Hot Rods Good bye Flaty, HELLO Caddy!

Hi

After driving my 32 roadster for the past 2 years with flathead engines, an opportunity of getting a low mileage 365 for a fair price arrived a month ago.... I always have been a big fan of Flathead engines, the last one I built is a stroker 286, full ported, with 270f schneider cam, milodon valves, lincoln springs, and lot of goodies... the car runs great.




I decided to jump on the opportunity to get this early caddy OHV, as it only have 60k miles on it and runs great and i think it will still fit with the spirit of the car. Also, any hot rodder of the middle 50' will have done it if possible ;-)
Here is the engine, I'm working on the cleaning at the moment...


I will bolt my T5 transmission via an adapter kit from Wilcap.

Please let me know if you have any advice that I should be aware off...

Cheers

 

Can t wait to try it ;-)

 

Flatty's are cool in their own right but one can't complain about swapping in a Cadillac.

 

engine weight difference?

 

What about the radiator? Can you use the same one and tee the two radiator inlets together, and the same for the two outlets?

 

Yes the caddy is heavier ;-(, I will keep the original radiator and engine mount and adapt .

 

The 365 is a great engine. All of the early 331 bugs were worked out much earlier and the quality is there.

Only thing you are missing is an Eldorado Q-code intake, but I'm guessing you're going aftermarket. Also, parts are easy to get on any 331-365-390.

 

Oh the horror of it all..................................

 

At least its not an sbc.

 

I more or less agree with your decision. While I love flatties I guess the only thing that would kind of be acceptable is an early Caddy! Good choice. g

 

good choice

 

or a Y block!

 

The caddy was the only ohv I will swap against my flathead Thanks for Your comments

 

Weird, I didn't realize the Caddy/Olds motors of that era were so heavy. Having wrestled with a Flathead swap last summer I would have bet they were comparable.

 

NICE car - Nothins' lackin' when your Caddilacin'

 

Like the line from "Dances with Wolves"---good trade.

 

When using an aftermarket valley cover , what are you doing with the rear vent tube that was in the original valley pan ??

 

I dig it...

 

I took my new valley cover to the local machine shop and used an old (60's) straight up valve cover vent They machined the ribs and flat machined the top so it would sit right. Just make sure they machine between the bolts in the valley pan. The other choice is to add a PVC vent and PVC.

 

OK, will do at too

 

Just an Idea..... take the heads of the flat head and make then into valve covers for the caddy engine, acorn nuts and all....................damn pain meds. I keep invisoning things

 

;-)

 

Sounds like the right choice for the right car, you don't see those wheels very often.

 

Damn didnt see the wheels, very cool thanks for pointing it out, NOW the big question and the one every one has in the back of there mind WHAT COLOR

 

Some news, Engine finally in!

Have to work on the engine mount now, exhaust, ans so on...

 

Great choice, I think a real smart decision.

 

I had a '40 Coupe with a 331 Cad, ('39 box, '40 rear end) in 1959.
The large perk of the deal was when somebody asked "What've-ya-got-in-it?" was to casually say... "CADILLAC" ....
Just seemed to say it all!

I installed a few Caddies in early Fords, (mostly in '29-'34s) but when asked how a Cad could possibly go into a Ford?
It was a snap...Sut's Auto wreckers sold an adaptor, 3/8" plate cut and drilled, $16.00!
Tex's auto wreckers had Cad/Olds stick flywheels...$8.00.
Ford truck pressure plate/disc, and the pilot bearing: Sut's again.
Caddy had the starter on the right side...
That's how it was in San Jose in 1955-1965...