Ok, lets say you find a 472/500, it is inside a warehouse with lots of other engines. The year, mileage, condition, anything is unknown, all you know is that it is a Cadillac 472 or a 500, and completle form the oil pan to the carburator.
It has been sitting for well over 15 years or so, the owner of the place says all the engines there should be completly rebuilt form sitting so long.
Something like this isn't a drop-in motor, but what would be involved? would you have to get head work done? I mean, what would the cheapest, just get it running route be, then what would the "do this while it is out so it is better later" be?
Eh, I'll cut to the chase, a long time ago I looked at these engines, didn't have the money, and passed, then we saw the guy again, he still has them, still wants to sell them, and still wants the same price. He has 3 of them, he says they are 500's, but when I asked, he didn't know the year, they are not 425's, so there are 3 500/472 of various years, all in the same condition as mentioned above. Here is the fun part, while I didn't have the money 2 years ago, now I do, and with it getting harder to find these engines, and there are always cool projects for these things, I am buying all 3 of them. He wants $100 each, so I have the money, he gets $300 I get 3 engines, simple enough.
Now I am only here in NY for 3 weeks or so, and while an engine swap is a pretty complex thing, my father has the resources and abality to do it, I am not talking about an all-out rebuild, massive HP, 12s car, but I'll pull the heads on these engines, see what shape they are in, and exactly what year/displacement they are, then I was hoping to be able to put it back together and maybe....maybe..... maybe swap a 500 into the '79 sooner then I planned.
Here is the deal, If the heads are removed to inspect the engine, do they HAVE to be cleaned up, mill'ed or a valve job done? is it recomended since they are already off, or can I just clean them up by hand then stick them back on? We have connections to a machine shop, but time is of the essance, and I don't have much of it. Also, since the heads would be off, I think I would just go ahead and swap a regrind cam in it, I already have a 472 intake manifold I plan to cut the center section out of, so that will go on it, as well as a rebuilt carburator. Dual exhaust is planned in the future, but for now the stock will stay.
So lets say that by miracle, the engine turns with a breaker bar, Could the bottem end be left alone? or would it all have to be taken apart, new rings installed etc... or since it is already that far, may as well replace rings and stuff? But then in that case would the pistons have to be replaced?
I am getting the engines, but now that I have them, I am really intrested in getting one going, I will not have the chance to do it for another 2 years or so. I do not want to spend mega bucks to get the thing going either, but if it'll cost a little money to change and replace parts that just make sense at that point, I would.
So lets say I spend $300 on the 3 engines, I already have the intake manifold gasket (the big metal one) and new valve cover gaskets, I also have a new, unused carburator rebuild kit. So *not counting* the regrind cam, lifters and push rods (maybe $250 all together there?) How much money are we talking to get one of these sleeping beasts running again?
Or is this all a crazy plan, and I should let the engines sit until I am ready to do a full rebuild one day, and keep putting around with the 425 in the car now?
Keep in mind, one day within the next 2 years, the car will need to make a trip from NY to FL, so I need it to be reliable, I trust the 425 to get me there, and back, multiple times, so I don't want to get involved swapping an engine, but have lots of problems... but then again these engines either run or they don't, and they usually do, and when they do they run great.
Plus, a freshened up 472/500 with a mild cam, rebuilt carb, in my stock '79 with a (will be) shift kit.... I think it would make it a little more peppy then the 425 THEN I can really start to tell people the car is fast, as it is rather quick for a stock car of that size/era now
This was loooooong.... Can anyone help? I'll be getting the engines in a couple of days, just a matter of me getting the trailer on my fathers Bronco, and us taking a ride there, I have the cash (mmm graduation) so I am ready to do this.
It has been sitting for well over 15 years or so, the owner of the place says all the engines there should be completly rebuilt form sitting so long.
Something like this isn't a drop-in motor, but what would be involved? would you have to get head work done? I mean, what would the cheapest, just get it running route be, then what would the "do this while it is out so it is better later" be?
Eh, I'll cut to the chase, a long time ago I looked at these engines, didn't have the money, and passed, then we saw the guy again, he still has them, still wants to sell them, and still wants the same price. He has 3 of them, he says they are 500's, but when I asked, he didn't know the year, they are not 425's, so there are 3 500/472 of various years, all in the same condition as mentioned above. Here is the fun part, while I didn't have the money 2 years ago, now I do, and with it getting harder to find these engines, and there are always cool projects for these things, I am buying all 3 of them. He wants $100 each, so I have the money, he gets $300 I get 3 engines, simple enough.
Now I am only here in NY for 3 weeks or so, and while an engine swap is a pretty complex thing, my father has the resources and abality to do it, I am not talking about an all-out rebuild, massive HP, 12s car, but I'll pull the heads on these engines, see what shape they are in, and exactly what year/displacement they are, then I was hoping to be able to put it back together and maybe....maybe..... maybe swap a 500 into the '79 sooner then I planned.
Here is the deal, If the heads are removed to inspect the engine, do they HAVE to be cleaned up, mill'ed or a valve job done? is it recomended since they are already off, or can I just clean them up by hand then stick them back on? We have connections to a machine shop, but time is of the essance, and I don't have much of it. Also, since the heads would be off, I think I would just go ahead and swap a regrind cam in it, I already have a 472 intake manifold I plan to cut the center section out of, so that will go on it, as well as a rebuilt carburator. Dual exhaust is planned in the future, but for now the stock will stay.
So lets say that by miracle, the engine turns with a breaker bar, Could the bottem end be left alone? or would it all have to be taken apart, new rings installed etc... or since it is already that far, may as well replace rings and stuff? But then in that case would the pistons have to be replaced?
I am getting the engines, but now that I have them, I am really intrested in getting one going, I will not have the chance to do it for another 2 years or so. I do not want to spend mega bucks to get the thing going either, but if it'll cost a little money to change and replace parts that just make sense at that point, I would.
So lets say I spend $300 on the 3 engines, I already have the intake manifold gasket (the big metal one) and new valve cover gaskets, I also have a new, unused carburator rebuild kit. So *not counting* the regrind cam, lifters and push rods (maybe $250 all together there?) How much money are we talking to get one of these sleeping beasts running again?
Or is this all a crazy plan, and I should let the engines sit until I am ready to do a full rebuild one day, and keep putting around with the 425 in the car now?
Keep in mind, one day within the next 2 years, the car will need to make a trip from NY to FL, so I need it to be reliable, I trust the 425 to get me there, and back, multiple times, so I don't want to get involved swapping an engine, but have lots of problems... but then again these engines either run or they don't, and they usually do, and when they do they run great.
Plus, a freshened up 472/500 with a mild cam, rebuilt carb, in my stock '79 with a (will be) shift kit.... I think it would make it a little more peppy then the 425 THEN I can really start to tell people the car is fast, as it is rather quick for a stock car of that size/era now
This was loooooong.... Can anyone help? I'll be getting the engines in a couple of days, just a matter of me getting the trailer on my fathers Bronco, and us taking a ride there, I have the cash (mmm graduation) so I am ready to do this.