New Air Cleaner on Hot-Rod 500CID Brougham

Ultra Slow · #1 (**permalink**) 12-01-03, 01:34 AM

I finally got my "AIS" custom built cold air/ram air air cleaner. Not cheap, but the closest thing I could get my hands on that looks somewhat correct and flows the capacity of the 500HP engine. Notice the "keep your GM car all GM on it" It has a 6" duct on it. It was nice to get rid of that dime store air cleaner I had on it for sure. I updated some pics at my site and here is one.

My Cadillac 500-CID Site

Deep Sleep · #2 (**permalink**) 12-01-03, 03:00 AM

Everytime I get on this board I have to see that damn caddy of yours, Not to mention hear how fast it is. So now I have to ask, How hard is it to get a 500 cid to sit in the 83 Fleetwood Brougham I have at home? It's a low mileage beauty thats in great shape except for that weaksuck HT4100 it has. I wanted to put a 500 in my malibu wagon, But me and my wife deceided that it would be put to better use in the Fleetwood. Also, what are those rims you have on your ride. There sweet. Any help would really be cool, The only lacking in our Fleetwood is under the hood power. Thanks.

Deep Sleep · #3 (**permalink**) 12-01-03, 03:16 AM

O.K., Just left your 500 cid webpage so now I know what the rims are. Thats one sweet ride. I'll have to get some pics of my caddys up here. Got to have that 500 in the Fleetwood Brougham!!!!

Ultra Slow · #4 (**permalink**) 12-01-03, 04:15 AM

Thanks...

You have probably the toughest car to work with. This is the easiest and most correct way to do this;

Buy a somewhat usable and running 1977-1980 cadillac fleetwood. You can defiantly find one of these for a few hundered. My suggestions is to spend about 800-1000 and find the best you can as it sounds like your car is pretty nice and most of the parts from this car will have to go into yours.

Take out your HT4100, your TH200 and your 7.5 differential and sell them for whatever you can get. 1.00 is good enough and whoever is buying is not getting a deal at that. I doubt you are a machine shop, so a turn key motor is the simplest way to go if you want the most power. Have someone build you a 500, like MTS or whoever reputable... Get the eldbrock intake for it and some 70-73 RWD manafolds. If you dont want to spend 4000-6000 bucks to get a true 500HP engine that is balanced, etc, with the best hardware avalible, then just nab a good running 500 from the wrecking yard with nothing attached except the carb. Put a small cam and the edlebrock intake on it..... If you want to, you can put the heads from a 425 on it and give it a bit more power as it will raise the compression, but this is kind of a rig... I would mill the 500 heads as much as you can to raise the compression. By doing this you will have a near 400HP engine for a just several 100 bucks and a bit of work. Put new gaskets, timing chain, oil pump, etc, and you will have a good motor as these suckers last forever, even it the motor has 100K on it when you get it. This is good cheap fun and works darn well.

Take everything from the donar car you bought except the motor and put in on your 500. Sell the 425 or 368 from your donar car if you like. Use the Brackets, AC, Alt, PS, all of it... Use the carb from the 500 and rebuild it right. Put a new fuel pump on the 500. Take the gas tank from your donar car and switch it from your 4100 car. You have an electric pump, and the 500 uses a mechanical or low pressure electric. Gas tank is easy swap since you have it from your donar. Take the TH400 from the donar car, put a front and rear seal in it, change the fluid from the trans and converter, put a shift kit like a B&M trans pack in it and put it behind the 500 with all the 77-80 parts on it and put them both in the car at the same time. Put some 2:73 to 3:08 gears in the 77-80 differential, if it does not have it already, from your donar car and put it in your good car. Use the big driveshaft from the 77-80 car too. Put the front springs from the donar car in your good HT4100 car as your car now has a heavier engine and needs this....

Unfortunatly there are not many direct tranplants for a 4100. This method mentioned, with alot of time and effort will get you a nice powerfull car set up correctly with the entire driveline capable of handeling the power.... Not easy, but this is how its done correctly and as cheap as possible.

Just for an analogy, it would be just as easier to put a CAD 500 in a 79 TA rather than a HT4100 car as the hardware is so bad to begin with in the HT4100, but if the car is as nice as yours sounds, I would not hesitate to do it right should this be something you desire. If its too much for you... It might be easier and cheaper to sell the car, get the nicest 80 or 81 as its pretty much done for you already. You can also get a 90-92 5.7 car and put a chevy 502 in it easier than redoing a 4100 correctly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deep Sleep

O.K., Just left your 500 cid webpage so now I know what the rims are. Thats one sweet ride. I'll have to get some pics of my caddys up here. Got to have that 500 in the Fleetwood Brougham!!!!

Msilva954 · #5 (**permalink**) 12-01-03, 08:23 AM

Ultra Slow, im just starting to post here lately but I have to tell you,you have to have the most beautiful early 80's to 90's cadillacs around. One day I hope to do a 500 swap to a caddy.

Deep Sleep · #6 (**permalink**) 12-02-03, 01:20 AM

Thats some good info, Well within my wrenching abilities. Going to start gathering what I'm going to need. I'm going to use my 83. It's a southern west coast car. Finding a rusted but running caddy is no problem. Man, I cant wait to see how it goes with 500 cid of real engine under the hood. Thanks again, I'll keep you posted on the progress.

