Hello Rodders
Would any of you fine street rodders know of a source of information on any speed equipment and technical info on building up the 500 inch Caddy. Any info would be deeply appreciated. Thanks Bob H.
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Bob Harris

Bob- It seems that Street Rodder had a great series on a 500 Caddy buildup a couple of years ago, with sources, techniques, & advice. If anyone knows if there is an accurate magazine database of articles, I would sure love to make better use of my cabinets full of magazines. Good luck! Love those Caddies!
John

www.500cid.com
www.cad500parts.com

http://www.500cid.com/mts/info.htm

Check out www.mts.simplenet.com he's got a wealth of info and is also a good guy to deal with. He's in Delavan, Wis. He also has the book that includes the Street Rodder series plus other good tips.

That's good to know, my neighbors have a mid 70's 4dr caddy they said I could have for the taking if I'd just get it out of the yard. I don't know the engine size, but it's the biggest da** thing I've ever seen under a hood.
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Lance B.

mid 70's? 75&76 full size had the 500, Eldo's from 70-76 also had the 500. The only way to tell a 500 from a 472 is to check the stroke. The block and heads are the same. Also just because it came from the factory with a 500 doesn't mean it's still there. I took it for granted on one and it had had a 472 swapped into it so far in the past that it was as dirty as an original.

I have'nt even tried to find out any info. yet 'cause I've got so many irons in the fire right now. A bumper car, half a dozen 58 chevys, my dad's old 23 chevy touring, my 34 coupe, etc. The car is all original, that much I know. It belonged to the father of Johnny Morris that owns Bass Pro Shops. It was bought by him originally with every bell and whistle imaginable back then and is still in the family. I'm guessing it's a 76.
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Lance B.

You really have to look closely at those 472/500 boat anchors.
Lots of inches, very little performance unless you want to spend $$$. Typical smog motor pig that seems to have the money people over hyping it just cuz it is BIG.

Lots of better choices IMO.


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Carl
Automotive gold is everywhere; you just have to learn how to dig for it

These Big Block Caddy engines 425 to 500 c.i.d. are the perfect swap into the very popular 1967 to '72 Chevy Trucks. With a 3 series rear axle and all there torque they will knock you back in the seat and keep you there. If your pulling a trailor you can't beat the Big Caddy's. for the $$$. Just my opion. Regards, HonestFrank
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"VEO DINDICE"

I'll have to show my ignorance here honestfrank, but what is a "3 series" rear end?
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Lance B.

Let me guess....one ton truck?
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One man's treasure is another man's trash.

gear ratios, ya know, like 3.73's, etc
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If ya ain't drivin' it, it's just junk in the garage...

Ahh yes.
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Lance B.

I fail to see the logic in that swap. There are certainly a lot more 454 Chevys out there than Caddys. Parts are everywhere for motorhome to racing applications. 454 and 502 crates are everywhere.
Id give the Cad a few more years before parts are as hard to find as the original OHV's.

Heck, even 455 BOP stuff is not that plentiful anymore.

And yes I do tend to spend money on the real boatanchors, flatheads, so dont take me the wrong way. To each his own even if it means paying 2-4 times hp/inch as compared to the SBC! At least flathead stuff is plentiful.


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Carl
Automotive gold is everywhere; you just have to learn how to dig for it

I for one would NEVER consider a bearing spining 454(502 is a lot better motor but big bucks).The caddy is a good cheap motor for your rod.It weighs less than a boat anchor big block(yep go check the weight ) Very close to a all cast small block chevy. The only thing i think i would do if rebuilding one would be a real good baalnce an intake and some vavle train improvement(everything that a big block chevy needs)As far as asking Fat Man ??It does not surprize me he would have a hard time installin a caddy as have seen some of the work that comes out of that shop lately and i would be embarrassed if i owned the shop(very rich)I have used the caddy and its a nice alternative motor.A Flat Head??? I use those to hold up my work bench,talk about expensive to build.With nothing to show for but low hp and overheating LOL.. Just kidding love them all,and have used em all.Just dont give up on the caddy.We have been using the old motor for years and keeping it a secret.LOL(best damn donor car there is @ 100 bucks-free, nice motor, nice seats.tilt column ,electric window motors ) At least when you open the hood you wont see the same old big/small block chevy or flat head(the choice of your average cookie cutter rod) Good luc
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Drive like you stole it !!

