Motor info needed-502 caddy
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 294
Likes: 5
From: Caledonia Ms
Motor info needed-502 caddy
hi again everyone. im lookin for info on mounitng a 502 caddy mota in my '72 vette. its a 454/4 speed muncie car without the 454. i bought the car that way about a year and a half ago with delusions of grandeur on how i was gonna fix it up. im ona limited budget and i have a chance of pickin this 502 up cheap. idk much about 502's really. well let me rephrase..idk nuffin about a 502 caddy. the guy says that the motor mounts were front mounted type and would have to be change but other than that he claims it'll fit. im doin some research on the 502 now..hp numbers and such. has someone here done this before? any insight on the 502? is this a mota i should pursue or should i stick with the basic BB chevy's? appreciate any info.
thanks
matt
thanks
matt
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 294
Likes: 5
From: Caledonia Ms
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,652
Likes: 49
From: Bridgewater nj
I've worked on 68-75 501 caddy motors and never noticed a front mount on them unless its the front drive eldorado. Most had the regular side mounts. The block is skinnier but it may be taller causing hood clearance problems. The trans will need an adapter to the BOP engines. I love that engine and just recently the after market peformance has stepped up with a few goodies
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
I know enough to be dangerous, the 502 is HEAVY, with a deep skirted block it's VERY strong, and can take up to 650 hp+ easy in airboat use....meaning flat out for hours....to blow one up, you will have to literally beat snot out of it....they are about 100 lbs heavier than a iron headed BBC, from what I have been told....
the belhousing will not match up.....you going to have to use a 4L80e tranny to obtain overdrive, as ~600 ft lbs of torque at idle is a tad much for most trannies, GOD himself can't help the stock shark rear diffy/shafts//// Any doubt ...look at the diameter of the steel 1/2 shafts in a '75 Eldorado....
they are rather wide, and tall....so I dunno if they will fit in a shark....
I guess given enough EFFORT, you can make anything FIT, but my money is you be spending more, and hating life/thought over the project by time you get it done.....
the belhousing will not match up.....you going to have to use a 4L80e tranny to obtain overdrive, as ~600 ft lbs of torque at idle is a tad much for most trannies, GOD himself can't help the stock shark rear diffy/shafts//// Any doubt ...look at the diameter of the steel 1/2 shafts in a '75 Eldorado....
they are rather wide, and tall....so I dunno if they will fit in a shark....
I guess given enough EFFORT, you can make anything FIT, but my money is you be spending more, and hating life/thought over the project by time you get it done.....
Pro
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 576
Likes: 3
Am I the only one to say that it's not a 502?
The emission sticker says 502 but its a 500 cubic inch.
Not that it matters.
It will do fine with a TH400 behind it.
I used to own a 1972 Cadillac Coupe deVille with a 472 and the stock TH400.
So you don't need a fancy expensive transmission.
Somewhere on the internet is a website with a list of engine dimensions, can't find it right now.
Here is a website with Cadillac performance guys, they know everything.
http://www.cadillacpower.com/forum/
With the economy the way it is I had to downsize three years ago from 472 Ci to 350....soon 383 
The emission sticker says 502 but its a 500 cubic inch.
Not that it matters.
It will do fine with a TH400 behind it.
I used to own a 1972 Cadillac Coupe deVille with a 472 and the stock TH400.
So you don't need a fancy expensive transmission.
Somewhere on the internet is a website with a list of engine dimensions, can't find it right now.
Here is a website with Cadillac performance guys, they know everything.
http://www.cadillacpower.com/forum/
Well I guess I was wrong. It won't be the last time.
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Racer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 315
Likes: 0
From: KY
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 294
Likes: 5
From: Caledonia Ms
I knew somebody out there had some experience with this mota. Thanks for the input guys. The guy I'm talkin to about it says its been built up and is somewhere around 700HP. Idk bout that but he's getting me a build sheet on it. Well see if its close.I just gotta figure out if it'll fit under the hood. Thanks again to all those who had some useful info and to any more who follow. I really appreciate it.
Ona side note. It never ceases to amaze me the ones thatll post on a thread without bringing anything to the conversation.
Ona side note. It never ceases to amaze me the ones thatll post on a thread without bringing anything to the conversation.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 430
Likes: 0
From: SIGONELLA Sicily
I knew somebody out there had some experience with this mota. Thanks for the input guys. The guy I'm talkin to about it says its been built up and is somewhere around 700HP. Idk bout that but he's getting me a build sheet on it. Well see if its close.I just gotta figure out if it'll fit under the hood. Thanks again to all those who had some useful info and to any more who follow. I really appreciate it.
Ona side note. It never ceases to amaze me the ones thatll post on a thread without bringing anything to the conversation.
Ona side note. It never ceases to amaze me the ones thatll post on a thread without bringing anything to the conversation.
And thats why we dont let the cow jump over the moon.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,664
Likes: 162
From: columbia city in
i dont know anything about the caddy motor. but before i tryied to put it in i would look into the exhaust .can you get headers that will fit or can you use the stock manifolds?I also would take some mesurements from a chevy big block and compare to what you have .when you get it done let us see some pics.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,557
Likes: 9
From: Oquirrh Mountains
St. Jude Donor '09
It can be done but remember, the accessory brackets likely won't work on the vette. You'll likely have to fab them. If you're using a 4 speed, you'll have to adapt a z-bar bracket somehow. Someone used to make a flange adapter for headers to use with these so that may be an out regarding the exhaust system. If I recall correctly, they are only about 60 lb heavier than a small block though.
The heads on these things are terrible compared to modern bbc heads. The 500 will be out of steam by 4500 rpm. The 472/500 were built to heft two ton eldorados around. High RPM motors these are NOT.
I would be interested in seeing the build sheet on this 700 hp engine. Is it available?
The bottom line is just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.
The heads on these things are terrible compared to modern bbc heads. The 500 will be out of steam by 4500 rpm. The 472/500 were built to heft two ton eldorados around. High RPM motors these are NOT.
I would be interested in seeing the build sheet on this 700 hp engine. Is it available?
The bottom line is just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 576
Likes: 3
I read somewhere that the 500 has some heavy pig iron pistons in it limits your max rpm to 4300 kind of boring
Quote
We need to stop with all this " I read somewhere" BS!
I can't even tell you how wrong it is.
Follow the link I provided and you will find guys running Caddies in jet boats making heinous amounts of power like Prostocktom.
People are running these in drag cars with silly amounts of nitrous and they sure as pie ain't running BBC heads.
Find it hard to believe how ignorant people can be, there is a lot more out there then " Chebbys"
Quote
We need to stop with all this " I read somewhere" BS!
I can't even tell you how wrong it is.
Follow the link I provided and you will find guys running Caddies in jet boats making heinous amounts of power like Prostocktom.
People are running these in drag cars with silly amounts of nitrous and they sure as pie ain't running BBC heads.
Find it hard to believe how ignorant people can be, there is a lot more out there then " Chebbys"
