It Runs! 1953 Cadillac 331 V-8 first start!

It took a shot of either to set it off, but it runs. One thing the video doesn't convey is the way the floor shakes when this thing runs.. Wicked cool...

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• ratrod
• 1953 Cadillac
• hotrod
• street rod
• antique car
• caddilac engine
• thunder road

[kirkconway]

hi Guy i just got your email

it was soo nice to see it soo quick.

Id like to do a replica of the 29 A pickup the Blue Beetle of Darryl Starbird's

It had the 331 caddy in it as far as i know.

where did yoiu find your 331?

nice project go slow and youll have a nice car when it's done.

was it in a car.

[rpeek]

@kirkconway The guy I got my project from had the motor and tranny in a '53 Cadillac and pulled it out and put in a Chevy 355. He poked the motor and dynaflow tranny into this one, kind of a mocked up rat rod made out of spare parts, and I bought it from him. He told me the engine ran, but I really didn't expect it to. Like you I wanted the classic pre-SBC hotrod motor and other than a flathead I couldn't imagine anything more appropriate than this. I love it.

[kirkconway]

@rpeek

I was gonna see if i could find an older Caddy V-8 like your's

[rpeek]

@kirkconway Good luck with yours..

[kirkconway]

right on brother good to see you building something and it having the older Cadillac engine, really cool sounds good too.

[rpeek]

@kirkconway  Thank You! It's been great so far.

[tipetu]

big blocks got two ports close to eachother in the middle, sharing one pipe

[rpeek]

@Gibson299 I'm surprised it ran at all... Still am. I drive it all the time and love it. The timing chain was worn way out. Replaced that. Got lots more to do.. Probably what you hear are exhaust leaks. Had a bunch of exhaust bolts broke off at the time..

[kirkconway]

@kirkconway

I was gonna get an older Caddy V-8 like your's

is that a model A frame under there?

look's like it. Like to find a 29 A roadster pickup and do it like the Blue Beetle show rod in the 60's

Im not sure if that thing had a special frame under it,

or it just had an A frame under it?

If the A frame would work?

then it would be so simple to do it.

[rpeek]

@SuperKONR 3 exhaust pipes were standard on early V8's. Flathead Fords had the same setup. They shared the center exhaust ports. 4 pipes are better, and that did come along pretty quickly, after this motor was made. The steel wool was just an attempt to make an in-pipe exhaust, which I later accomplished using motorcycle baffles and stainless steel mesh..

[SuperKONR]

I was always baffled by the three piped exhaust (no pun intended hehe). But is that enough pipe for back pressure so the valves don't burn out, or did you put something in there? Is that what the steel wool was for? Cause I know its caused from the flames so is the steel wool a spark arrester?

[rpeek]

@MrChevynut It was actually a fire truck.. A local guy assembled it out of pile of spare parts from his and his Dad's left over projects, but never got it anywhere near finished and moved off and left it. I tracked him down, drug it home, took it apart and rebuilt it. Still workin' on it, d/t budget, can only afford so many new parts at a time, but for the money it's already been great fun..