aircooled said:
Caddies ain't no MG. They changed styling EVERY year (especially in the earlier years) which means there is not a lot of non-mechanical parts crossover, which means cosmetic stuff can be very pricey (compared to "normal" cars at least).
Just make sure to price out any missing parts before committing (unless you have no interest in restoration)
I have a friend with a number of early Caddies, including two limos, which yes, have a lot of unique parts (commercial chassis) compared to even the same year normal Caddie.
I've heard that the CCC can be very hard to find parts for. From the dashboard back it shares little in common with the passenger car. There's a couple of hearse guys on YouTube that make that abundantly clear.
Appleseed said:
I'd love a 12v Cummins swaped one. Seriously.
I dunno. I'm all about performance diesels but you need to look at what a built up Cad can make before taking that route. I won't tell you it will make as much torque as a turned up 12V, but I bet you'd be genuinely surprised.
A 401 CJ said:
Appleseed said:
I'd love a 12v Cummins swaped one. Seriously.
I dunno. I'm all about performance diesels but you need to look at what a built up Cad can make before taking that route. I won't tell you it will make as much torque as a turned up 12V, but I bet you'd be genuinely surprised.
Plus the character of a 12V Cummins would be very much at odds with the character of a Cadillac. It would have to be performance art.
A friend wanted to do that to my original '66 back in 2006 or so. The plan fell through when he realized it would take approximately a 55 gallon drum of engine oil to get halfway to his house on the engine in the car at the time.
A 401 CJ said:
Appleseed said:
I'd love a 12v Cummins swaped one. Seriously.
I dunno. I'm all about performance diesels but you need to look at what a built up Cad can make before taking that route. I won't tell you it will make as much torque as a turned up 12V, but I bet you'd be genuinely surprised.
I built a later (low compression) caddy 500 for the Bonneville. This was back before the common diesels were available in less-than-behemoth sizes. After I determined a 7.3 powerstroke wouldn't fit, and I wouldn't like the black smoke from a turned-up 6.5L, I built the caddy. Fully ported heads (my head porter hated me... lots of nickel in those castings.). 30-over pistons, and a cam that was actually smaller than stock. It was done by 4000 rpms. Dyno sims were showing nearly 600 lb-ft at 1800 rpms and no one believed me. After trying two Mustang dynos and neither one could hold the torque, I knew I was well over 500. I had SunCoast build me a custom converter that stalled around 1500 rpms.
I had a TH400, but even with 2.93 gears, first was pretty useless.
Stampie (FS) said:
californiamilleghia said:
are there any Caddy parts that if broke can leave you on the side of the road for a long time ,
things like one year only suspension parts or steering box ?
I'd say the biggest thing is brakes. They tended to change every couple years in the 60s and early 70s so parts availabity is more limited.
Brakes are getting tough. You could always find some parts-bin knuckles and rear axle that would be an easy adaptation to get you some 70s or 80s brakes under it. Many of the old-school drum spindles are forged, which means you can likely find a bearing/hub combo and weld on some ears to hold a caliper. Good example... my 67 LeMans has front drums, but forged spindles. The hot ticket there is using the steering arm bolts to bolt on a bracket to hold LS-era F-body calipers, pop the drums off the hubs, and an F-body disc slips right on. Not exactly a super simple swap, but it shouldn't be hard to do, nor expensive.
Suspension stuff is usually pretty easy. Nearly all suspension bits are kind of like wheel bearings... sold in nominal sizes. If you look for 1962 SDV bushings, you might not have much luck, but if you measure what you have, chances are there are a few hundred vehicles that use the same bushing size. Spings can be ordered out of a book in the exact specs you want. Shocks are relatively universal. I wanted more shock for my Bonneville, so I hit the parts catalog and found a shock with the right extended and compressed heights, and the right mounting configuration. It came from a Dodge Dakota.
Engine parts are out there. They are also pretty universal. Can't find points for your distributor? Pertronix makes a kit for that. Gaskets are easy. Need pistons, valves, lifters? There will be an off-the-shelf alternative. Pistons, maybe Buick or Ford 460. Lifters from several manufacturers have been made in 0.904" since Moses was knee-high to a burning bush.
Your big thing will be body and trim parts. I'm going to be looking for a GM fender for the 66 Bonneville soon. Wish me luck.
So, let's expand a bit. What if we stay Cadillac and exit the 60s? Say, through the 70s up to the 80s. Do I, for example, want to consider something like this brown '78?
I want a Pro Touring Seville like I detailed here.
A Nova in good shape is crazy high priced but a Seville in great shape is cheap. Novas got used up since they were cheap cars in their prime but tons of people squirreled away Seville that are available now in great shape, cheap.
