500 Caddy/Monte Clip into El Camino

[dirtywhiteboy]

Re:

Yeah, the engine in the background is an old Chrysler Fire Power, it's actually a 1955 331 it's pretty much a builder/spare parts/display/coffee table/shop ornament right now LOL.

I do have a Hemi project lined up after the El Camino is done, a 37 Dodge Pickup street rod. The engine for that one is built and running, I put a short video of it on U Tube (sound quality sucks though)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5VEbByTEUc

Actually the one I really want to hear run is that old Caddy motor.

I just found this project....I LOVE IT! Keep it going!!!


on the hemi project you have waiting, that is cool as hell too. In fact I have a '47 Dodge with a 55 291 DeSoto hemi waiting for the cash flow to catch up 😀

SORRY BOUT THE HIJACK :wink:

 

[Mike P]

Re: 500 Caddy into El Camino

No problem on the hijack DWB looks like a neat project (just something about plug wires going thru the center of a valve cover LOL).

I’ve got El Camino pretty much stripped now, and hopefully will get an estimate on the body work sometime this week.

I managed to get the last little bit I wanted to do done this weekend…..the final welding on the frame mounts. I slotted the passenger side to allow the engine to to set in place with the motor mounts attached to the engine.

Now to see how much it will cost to make it pretty.

 

[Mike P]

Re: 500 Caddy into El Camino

Just a quick update. The project has kind of been sitting on dead center for about a month now, I’d been waiting to take the engine apart until I got the body in the body shop, but after not hearing back from the body guy I went ahead and took the 500 apart the beginning of the week.

The bore and crank both turned out to be standard so the cylinders should clean up at .030 and the crank at .010. The block went to the machine shop this morning and I should hear back on whether it’s a good rebuild candidate sometime tomorrow.

Of course after I got the engine tore apart and arrangements to drop it off at the machine shop I talked to the body guy. He came out last night and gave me an estimate on relocating the El Camino body lines to match the Monte nose and doors, fixing the small rust issues making it straight, putting it in primer and blocking it. Basically when it comes back all I should have to do is final sanding and painting it.

I’m dealing with a both a new (to me) body shop and machine shop as the businesses I used to use have both gone out of business. If the time estimates on getting the body and engine back are close, it looks like I’ll be busy again in about a month.

 

[84sscutty]

Re: 500 Caddy into El Camino

Great build Mike. Got me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next update.

 

[Mike P]

Re: 500 Caddy into El Camino

Here is the start of the final assembly. The weekend was spent putting the engine together. It’s not much more than a stock rebuild with a bit more cam and better valve springs. With the .030 overbore it now displaces 507 cubic inches.

 

[bawazir]

Re: 500 Caddy into El Camino

Damn that took you a loong time of doing

 

[tc1959]

Re: 500 Caddy into El Camino

I worked for Cadillac for years and some of those 500 C.I. engines where 400 + H.P. in the early 70's I think you might need another one to put in the back just to keep the back tires on the ground.
P.S. for all you kids out there that's over 8 liters

 

[beermonkey9417]

Re: 500 Caddy into El Camino

lookin REAL nice. cant wait to see the body!

 

[Mike P]

Re: 500 Caddy into El Camino

A few more things are ready to go now, the first being the TH400 which is rebuilt and ready to bolt on.

I also got the broken shifter handle replaced, I built the round one out of an old 8 ball shift knob (drilled it and added a button to release the detents) and the long handle I picked up at autozone. The long one on the shifter has now also been painted interior color and I’ll figure out which one to use when I put the interior together……I’m leaning towards the long one that is on the shifter in the picture but we’ll see.

I stopped by the body shop again today and there has been steady progress there too. The front clip and doors are done along with the tailgate. He’s currently working on matching up the door/quarter panel body lines. So far he’s got the lower line between the door and the wheel well and the line at the top of the door done, and both look really good. Hopefully it won’t be too long until it’s back in my shop.

And hopefully my rally wheels, derby caps and trim rings will come in next week (15X7 rear, 15X6 fronts).

 

[84cutlassjuggalo]

Re: 500 Caddy into El Camino

hats off to you man that is one great looking idea. I actually would love to do it myself but i have 3 cutlasses i gotta get on the road lol. Whats the spec on the 500 for hp and torque?