Can anyone help me I need information on putting a cadillac 500cid in a 1972 FJ40? I need to find out the deminsions of the cadillac compared to a small block chevy [width, height, and weight] does anyone know of somebody that is running this set up PLEASE BE NICE my first posting

There are a couple of rigs around running these, but doubt if you find anyone on this board with the info you need, it will fit, cooling the beast will be an issue, money wise the cheapest solution will be to couple the 400 turbo that comes behind the Caddy now to a Toyota t case.
If you have to ask how to do it, you probably should not be considering this swap on your own.
Butch:flipoff2: :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

Originally posted by JKLAKE
PLEASE BE NICE my first posting

No.

:flipoff2: :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

Texican is right about the cooling thing. W’ Harold the owner of Over the Hill 4x4 is running a 532 CID Caddy in his FJ-55 wagon’ish thing. For cooling he runs a massive radiator in the rear of the rig with dual fans. To fit the engine he had to tub the fire wall, it took major modifications to put it in. Not a problem that owns a custom fab shop. Stuffing a caddy in a 40 and running the radiator upfront may be a bit of a trick. Anything can be done, its just comes down to the same two things…Time and Money.

For me a well built 383 just can’t be beat. You get the cooling capacity of a strong 350 yet the toque of a 400CID, with the weight just a little over a 350. This combination comes in a package that fits like it was always meant to be under the hood of a FJ-40.

The caddy motors are not hard to fit lengthwise. The steering will be the issue. ALL conversions I have seen had Saginaw PS and had wierd shaft routing due to the width of the engine. The bore spacing on the Caddy 500 is the same(or VERY similar) big block chevys so the length will be long but will fit...plenty of BB chevys in FJ40's... Other option for tranny is to find a BOP bellhousing for a car(aluminum...) which has the correct bearing retainer diameter for the sm420 tranny(you will need a custom flywheel-check Maximum Torque specialties). Mate that to a 3 speed case with one of the many kits(Spaceghost makes one) and you will be okay... IIRC the distributor is in the front too...

Maximum Torque Specialties (http://500cid.com/)


Hope that helps...

I don't even have a 40, I drive an 80. So I know nothing to help. ... but saw it was your first post, so :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

:D - just making you feel welcome!

Is an 80 a Land Cruiser ? I thought it was an oversized Four Runner.............
:flipoff2: :flipoff2:

Butch

The 80's are the most capable landcruisers (stock) that toyota put out in the u.s. I am going to put a 500 cid caddy in my 62, im so glad im not the onlyone on this board, lol, i dont know about a 40 but its gonna require a bigger radiator and dual fans, but thats it for me, maybe some form of underhood cooling too. And tons of other small things, but u just cant beat the value, 450 lbft for under a 1000 bux, the 383 guys cant say that.


Mitch

Originally posted by Spyder
The 80's are the most capable landcruisers (stock) that toyota put out in the u.s. I am going to put a 500 cid caddy in my 62, im so glad im not the onlyone on this board, lol, i dont know about a 40 but its gonna require a bigger radiator and dual fans, but thats it for me, maybe some form of underhood cooling too. And tons of other small things, but u just cant beat the value, 450 lbft for under a 1000 bux, the 383 guys cant say that.


Mitch

:rolleyes:


LT-1 :D

I actually considered doing this exact swap. I even had a car I was going to buy with a good 500 in it. My biggest concern was getting a manual tranny behind it, because I don't like autos. That was going to be expensive.

What I wound up doing was stuffing a TBi 454 in my 40 instead of the Caddy. Dimensionally the are similar, though the 500 is actually about 100 pounds lighter than the BB chevy. Making it fit was not difficult. I have no inner fenders so that was not an issue, I ran a set of block hugger headers because that is all that would fit. The only other issue I had was the steering as someone else already mentioned. It's no big deal you just have to make a two piece steering shaft.

As for cooling I run a 19x27 Howe two core aluminum radiator and a 19" flex fan with a shroud. I can run all day at 200 degrees no matter what the weather is. If I run really hard for a long time it will start to creep up, but as soon as I back off it cools right back down.

Hope all this helps you out.

Go for it and enjoy all that wonderful cheap torque

Thanks for the information. I can get a great running 500 cad and tranny for next to nothing [$100.00]. I thought it might be a nice upgrade for the winter

who or what is spaceghost

Originally posted by JKLAKE
who or what is spaceghost

:eek:............:laughing:

I think he was a character on the Jetsons........:D
Butch

http://matt.nu/images/SG/sg-stands.gif

Looks like Superman and Casper had sex!!!!!!
:flipoff2:
Butch

A: Welcome to the board :flipoff2:

B: If you don't know that :flipoff2: is the standard greeting for anyone new, or anyone in general for that matter, then you have posted WAY prior to the proper lurk period...

C: SpaceGhost is Mike Symthe - altho the character Steve posted is a fair likeness, Mike is not that buff. Perform a search on "spaceghost" and you'll find what you seek - or hit the "manufacturers" section of the bulletin board on my site for a link to Mike's site on his plate adapter and more. Mike was at the Brickyard 400 yesterday and may be sleeping in ...I know my wife got home at 3am from the race...

D: Don't make me remind you to read the "newbies check here first thread", since we ALL know you have wisely done your research on ih8mud.com and elsewhere....

Oh, and once again, welcome... :flipoff2:

And, as far as motor swaps, anything can be done. Remember tho, reinventing the wheel will cost more money and time than a simple 350 SBC swap. My buddy runs a 345 Intl in his, damn big and heavy motor, but like others, he has a fab shop and the skills/time to be different.

Originally posted by BensonMN
http://matt.nu/images/SG/sg-stands.gif

:laughing:
Mike "Spaceghost" Smythe... Cruiserhead extraordinaire...

You DID read all through this forum before you posted, riiiiight newbie? :flipoff2: You would have seen him post.

Woody- great advise!!- If you are interested in more power than a 350 swap, keep a few things in mind. First the L/C transfer case is the weak link in the truck. I am not sure how long its going to hold up to the quoted 450 ftlbs. of torque. Also keep in mind that the small block chevy swap has been around for years. Its a bolt in swap. If you are looking for torque, there are allot of guys out there that will argue that the stock 6 will out pull a 350 all day, but we wont go there! Take a SBC, SM420 or auto and a Dana 300 with a 4 to 1 kit, and Dana 60 rear end with tall gears. This set up will get you anywhere you need to go. A good motto is "Keep it simple stupid"


GOOD LUCK!

I think the caddy BB is just like the diesel swaps without the economy, huge torque and pure coolness. Practical flew out the window a long time ago.


Mitch

You know, Nolen thinks I'm crazy (pot callin' kettle etc) but I have a 60 k 425 DeVille engine and tranny (T 400) that I plan on someday installing in a Pig and use it for a short range tow rig and light wheeler, I think the Caddy motor would make a great torquey engine for a Pig or a 60, for sure if you ain't got nothing in the combo to begin with.
BTW that was joke regarding the 80's, I have wheeled with enough of them to have a healthy respect for them....
Butch