Only 78 & 79 could be had without a vinyl roof. Hold out and be willing to pay more for a smooth roof. Lots of sins can hide behind a 45 year old vinyl top.
Not my favorite. The Seville was a K-body, which is basically a longer wheelbased X body, like the Nova. They also got the Olds 350 which is probably my least favorite GM engine next to the Chevy 305.
If you're looking for a big Caddy, the Seville is one of the smallest.
Deville/Fleetwood are my picks. They are C-body cars. A B-body is the full size. GM did a D-body which was a longer wheelbase B, then the C-body which is like a longer and wider B. C and D bodies basically became the same thing in 1985
The early 80s Fleetwoods are remarkably sweet rides and (in my opinion) the last true Cadillacs. Be aware if you get one, try to avoid the 368 engine and the 4100. Both sucked. They also came with an Olds 307 which were super wheezy, but they are super reliable.
The Devilles from the mid 70s will net you the 500ci engine. They are old enough to be a true classic, they drip of malaise which can keep the costs low, and if it was good enough for Jimmy Hoffa, it's good enough for me.
This 73 makes me feel funny like when I used to climb the rope in gym class.
I traded 1/2 a pack of marlboros for an 82 el Dorado one time. That ran and drove.
I got the E36 M3 end of the stick on that one.
Run, don't walk.
RossD
MegaDork
2/9/21 2:44 p.m.
If you are opening your search, might I suggest a 60s Thunderbird? I like the 64 to 66 model years.
Or a Lincoln Mark 3
The only reason I would get a Cadillac past 76 would be to swap in the better earlier engines. IIRC the RWD Deville/Fleetwood would accept a bolt in 500 ci early engine. I believe the Seville used the Olds engines and the bigger earlier versions of those engines are also bolt in.
I like the 70's Seville. Since it's basically an X-Body underneath, there are lots of parts bin swappable upgrades, especially on the aftermarket. Also, since the X is really close to the F-Body, a lot of the Camaro/Firebird stuff bolts on. Bonus! The Seville also got rear discs similar to the 1979 WS6 Trans Am, although the calipers (specifically the mounting brackets) are slightly different. Not the greatest setup in the world, but they do the job just fine.
One cool thing about them is that they are one of the first (maybe THE first?) GM car with multiport EFI. Yes, the ancient Olds 350 was brought into the modern era with cutting edge tech! They used a Bendix/Bosch system that's archaic by today's standards with some strange, non-standard parts, but it's cool to see that on something like this. Years ago, I snagged an aluminum version of that MPFI intake from a junkyard. Still have it.
In reply to Tony Sestito :
Yes, these Sevilles are not big so that gets us away from that goal but... You should be able to throw nearly the entire Jegs/Summit/Speedway catalog at it.
yupididit said:
So this is a no-go?
Cadi
I'd rock it but I think it'd have to get a 403 Olds with a big cam.
Jeff Schwartz won CarCraft Real Street Eliminator with an 82 Fleetwood. Dominated cars that you'd expect in Pro-Touring. But Schwarts definitely knows chassis tuning.
In reply to Appleseed :
He also swapped a big block Cadillac motor in it.
In reply to Appleseed :
That car broke my brain when it was featured in Car Craft, my then-"Car Bible" that influenced much of my car tastes in my formative years. Loved it then, still love it now!
WELL.....now that we've squirreled down a different path.....how bout a 1967 Olds '98???
yo pimp daddy....I'd rock one.....
yupididit said:
Stampie (FS) said:
In reply to Appleseed :
He also swapped a big block Cadillac motor in it.
Hmmm!
I have to wonder, in a racing application, if a larger, European engine with more cylinders would be better
Tony Sestito said:
In reply to Appleseed :
That car broke my brain when it was featured in Car Craft, my then-"Car Bible" that influenced much of my car tastes in my formative years. Loved it then, still love it now!
I meet Jeff in the Cadillac 472/500 forums back when he was building that car. I had no idea who he was other than I saw him building a bad ass car. Then later I saw him in magazines and mentioned by others I'm like that's the Jeff I know. To me back in the day he was just a dude building a cool car.
759NRNG (Forum Partidario) said:
WELL.....now that we've squirreled down a different path.....how bout a 1967 Olds '98???
yo pimp daddy....I'd rock one.....
Oh, yea! Better than the caddy for me!
maschinenbau (I live here) said:
yupididit said:
Stampie (FS) said:
In reply to Appleseed :
He also swapped a big block Cadillac motor in it.
Hmmm!
I have to wonder, in a racing application, if a larger, European engine with more cylinders would be better
I just wonder how a cadi 472/500 with a t56 behind it would fit in a certain car lol
Jeff's Caddy started out with an Olds, 455 I think. Then it ate itself. I think that's were the 500 comes in.
