Can you fit a 500cui Cadillac engine in a 70-73 firebird formula?

Question

I'm aware of someone putting in a 472 and tuning it up to 1200hp (rediculous!), but would a 500 cui get more power, fit, or be easier to find? Thx!

Answer 1

Sure it can be done with enough time and money. Of course its very hard to believe a 472 or 500 Cadillac engine can ever produce 1200 HP without about a 50,000 dollar investment. Stick with a Pontiac engine, or switch to a big block Chevy, or even a small block Chevy. Remember that a 1200 HP engine will be vastly expensive no matter who originally made it. You can get a 650-750 HP crate engine for around 45,000 dollars, and going to 1200 HP, well its not gonna happen with off the shelf parts.

Answer 2

Actually, a Cadillac 472/500 ci engine is only slightly wider than a Pontiac 455, and inch and a half. Also, in stock form it weighs 25 pounds LESS than a Pontiac 455. The 472/500 is an inch longer and an inch and a half taller. It might take some oil pan mods to get it to fit around the cross member in the Firebird. The previous answers aren't incorrect, a small block Pontiac, Chevy, or big block of either brand might be cheaper to modify, and certainly easier to fit in the Firebird, but everyone does that. Cadillac engines are torque monsters, producing around 500 lb ft in stock form. There are parts available to modify them, but it's never going to be a high revving super HP engine without tons of money that might be better spent on a Chevy or Pontiac engine. With a few simple mods, like better intake, exhaust manifolds, and a slightly hotter cam, the Cad engine will definately be more sedate, run at lower RPM, produce more torque, and return a higher MPG overall. I have a friend that put one in a Nova, relatively stock the car ran 13 second 1/4 mile times and the tires spun through 2nd gear. If he would have set the car up to run the 1/4 it would have easily been in the 12's. It got 25 MPG if he drove it like a sane person. You just can't rev it to the moon, keep it under 5500, and it will be reliable for a long time. And, it would be way different.

Answer 3

A lighter 383 Chevrolet small block with 425 horsepower will allow the car handle better for thousands of dollars less than stoking up a heavy Cadillac motor.



Robert the Nit Wit is just plain jealous because the brand new 460 horse direct injected small block gets 29 mpg in the 2014 Corvette

Answer 4

FORGET ABOUT IT! The 472 was NOT a good engine! They would BURN UP and had recalls for break downs even BACK THEN! My brother had one, and the engine BLEW UP! You should change your way of thinking here! The BIGGER the engine, the MORE GAS IT USES< and the more your tires will spin! Most LARGE engines cannot even get out of their OWN WAY! The CADDY engine was OVER SIZED! They were VERY HEAVY and inefficient! SMALLER high revving negine are MROE FUN TO DRIVE< save gas, and are engineered BETTER! I would install a TURBO or SUPERCHARGER on what you already have FIRST! This is MORE efficient and even MORE FUN! I have had a few EURO turbo cars, and there is NOTHING LIKE THEM! STOP thinking like GM DOES! they make OVE SIZED engines that are STILL gas guzzling monsters most times! SMALELR HIGH REVVING engines are the REAL ticket to road fun! A properly built 350 engine is AWESOME! A LARGE engiensis TOO HEAVY for car use, and is better offf in trucks that move BUILDINGS and HORSE TRAILERS because of all the TORQUE they can make!They are SLOW REVVING and have LIMITS on RPM ranges! GOOD LUCK!!

Answer 5

There's plenty of room, but bigger CI doesnt always translate into more power..I'm sure you can find a smaller engine with just as much power or more..and you'd want that because who wants a heavy gas guzzling 500ci engine to lug around

Answer 6

If you have enough time and money, anything is possible.