If it's what you want, go for it. Don't be persuaded away from it just because it isn't what someone else would want. If you want it, go for it. It sounds like it would be one hell of a ride to me. On the subject of the 500's. I saw one in an AMC Pacer awhile back, online. THAT would be one hell of a sleeper, and one hell of a dangerous ride.

 

AMC Pacer, that's a sad memory for me. I worked for a few months at an AMC Jeep dealer at the time when AMC was on it's last legs financially. The Pacer was built to use the GM rotary engine that GM failed to deliver. So they stuffed their standard straight six in and it went way back under the cowl. It would take some very serious cutting and reinforcing to get that 500 in there. I wonder if they did a really good job of it.

And what did AMC call that little flat backed car, it was a Hornet sedan with the trunk lopped off? They put a 401 in a few of those things and that was dangerous right off the showroom floor.

 

I realy enjoy this site - it's got it all. Technical discussions and paint and bodywork and garages and tools and classifieds and best of all - debates! It's really a lot of fun to get other people's opinions and a WHOLE lot of help to get other's advice when you just can't find that wire that runs this switch that runs this fan....

Yeah MEPR knew dang well when he started this thread that some people (purists?) were going to say "Hell no that just aint right!". I love it. Lots of people make valid arguments for lots of approaches. That's how aftermarket vendors thrive. That's how car shows thrive. They have designated areas for original, custom, etc etc ( I seem to recall a show in Pigeon Forge that had a spot for '92 - '97 Civics with 6 horse Tecumseh engines running straight methanol...) Well, you get the idea.

Bottom line to me is - I lay my head down at night not caring the least whether or not Joe Shmo thinks the engine in my truck should be in there or not. But I can come here and find out how to chop the top on it if I want to. I found out that Toyota (GASP!!!) power steering boxes are just flat the way to go on a '54 Ford truck. Who woulda thunk it?

By the way, (just to get someone's goat before I let it rest) - I wonder why Henry didn't respond to my pointing out his erroneous information about Cadillac engines.... man I just HAVE to poke at that hornet's nest...

Good luck with the toy MEPR. If you have ANY questions about that motor buildup, you can find out whatever it is at http://www.cadillacforums.com.
You can even find out when 500's started being manufactured and what they went in, you know, stuff like that.... Dangit that nest up there is just killin me....
Nuff said. I go in peace.....

 

Dare ya to go on that Cadillac forum, and tell then you are sticking a 292 Y block in a Coupe de Ville


-had to take a swing at that nest, myself

 

How about a Merlin in a Mercedes?

 

Talking about the Gremlin? Ulgy little cars, but i'd love to have one with a 401. As far as vehicles go, AMC's are my other love besides Ford. I will try to find that Pacer with the 500 in it and post the link up here.

 

Right, the Gremlin. A friend of mine bought one (with the 401,) and he said it was the most difficult car to control he'd ever had.

 

I'd say. The back of the cars weigh next to nothing. Then you have that hunk of steel under the hood.

 

[QUOTE=RidinNStyle54]
"Bottom line to me is - I lay my head down at night not caring the least whether or not Joe Shmo thinks the engine in my truck should be in there or not."

(That's fine 54, that's exactly what I thought you'd say, and frankly speaking, it has to be one of the most enjoyable aspects of ba**ardizing an old Ford is'nt it???)

"By the way, (just to get someone's goat before I let it rest) - I wonder why Henry didn't respond to my pointing out his erroneous information about Cadillac engines.... man I just HAVE to poke at that hornet's nest..."

(That's because as a Ford enthusiast, not a GM enthusiast like yourself I don't live and breathe Cadillac statistics. I remembered that off the top of my head and I feel I came pretty darn close to the basic fact that the 472 production far outnumbers that of the 500. If you think you have a 500 thats fine, whats the diff its a Caddy, and it belongs in a Chevy. I have no idea what your experience is with real Ford powertrains but I wonder if a 460 could'nt do the job just as well. I'm sure a 460 Ford could'nt surpass the magic GM engines that all you "Ford Truck Enthusiasts" love so much so you oughta just go on and have your fun mixing up some more old Fords. Well done guys, what a great showing. Pfffttt!)

 

I really don't see what's the big deal with the guy wanting to make the truck what he wants. I really don't understand why it's such a big deal. He wants a 500 Caddy in it, let him put it in it. I think once it's done, all of us that love these old trucks, despite whatever power plant is in the thing, would put a smile on when you cruised right on by that ricer, or left those two long black patches of rubber on the asphalt.

