h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I can't wait to finish this project! It's been over a year already and I'm just getting all the parts together. I bought a '76 Cadillac Sedan DeVille with a 500 cubic inch engine. It's the largest mass-produced engine ever put in a car. I bought parts from Maximum Torque Specialties (excellent people). I got an Edelbrock Performer Intake that's about eighty pounds lighter than the stock piece. I'll re-use the stock Quadrajet carburetor (it's good for 725 CFM). I got the biggest cam that can fit in the engine without heavy modification of the valvetrain geometry. I got a new shaft rocker setup good for 5000 rpm, which is really cranking for a 500 Cad. I got all-new hardware for the cylinder heads. The bottom end of the motor is about bulletproof under 5200 rpm, and currently in excellent condition - even after 115,000 miles. I got grade-nine bolts for the bottom end, ARP rod bolts, and a stainless steel bolt kit for everything else.

The motor is at the machine shop right now. They measured everything on the bottom end about four times then expressed shock at the good condition of everything. They are assembling the long-block since the shaft rocker system requires machining. They are also giving the heads a three-angle valve job. There is no cylinder wear so there is no need for boring the motor out.

This weekend I am driving about 150 miles to a friend's house to buy his '51 Chevy 4-door deluxe sedan. It's in fair condition: driveable but the brakes aren't so good and the powerglide transmission is acting up. The body is straight but the paint is peeling. Most of the chrome is in place, the interior is rough, but most everything else is fine.

The Cad motor will fit fine in the '51. I already have the motor mount adapters and an Eldorado oil pan and sump ready to make the swap easier. I will re-use the stock TH400 transmission out of the Caddy, maybe with a mild rebuild. I am still unsure about what headers I will use (I have Caddy flanges ready to weld onto big-block Chevy headers), what rear-end I will use (it'll probably need limited-slip), and what stuff I can swap over from the Caddy (AC, power steering, power brakes, 12 volt wiring?) It certainly promises to be fun building!