be found around here (ColoRODo) all day long for $500.00 or less and that'd include the ******. 390's even less $$...personally I'd stick to a Caddy engine, and I did:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=329070&highlight=the+best+55+caddy+build

Guess it all depends on how quik you want to cruise that big ol' Caddy...

Do you guys actually get several quotes on rebuilding stuff, just guess a lot or take the first rebuilders word...???

I got my 1970 500" Caddy engine rebuilt for less than $2000...my BOP T-400 trans rebuilt for less than $400...my brother's '54 Caddy 331" for less than $1700.00...or is it just cheaper to have engines/trans rebuilt in ColoRODo...???


R-

 

I know it's his car, do what you want with it, yada yada, but a 305 is missing the point of the whole forum.

The HAMB is dedicated to spreading the gospel of traditional hot rods and kustoms to hoodlums world wide. That’s right – TRADITIONAL.

If you go with the 305, might as well throw these on there too...

 

Went to an auction in the fall and a complete Caddy 500 with trans sold for like $100. Expensive, they're not.

 

I had a '74 Sedan De'Ville some years back with a good motor and trans in it... I just gave it away..

 

Big cads are cool, no doubt, but if you dont have the green to play, it's better to be driving with a snappy little v8 than sitting in the back yard collecting dust.

 

If you buy a 472/500 for $100 you know it's gonna need a rebuild $$$$

 

CADDY IN CADDY ..... my

 

CADDY IN CADDY ..... my $.02
"AND THE BOWTIE ROLLS ON"

 

maybe a 305 for now while he builds the real powerplant in his spare time?

all within 300 miles from Vinton LA. did a quick search on http://www.searchtempest.com If you keep checking every now and then, you're bound to find a deal if these aren't already

http://bham.craigslist.org/pts/2367012938.html
http://houston.craigslist.org/pts/2391226272.html
http://houston.craigslist.org/pts/2366149688.html
http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/pts/2371139864.html

 

Really?
Is the engine somehow going to know what you paid for it,and therefore smoke and refuse to run well?

 

472/500 inch caddy motors go cheap all the time and still have a lot of life in them. they haven't been much in demand as hot rod fodder because there are not a lot of hop up pieces produced for them until recently.

If you just look around you can find one worth the money and in the whole shceme of things they don't cost any more to overhaul than anything else.

 

the other issue is what about the collateral costs of putting the 305 in vs finding a 390 (that's whats in that thing right?) for it that runs. time, misc parts adapting stuff to fit where it doesn't, etc. It might after you consider all the details be cheaper to get another 390 that'll drop in easy and fit, than to figure out the 305, just to switch it back later when you have more $$$. With the time saved you could go to work or hold a bakesale or something and have a 390 you'd be happier with.

 

Everyone knows about the big Caddy engines being a torque monster......yet they go for small money it seems.It there a glut of big Caddy engine because the car was a 70's pile of **** and only the engine was worth saving...Or is the whole 472-500 engine not exactly the second coming of horse power?