How about comparing apples?
I wouldnt want to run a Caddy or a 454 wound up, after all one of the apps mentioned above was a 67-72 p/u.
Street driven, towing or hauling, Ill take the Chevy any time since I can always find parts.
Good luck on a Cad that has been out of production for decades.

In a fat fender GM rod I wouldnt be against anything that was GM. My old 38 Buick Roadmaster could have swallowed 2 Caddys and still had room....it got a built 364 nailhead instead adapted to the stock floor box.
A 35 Buick Series 40 wound up with a 390 Cad and hydro.
A 47 Cad limo got a 455 Olds and TH400.
A 35 Studebaker President got a 352 Packard and 3spd OD.
A 48 Nash got a 327 Rambler to the stock 3spd OD.
Several Jags, Mercedes and Volvos got SBC's, one got a 390AMC.

Im an equal opportunity swapper. All done without any professional help. Just friends, plenty of beer when its over and a long suffering wife ( 34+ yrs) that is a great cook .
Im more into having fun with strange combos than doing another YAWN clone.



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Carl
Automotive gold is everywhere; you just have to learn how to dig for it

Lostandfound if you had a problem with fatmans or a friend of yours had a problem you all should call brent and let him know.I have work at the shop and know almost all the regular guys and there all a good hard workers.I think that if you had a problem this is not the place to air it or bash him .What different does it make how much money he makes that his benefit and he must have a good product.


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A GOODGUYS REP

Hey thats what happens when your a wise ass on the phone and your product fails more than 2-3 times in my shop.Sorry just dont bring it up and i wont bother with it.But when i am around he will not sell a thing to one of my customers again.What do you think about his new snake oil front end for a staight axle car,if you know anything about frontends you will know that is nail in his coffin(another reason why i dont believe anything i read in streetrodder anymore). I respect your wish's but if someone pumps his name well too bad ,he should have realized that he is not the only one on this earth that knows frontend geo. Sorry.Maybe you should NOT pump his name ,and i wont tell the truth. :
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Drive like you stole it !!

Hello Bob
I you want some info on cad motors get in touch with fatman at fatman fabrication he can tell you a lot.He had put a caddy in 49 chevy , I can tell you that there were a lot of problems.
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A GOODGUYS REP

Hey guys!!! Most of ya'll know "Doc" Frohmader from all of his engine series in Street Rodder and he's built some nice engines including the big 500 ci Caddy!!! This was probably a couple of years ago and at the time, after market equipment was scarce to be sure but the artical generated so much interest ( because rodders believe in there's no substitute for cubic inches !) that you can now find plenty of parts to build one and not break the bank....
They were smog motors for sure but most of the engines that are carbbed and big are also smog monsters and the rebuilding is the same. A person would have to be on a real tight budget not to do at least some kinda rebuild before installing it! Hot Rod Magazine years ago did a funny article that also proved the bigger is better theory..They took a wrecking yard Caddy that ran and did a 1/4 mile run for a base line....uh..I had a VW that was a lot faster...and then proceeded to cut,strip,rip, you name it untill all that was left of the body was the cowl and windshield (with wipers lol) and the front and rear lights were mounted on brackets to keep it street legal...back to the track and the time dropped from about 22 sec down to 15 sec. I'm not sure if it would be classified as a roadster or if it could even BE classified. At any rate, the motors are plentiful and there are parts for them. If you could find Doc's article you would become a believer. There is NO substitute for cubic inches!!! or why would there be stroker kits et al for most all engines?? Fred P
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Fred P.

www.cadperfpts.com/

Check out my website at http://escape.to/DrChop and look at the Caddy Knowledge page, and the pages about Maggie's '54 Ford Kustom, powered by a 500.

Best big-cube engine ever built, in my book, if you're looking for grunt.

I have owned several, gonna build another for my '28 hotrod this spring. If you're browsing the MTS website, look at the Projects page, under '23 t bucket, that's my "under a grand - T" that I built over 5 years ago...

Doc

Aaah! A stroll down memory lane! I once had a '67 Chevy p/u with a 472 caddy. Wish I had kept it! I would definately do it again if given the opportunity.