tired of lsx swaps. what about a 76 cadillac 500 cu in v8?
#1
Race Director
Thread Starter
tired of lsx swaps. what about a 76 cadillac 500 cu in v8?
im sure it would be heavy and slower than an lsx swap - but it would def be a torque monster.
i read with intake/head/cam/valvetrain mods, people are able to get 500 + hp out of them.
ive read the cast nodular iron crank is beefy and can handle 1000 rwhp.
surprisingly, when modd, people get 6000 rpm redlines as well.
a different idea thought id share
i read with intake/head/cam/valvetrain mods, people are able to get 500 + hp out of them.
ive read the cast nodular iron crank is beefy and can handle 1000 rwhp.
surprisingly, when modd, people get 6000 rpm redlines as well.
a different idea thought id share
#2
Safety Car
That shop in Albuquerque used to be the main guy on how to build 500 Caddies. I recently looked into a build and if you want to keep the rev limit to 4800 rpm, you can get 500 hp and 575 TQ with their cam and intake and a big-block chevy set of long tube headers with the header adapter kit.
The problem is that a big lump like that doesn't have a wide powerband or willingness to change rpm and all that...it might work with an automatic trans though.
The problem is that a big lump like that doesn't have a wide powerband or willingness to change rpm and all that...it might work with an automatic trans though.
Last edited by mike100; 01-21-2017 at 01:58 PM.
#3
Melting Slicks
It's an interesting idea. This is not exactly the same but a while back I saw an article on someone who put a BBC 454 in a C4, he did the conversion back before there were LS engines etc... I might be wrong but I think GM even considered a BBC C4 that would have been called the ZR-2 but decided against it since they didn't want to compete with the LT5 ZR-1. So your idea certainly has merit, wouldn't be my first choice for swaps but it would be cool and different if done right.
#5
A 500 Caddie is a boat anchor. It would make a novel conservation piece but for the cost of making decent power out of one of those engines you can make more power cheaper with the LSX swap. That's why they are common. But if you really wanted a conservation piece that would still make good power and have the C4 performing at the top of it's game I would suggest one of the many turbo 4's or 6's out there. I know it's blasphemy but since they put LSX engines in Mustangs all the time why not a 300+ HP ecoboost 4cyl. That would get them talking
#9
Team Owner
Pro Mechanic
500 horse/6000 RPM redline... w/cam/heads/intake and valve train? How is that different than a 400 inch SBC (other than that it consumes a lot more space)?
#10
Melting Slicks
a few years ago, well more than a few, CAR CRAFT (?) or some other hot rod mag did a build up, "BAD SEED", putting a 500 ci Caddy into a Vette...a Chevette that is. It worked out surprisingly well.
#11
Race Director
My Dad had one of those things and although it made a ton of torque, it was about as responsive as a Hippo on quaaludes. You'd have to replace nearly every part on and in it to wake it up. You would spend far less on a more popular platform unless you just have to have something different. It was about as close as a gasoline engine ever got to being like the Oxen that lugged the Conestoga wagons to Oregon.
#12
Le Mans Master
#13
Team Owner
Pro Mechanic
Yes....I saw that. But what's it getting you (besides mass and bulk)?
Here is the criteria again: 500 horse/6000 RPM redline
Isn't that attainable with 400+ inch SBC's, already?
I "dig it" -the idea of a built out Caddy engine....in a Caddy, or Buick, or some other sh!tbox....but if I saw a C4 hood open and that lump sitting there, that would be a turn off, to me. Big, fat, heavy, and no objective benefit? Not in MY 'Vette.
Here is the criteria again: 500 horse/6000 RPM redline
Isn't that attainable with 400+ inch SBC's, already?
I "dig it" -the idea of a built out Caddy engine....in a Caddy, or Buick, or some other sh!tbox....but if I saw a C4 hood open and that lump sitting there, that would be a turn off, to me. Big, fat, heavy, and no objective benefit? Not in MY 'Vette.
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Raidmagic (01-25-2017)
#16
Race Director
One problem with the 500 Caddy is that it is a really wide motor; much wider than a big block Chevy. With a big block Chevy, exhaust manifolds are tight. I would guess with a Caddy, it would hard to fit the exhaust without major surgery.
#17
Team Owner
Pro Mechanic
Just use the exhaust manifolds as engine mounts and weld them to the frame rails. You'll get a stiffened front end AND a towak monsah at the same time!
#18
Le Mans Master
You'd have to use a mock-up engine (block with head castings mounted) to position the engine where you want it to design and fabricate motor mounts. Bolt the mock-up in place and make your own headers using an assortment of bends.
#19
Instructor