I'm goin big block!!

texaselky · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:06 am Post subject: I'm goin big block!!

Well I may have just fell off into the deep end...without a flotey I pulled a Caddy 500 form an El Dorado and hopefully by the spring I'll have accumilated the parts to put it in the Camino. It would seem there are plenty of ppl putting these things in G body's with great sucess, soo I'm giving it a shot!! It seems 500hp and 600 ft lbs of frame twisting torque is fairly easy with these motors.
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1984 El Camino
Kyle, Texas

theelcaminofactory · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 12:01 pm Post subject:

Wasn't the El Dorado front wheel drive? What trans do you plan on using?
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toms84ss · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:27 pm Post subject:

Sounds like a cool swap. Keep us updated on this one.

464elky · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:37 pm Post subject:

Keep us updated on how this goes Mark.
the one thing I even bought the metal to do and decided I didn't need to was to box the center of the frame. I wish I had. When I really get into my Buick in second you can really tell it is flexing up and down.
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Another 3 to 9 years should finish it.

87ElCamino · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 6:12 pm Post subject:

You have the correct 500 to put in a g-body. A regular 472 or 500 has the wrong oil pan and needs a FWD El Dorado rear sump oil pan and pickup tube to fit in a g-body. You will also need the motor mount kit to put one in a G Body.

If you haven't found it already, here's a good site to get the parts and technical info to do the swap. Maximum Torque Specialties Be prepared to spend quite a bit on the conversion.

The Caddy motor has a BOP bellhousing pattern, not a Chevy. Even though they are a "torque monster" in stock form they are VERY expensive to play with. By the time you aquire the required parts, rebuild the old, worn out POS and actually get it in the car and running properly you could have built a 454 that bolts right in and will run rings around the Caddy!

My $.02
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87 El Camino
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texaselky · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:58 pm Post subject:

I actually considered a 454, but I wanted to be a lil different than everyone else. Plus I needed to do something with this transmission leftover from a Trans Am project! I found several places that pimp the Caddy parts and by shopping around parts arent all that much more.
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1984 El Camino
Kyle, Texas

mgs72elky · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:35 pm Post subject:

I have no clue what kinda numbers the 500 is putting out, but about 28 years ago I had a '76 Caddy Sedan DeVille with the 500ci. And let me tell you, it would pull that big Caddy along like it was a toy, and that car had to weigh 5,000 lbs.

PS - Thanks for the memories
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1BadElky · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 10:29 pm Post subject:

nothing I love to read about more than 500+ HP in a G-body! Happy

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texaselky · Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:29 am Post subject:

Well it may take all winter but i'll get it "One piece at A Time" As Johnny Cash would say.
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1984 El Camino
Kyle, Texas

old_coot · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 11:00 am Post subject:

I am happy to hear someone else is following my lead---LOL----I can give you some help with it if you want-----the Caddy block is super---very little core shift and strong as all get out....little known facts are thats its lighter than a big block chevy---once you replace that monster intake that is, and also the bore is 12 1/2 thousandths smaller than a 455 Buick. I took a set of 455+.030 forged pistons, milled .075 off the top---its a complete dish piston except at the very outer edge---so I ended up with a slightly smaller dish, and bored the block 42 1/2 thousandths plus a set of arp bolts added to the stock Caddy rods made for a cheap Hi-po short block. There are two sets of heads for the Big Caddy engines ---both have decent valves and the worlds worst springs--you can literally push them down with your hands (caddy's way of keeping you from overrevving the big dude). If you use the small combustion chamber heads you end up with 11.5 to one compression with my combination, but the large chamber heads drop the compression down to a managable 9.8 about. These engines have a nice long rod so the stroke/rod ratio is terrific.
One of the biggest deals I found was that the spacing on the exhaust ports is almost identical to a 385 series big block Ford---(429-460) so I ended up with a set of headers off a 4 wheel drive ford F350--welded up the holes they had in the header flange and redrilled to match the caddy and I was done with that. I used an Edelbrock intake (2115 I think---working from memory here, I can check that when I get home)with the complete comp cam setup with springs and all. The only thing exotic that was needed was the rocker arm setup from Maximum Torque as previously mentioned....Keep us informed of your progress and if i can offer any advise feel free to ask..................Dan

P.S. total cost to build my engine the way I did it was under $3000---doubt you could refresh a running 454 for any less than that much less come even close to the torque this engine puts out. the bonus is its lighter and with the distributor up front, easier to do things with (causes some folk to ask "what is that a Ford?")--and yes it has the BOP bell housing but so does a TH2004r overdrive tranny and the Buick boys (and I'm one of them) are getting those to live behind a bunch of power so its doable.
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texaselky · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 11:19 pm Post subject:

The Buick piston sounds like the way to go! I have the large chamber heads and all I can find is flat top pistons that will give 9-1 and I was kinda wanting to get around 9.5, so thats perfect!!
I ordered the Edelbrock intake from Summit and that thing looks awsome! And from what the Caddy boys say with that intake the 500 is only 40 lbs more than a stock 350!
The rockers from MTS seems to be the most expensive part I need, and they even have swap headers for the G body and at $355 even they are reasionable.
I find myself in the garage just staring at the engine stand, and it seems the more I look at it the more excited I get! Maby I'm 18 again!!
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1984 El Camino
Kyle, Texas

old_coot · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 7:45 am Post subject:

Well let me give you another little thrill-----the machinist that did my engine was so impressed with it he built one for his own pulling truck and when he dynoed it, it made 630hp and 680 ft/lbs of torque all below 5200 rpm-----he used the exact same pieces I did so I am expecting to have a hand full when I push on the loud pedal----I'm putting this monster in a 54 Chevy 5 window pickup.......................Dan
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I don't think I have ever had a car that was "FINISHED"........unless it was totaled.

texaselky · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 8:55 am Post subject:

Well, do share the "recipe" then!!!
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1984 El Camino
Kyle, Texas