Ultra Slow · #7 (**permalink**) 12-02-03, 05:11 AM

Thanks for the nice comments.... Changing a car from an HT4100 to a 500 is like going from crawling down the street on your hands and knees to flying in the concord... Its that much different.... As you can tell, I love cadillacs, and I try and defend cadillac as much as I can to other car people that dont undestand my love for the cars, but there is not a single good thing I can say about an HT4100.. Its really not even heavy enough for a worthwhile boat anchor. You will be delighted to get rid of that engine!

Love to hear how your project goes and best of luck with it.

Deep Sleep · #8 (**permalink**) 12-03-03, 02:26 AM

I always wrenched and raced chevys, Never thought I'd be a caddy person. I got this car (the 83) about five years ago when my father passed away. Thats one reason that I'll never get rid of it. After I drove it around abit I just fell in love with it. It's been very well cared for. Now I have two cads and my ford van(self employed, rental renovations) So I have to have a van. But when the weekend roll around I like to cruise in the caddy. I want to leave it 'stock appearing' but with the 500 cid & the audio system that I'v been stocking away. I'm sure I'll have some other questions for you, Being that you seem to know your caddys. I thought the HT4100 would make a good doorstop though.

Caddy_freak · #9 (**permalink**) 12-04-03, 12:47 AM

Deep Sleep I share your exitement!

I will soon be in the early stages of doing the same to my 81 fleetwood D'elegance.

The 368 in the car ain't bad. matter of fact it runs like new (80,000) miles.
But I can't wait to drive it with that 500 in it!
I've already bought my motor and tranny, now I just need a few more things and I'll be in buisiness!

Deep Sleep · #10 (**permalink**) 12-04-03, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caddy_freak

Deep Sleep I share your exitement!

I will soon be in the early stages of doing the same to my 81 fleetwood D'elegance.

The 368 in the car ain't bad. matter of fact it runs like new (80,000) miles.
But I can't wait to drive it with that 500 in it!
I've already bought my motor and tranny, now I just need a few more things and I'll be in buisiness!

The HT4100 in the car runs good, But it's got no power. I hate having the ricers on the freeway pass me and

laugh. Well soon I'll be the one

doing the laughing. Untill then driving itis like this

. You do know that those 500 cid caddys responed really nice to a 150 shot of N20

Let me know how it goes.

Caddy_freak · #11 (**permalink**) 12-04-03, 10:25 PM

Oh I'll definetly keep you informed. especially since we are going to be involved in similar projects simultaniously.
we can share war stories

and yes I'm looking forward to the nitrous too!

look out ricers!

Ultra Slow · #12 (**permalink**) 12-05-03, 08:50 PM

Good luck guys... The HT car will be a major improvement... the 386 car is a very good engine already, but definatly does not run like a 500.... As far as NOS...... I have to warn you that it is a very short lived venture..... You bnetter have a second engine on a hoist ready to drop in if this car is your transportation.... I have YET to see an engine last for any extended time on NOS.... Not recommended unless you are sponsored.......

Deep Sleep · #13 (**permalink**) 12-06-03, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ultra Slow

Good luck guys... The HT car will be a major improvement... the 386 car is a very good engine already, but definatly does not run like a 500.... As far as NOS...... I have to warn you that it is a very short lived venture..... You bnetter have a second engine on a hoist ready to drop in if this car is your transportation.... I have YET to see an engine last for any extended time on NOS.... Not recommended unless you are sponsored.......

I read on the MTS site that they ran a 500 cid stock engine on a 150 shot of N20 for over 200 runs in the 1/4 mile. Now I hope they really meant 'stock' or I'll be

becuse that means I'll be having to spend more on a rebuiled so I can run my N20 system

so I can really rub it in on the ricers bouncer: , and do we have alot of them here in Washington.

Deep Sleep · #14 (**permalink**) 12-06-03, 12:42 AM

Caddy Freak, You going for the total sleeper look? I was thinking about that untill I saw the Boyd Coddington 'Smoothy' rims,Suuuweet Man. I may have to pop some 18x8.5s on the Fleetwood. I know I won't do the sleeper look on the engine itself, To much into that detailing thing. Any thought on a 'sound system'?

Ultra Slow, What if, Say I wanted to swap in a diff with disk brakes on it. Any idea under what caddy I might look under? And what is the differnce between a Fleetwood brougham and a De Elegence??

Caddy_freak · #15 (**permalink**) 12-07-03, 06:47 PM

Well DEEP SLEEP it's like this....

The outside of the car will look stock... under the hood will not. If I wanted to try and deceive all but the most knowlegable of people, I would try to see if I could fit those ugly funky 368 valve covers on the 500, but the only people who will see under the hood are the ones who have my permission to do so.

I just want a fun car that has class. even If I put in Nitrous, I would only use it if I though I was in big trouble. very rarely

"IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, PUSH BUTTON"

Now about your secound question:
Well all this can be confusing, at least it seems to be.

The D'elegance package is a different style options package.
slightly different trim, seats, script, it really depends on what year of car. as far as specifics go. ( not sure what year sixty special was available )

Fleetwood Brougham.
Fleetwood D'elegance.
Fleetwood sixty special.

Now just to confuse things,
Many people Called them by all three names:

Fleetwood Brougham
Fleetwood Brougham, D'elegance
Fleetwood Brougham, Sixty special

witch one is correct? not really shure.

sometime in the 90's they seperated the two names "Fleetwood Brougham"

you had the fleetwood. or the fleetwood with the "brougham package"

And then you just had the Brougham ?