So now that I've got a pretty good steady income, I'm shopping around for a project car. I've been passing two old GM full size hood rides for about 2 months now. One is a 1978 Ponitac Catalina and the other is a 1979 or 80 Caddy Sedan Deville.
The Pontiac has a pretty perfect body, or will after the 1/2" of pine tar is washed away. Interior is moldy and stinks, badly. Owner says it's only been sitting a year....sure. The bad news is the engine, a 301 (a number always to be followed by a fart noise). Owner wants $800, I think I could grab it for $500.
The Caddy is a rusty pile of E36 M3, but runs and drives and has new tires. It has a 368 baby big block and a TH400, I believe it isn't an 8-6-4. Seller is asking $400.
So here comes my questions:
While the Pontiac is a B-body and the Caddy is a C-body, I believe the frames and everything are pretty close in design. Would any parts from the Caddy suspension fit (without heavy modification) and be an upgrade for the Pontiac?
Did the Caddy come with a more stout rear end?
The 368 appears to be an underbored 425/472, sharing blocks, cranks, and rods. I wonder if GM left enough meat on the 368 to take the cylinder 6.7 mm over, to use 425 pistons. Probably not....?
I'm kind of toying around with the idea of putting the caddy engine in the Pontiac, but only if I could bring the displacement up. Just throwing a Pontiac 400 in there might be too boring. Maybe a Buick 455 or an Olds something or other.
E36 M3box #1 looks like this:
E36 M3box #2 looks like this:
I do not love either of those choices but one of them reminded me of one of my most favorite cars I owned when I was into land barges with wheelspin.
Mine looked exactly like this except black, and a lot E36 M3tier. It had a Pontiac 400 and a 4 speed (swapped in by PO). It was a stupid, stupid car. I miss it.
I'm not in love with either of those cars either, but cheap and V8. I actually hate Pontiacs. I like a Carpice though, and it's the same damn thing.
In reply to RoughandReady:
Now that we're talking tire smoking land barges, I had a '65 caddy 4dr with the 429, and it would annihilate some tires. It looked like this, but way, way E36 M3tier.
Thread maybe to full of E36 M3 even for GRM. 
Miata.
So far I've been able to gather that the Cadillac springs are shorter and have higher spring rates. Assuming higher curb weight.
To really turn some heads, and to give you a more difficult project, you can go with a 350 and put one or two small (relatively speaking) turbos on it with a blow-off valve to make observers go 
when you drive by.
I likes me some old Pontiacs. Local dealer has this '79 Bonneville w/ 40K miles advertised for $6K. Really wanted one back in the day, 301 and all. Might be too nice to cut up but a LS swap would turn this into one helluva turnpike cruiser/ sleeper.
This dealer gets a lot of his cars from Mecum auctions, bet he paid $3K +/-. Gonna hafta hit Mecum one of these days.
Not meant to hijack, because needs some Pontiac love. 
Mr_Clutch42 wrote:
To really turn some heads, and to give you a more difficult project, you can go with a 350 and put one or two small (relatively speaking) turbos on it with a blow-off valve to make observers go when you drive by.
That would be cool. My whole idea to go with something American is to throw an unnecessarily large engine in it. That way I don't reaaalllyy need to go spending money inside the engine. Just wall of torque. Also, since these boats are full size/full frame, either should be good for towing. TORRRRQUE.
So, I'm thinking caddy 472/500 or Buick 455. The Buick might be the better choice if I ever went around a corner, I believe it's a good bit lighter than a Cadillac V8.
it's just me.. but I would love a full sized late 60's early 70s caddy with a turbo diesel.. but I am strange that way
find a 500 caddy and stuff it into a g body but really i have a thing for square american cars and would drive either of them. not my number one choice but a good limited slip and torque makes for fun cruising
buy the caddy, find a 455 olds or buick, swap in beat the tar out of it and enjoy!
