Trying to Decide!

[SMF Speed&Custom]

Well I haven't been to this site for months and looks like there is an actual forum on here now (easier for me to look around haha). Anyways I am building a 48 Chevy Coupe and am still trying to decide on an engine. Right now it's going to either be a 383 sbc, 454 bbc, or a 500 Cadillac engine. I am debating on which route to go. What are the pros and cons of the 454 and then the 500? I know this is an all 500 site and most of you will say 500 but would like to get more info on why you would use a 500 over a 454. I don't know where to get parts for a 500 and I hear you can make more HP out of a 454 because the 500's are only all torque and not a lot of HP... :?:
Thanks a lot for any info that you guys can give me!


-Shawn-

[1978ScottsDale]

If you want a 500 a got danm near all the parts you would want to start with a good build.
From what i hear the are great motor just need some TLC. :twisted:
Im selling my stuff due to personal needs.

[SMF Speed&Custom]

Well from what I have read on here so far, you had problems with it? I am not even trying to sound like an ass or nothing so please dont take this that way. But I read some stuff and read on club hot rod that you had problems, etc with it. The parts you have with it all sound really nice and sounds like something I would want. But I think I looked at your profile on CHR and you live in Canada. To get something like that down here would cost heaps and I wouldn't be able to even afford something like that.
Anyone know how much a good 500 block would be? I am guessing I would want to put aftermarket heads on it, etc to get more power too.

Thanks a lot!

[lux hauler]

Well, you have to decide what route you want to take. A Chevy is going to cheaper to buy parts for than a Caddy but a BBC is going to cost you more to buy......a rebuildable 454 will probably run, at least, $750.....if you look around, you can probably find a whole car with a running 472/500 for less than $500. Cad engines like to turn slow and make lots of torque.....Chevies need rpms to make power. You can buy anything for a Chevy. The aftermarket is limited for Cadillacs but they're cooler. 8)
Lots of differences and a choice that you need to make.

[Ted in Olympia WA]

The three best reason:

Lots of Torque that you need for the street.

46 extra free inches

and http://www.hotrod.com/eventcoverage/38black_mustang_sm.mov

TED

[STDog]

Anyways I am building a 48 Chevy Coupe and am still trying to decide on an engine. Right now it's going to either be a 383 sbc, 454 bbc, or a 500 Cadillac engine. I am debating on which route to go.

You left out important stuff. Like what you want to do with the car.

What do you need from the engine?

I think the SBC is out of the equation. BBC or Cad. Then it deopends on what you want to do.

[Vern]

Agreed tell us your goals? Heavy car, light car, street, race, fuel, tow, mileage, what? I picked up my running 500 for free because the guy had to move and did not have a place for it. If it would have been a 454 he would have of put in the paper and maybe got a grand for it. Its a nice head start on the budget thing. There are three dedicated Cad venders that will have what you need and another guy that builds them regularly that I know of. Also have you checked out the cowboy seven board?

PS I love that video. He had some pics that showed 9 second times on the clocks which was also cool.

[SMF Speed&Custom]

Sorry guy's, my net has been down for the pass 4 days or so. Anyways here is what I have and what I plan to do with the car. It's a 1948 Chevy Coupe. I was going to make a pro street outta it but no money for that after I added all the costs and doubled the total I got heh. Soooo.... Now I am pretty much decided to go with a traditional looking car but with a more modern chassis and engine set up. If anyone has seen the March 2005 mag from Rod & Custom, I will have a traditional/modern look like the Gold Rush mercury on there. I plan to air bag it now too since my Z28 Camaro front end doesn't have ANY suspension parts or anything just the upper and lower control arms and brake rotors so I am starting from scratch here basically and thought I might as well put air bags on it. Only thing is I don't know how well air bags will hold up a (I think) 3300 pound car with a huge big block that weighs a BUNCH.
Thanks again for any info and I hope this description of my idea's help you guys some.

[KJC]

If your very concerned about weight, a Caddy big block engine is considerably lighter than a BBC.

[STDog]

Only thing is I don't know how well air bags will hold up a (I think) 3300 pound car with a huge big block that weighs a BUNCH.

The cadillacs that came with the 472 and 500 had air shock as an option. So that shouldn't be a problem. You just have to get the right bags and compressor.

Example, the 4690 lb 1970 Sedan Deville had Automatic Level Control as a $80 option, and it was standard on the Fleetwood 75 Limos at ~ 5630 lbs.

I don't think 3300 lbs will be a problem.

[J-rod]

I agree with the above posts in that you will be fine with airbags, but lets not confuse air bags and air shocks. Air shocks are used to supplement the coil or leaf spring. They basically only level the car when there is a heavy load in it. Air bags take the place of the spring itself.

[STDog]

but lets not confuse air bags and air shocks.

Brain fart. I ment bags, but don't they also replace the shocks too? So the bag does the work of both?

[SMF Speed&Custom]

I have seen air bags and then there were shocks still as well in the rear on some of those little low rider trucks but I think they take place of both yes because the shock is for the ride of the vehicle and the spring holds the vehicle up. I am guessing they will work then. Reason I asked it was because since the car is about 3300 pounds plus whatever the big block will be then if I have a ton of power too then that will put tons of power to the rear of the car or weight shall I say. I have heard of peoples air bags blowing out on them and they wreck their cars/trucks. I don't want that to happen heh. I guess I can call Air Ride Technologies and see what they have to say since my front clip is from a Z28 Camaro but my car will weight more than the camaro. I just don't want to get air bags and then when I take the thing out to have some fun and punch the gas and all the power kicks in the rear air bags blow. :shock:

Thanks again for the info though guys! Keep it comming because I am learning lots here so far and still taking in more info. I may not read all these posts really good yet because I am trying not to throw all this info into my head at once or else I will forget it, but over the next few weeks I will be comming back and reading each post about 3 times each to get it in my head and memorized.

[J-rod]

The shockwave (Air Ride Tech's name for them) requires no separate shock, and is setup for IFS and IRS only. The standard type airbag does still require a shock absorber.

[SMF Speed&Custom]

Oh alright well thanks for the info J-rod. So I am guessing I need to get shocks now too.