 

Just poke it right over there one more time and it should come down...

Good Lord - Henry Henry - sound like you are gonna blow a fuse. Calm down a little. You will live longer.

[QUOTE=Henry Floored]
"That's fine 54, that's exactly what I thought you'd say, and frankly speaking, it has to be one of the most enjoyable aspects of ba**ardizing an old Ford is'nt it???"

Well I have a 66 F100 with the ORIGINAL 352 big block, another '54 F100 my late Father-in-law bought new with the origianl 223-6 that my youngest son is restoring. Also a '67 Firebird - yep, original 400. '69 Corvette my Father bought new - original 427 aluminum head L-89. See I dont ba**ardize anything that's intact. I bought my '54 with that 500 Caddy already in it. I loved the way it ran, made it run a little better, and wouldn't pull it now for anything. Whatever else I could (or SHOULD, according to you) put in it would not be the original powerplant. Maybe I should just burn it.

"... I don't live and breathe Cadillac statistics"

Then what's the point in saying " only in the Eldorado model " ? I mean if you don't know, and you are being all negative and bashing anyway, it only opens yourself up to criticism.

"That's because as a Ford enthusiast, not a GM enthusiast like yourself" - Umm, err, I am an American made classic car / truck enthusiast. Do I have to like only 1 brand? Geez now I am gonna have to sell all these other ones. And I was just starting to have fun...

(One more poke then I KNOW that nest will come on down....)

"If you think you have a 500 thats fine, whats the diff its a Caddy, and it belongs in a Chevy."
Ummm, no I checked, it IS a 500. I will check again if you want me to. I could send a note from Mommy. But now that I know it belongs in a Chevy - Geez now I gotta go get the cherry picker out and then go buy a Chevy and then, well wait, I can't have different brands. .
Wait a minute, that would then be ba**ardizing a Chevy anyway wouldn't it?

I just love it! I bet that guy thinks there is only 1 religion that is right. I aint even gonna tell him what mine is.

"Well done guys, what a great showing. Pfffttt!"

Hey Hitler, ummm, Henry -

For real, this was my break time from painting the interior of my '66. Days and days of turning the garage into a paint booth and taping and sanding and sanding and priming and sanding and finally got to actually shoot color tonight! Thanks to some great tips from you folks in the Paint and Bodywork forum (!) we were able to do this in mid January, have learned a lot, and it looks like will have a pretty darn good paint job. Thanks again! Never could have done it without your help. Great site, keep up the good work!

 

im going to say this right now, the 425 cad i curently have far out performse the 460s i have seen. Another great aspect of the cad is the fuel econimy. My Sedan Deville that i got the 425 out of gets 18mpg on the highway cruising at 85+ mph. Lets see ANY other big block do that. Then you add on the ability to swap on 8-6-4 soloniods and cut half your cylinders at cruise and it would be scary the type of econimy you can get. AND still have better torque and HP than most other big blocks. Also cads are made whith a high nickle aloy for the blocks meaning they wear longer than other engines.
All that pro caddy stuff aside, i came here for opinions on the sawp mostly becouse i have a big soft spot for the Ford inline sixes, and i still dont realy know if i can swap out the 223 for something, no matter how man cubes it is...

 

Grumble, grumble, grumble. I think it's a cool idea. Go for it and maybe post a "how-to" on how it went. I'm pondering my choices right now, also. I like the I6's as well, but I'm not opposed to being different. If it keeps these trucks on the road, it shouldn't matter what's under the hood. An impressionable kid that sees a classic truck or car on the road doesn't know or care what engine you are running. All they see is a cool old vehicle and maybe that will have a profound impact on them. The world needs more car nuts. I used to be a Chevy guy, but that just got boring. Now I'm a "pre-computer control" guy since new cars all look the same and they have no character. BTW, a 55 Chevy with a 4.6 wouldn't be a great idea, but drop in a 5.4 out of a Lightning....now that would be sweet.

 

Even though I don't like it, GO FOR IT!

I have one request, seeing as you're putting it in a Ford:

Any motor mounts you have to create, make sure they bolt on, and are removeable, so someone can eventually take it out and put a Ford engine/tranny back in it. A little more work, but at least if any uppity purists get in your face, you can say "#1, I had the engine laying around, and #2, it's all bolt-in"

 

Well said magee. Pre-computer controlled - love those words!