I have a 500 cu in Caddy Motor and I would like to use a Tremec 5 speed manual shift.....does anyone know where I can find an adapter with the flywheel to do this with?
Go here and get the flywheel and throwout bushing. http://www.cad500parts.com/catalog/page27.htm You need to machine out the crank a bit for a throwout bushing. I used a dremal with good results on my caddy 500. Then hop on ebay and find a BOP Adapter plate. Edit. I also had to "clearance" the original caddy starter A LOT to get it to fit under the manual chevy bell housing.
1st- you'll want to search for a buick, olds, or pontiac bellhousing. chevy is different and won't fit. MTS makes a nice flywheel (but you'll pay for it). you'll have to have the crankshaft flange machined for a pilot bearing, as no BBcaddy motors ever came factory with a manual trans. there are many other small but important details involved in this swap, but this should get you started. also, is it an aftermarket or stock manual trans? you may want to do some research on the torque/hp capacity of the trans. 600+ ft/lbs of a built up 500 in a heavy car will lay waste to most factory-stock 4 and 5 speeds.
Contact Mike at Schraders http://www.schradersspeedandstyle.com/ He has put six speeds behind 500 Caddys a few times he knows all the parts and tricks.
The BOP bellhousing show up on Ebay from time to time. The last time I saw one it went for a reasonable $50. The 500 is a fun engine Good luck Bobby
The others beat me to it, B.O.P. bell would be better than an adapter plate, IMHO, though both will work. Drill crank. Yep, guess it's been covered. BTW, cadillacpower.com is the place for caddy performance talk! I'm on that board too and there ain't nothing that hasn't been covered there, try a search for manual transmission swap. Theres a twin turbo setup floating around in the classifieds too, hint hint..... -John EDIT: Wait a minit, he said a Tremec 5 speed. Can those use a standard old school 4 speed B.O.P. bell? I don't know. Someone else???
I put a Tremec in my 55. It will bolt up to an old school bellhousing. A Tremec is "conservatively" rated at 600 ft/lbs too.