anybody done a cad 500 swap to a 3rd gen? would be nice to have a little input before we start next month.

------------------
1986 IROC-Z, t tops, tilt, dark grey with red letters, grey interior, harwood hood, ford 9" w/ ladderbars, 570" stroked big cad, th400, slot mags, plans for spohn frame connectors and 10 point cage

 

I haven't done it, but that doesn't mean I've abandoned the idea. It should go in a little easier than a BBC. With the distrubitor in front you won't have to worry about firewall clearance. The added weight is marginal. You will have to put in a BOP pattern trans, so you'll need a TH400 crossmember and torque arm. Spohn make the driveshaft and crossmember/torquearm. I don't think the rear will last long with that kind of power. A trans cooler is a must. A manual trans is going to be a PITA, you'll have to drill the crank for a pilot bushing. If you replace the rear I'd stick to the 3.42 to 3.73 range. I had 4.56 in my pickup and those were way to low for the 500. I have 3.55 now and that's about right. You might need to get a smaller diameter brake booster, not real sure on that one though. Hood clearance will be an issue, I cut a hole in my hood and put a street scoop on my BBC.

You do know you can get 10:1 pistons for the cad, along with just about any other part thats available for the BBC. Now if only I could find a geardrive for mine.

[This message has been edited by 87RS402 (edited March 11, 2001).]

 

I'm going to start reading the sig before I talk parts, I could have gotten away with less typing

 

ive been extensively researching this and i think spohn's cage, connectors, and crossmember are the way to go. definitely ditching the 7.5" rear!!! dont want to send chunks if it up thru the floor hehehe.

just got the car home yesterday - was a bare shell rolling. it lost some weight today. at hand though is finishing my 80 camaro just need some minor body work, paint, bleed the brakes, and throw the new interior in.

 

Some fabrication may be required since there are no swap kits available. For headers all you need to do is buy BBC headers for third gen (Hooker or Sanderson). Places like CAD Company will sell you the exhaust flanges. You cut off the BBC flange from the headers and weld on the Caddy ones and you now have Caddy headers. A scoop or cowl hood is a must for clearance. Other than that it looks like you have everything else thought of.

------------------
Follow my racing progress on Stephen's racing page
and check out the race car

87 IROC-Z Pro ET Bracket Race Car
383 stroker (carbed) with double hump cast iron heads and pump gas
461 Big Block installed and ready for the 2001 racing season

Best results before the 383 blew up
Best ET on a time slip: 11.857 altitude corrected to 11.163
Best MPH on a time slip: 117.87 altitude corrected to 126.10
Altitude corrected rear wheel HP based on power to weight ratio: 476.5
Best 60 foot: 1.662

Racing at 3500 feet elevation but most race days it's over 5000 feet density altitude!
Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association

87 IROC bracket car, 91 454SS daily driver, 95 Homebuilt Harley