82 Eldorado (autocross suspension) injected Caddy472, Ram Air & overdrive

[CadVetteStang]

New here and this is my first post: One of my projects: 82 Eldo w/472



This is a 1982 Eldorado (3,680 lbs) with a 1972, Caddy 472 engine (8.5:1 compression) that rated 535 lbs. Torque @ 3200 RPMs. It has 4 wheel independent suspension and 4 wheel disc brakes. The car is TBI injected, has a TH325-4L overdrive FWD transmission and when pictured, had 1995 Trans Am wheels (16 x 8). Touring suspension has been added and the rear springs upgraded. More suspension upgrades and brake upgrades are planned. When finished it will have 12” disc brakes at all four wheels, 17 X 9” wheels and will run 275/40 ZR 17 tires under all four corners. It will ride with the stiffness of an 84 Z51 Corvette and will be used as a daily driver and an autocross racer. The car was running for a short time, but the salvage yard engine started knocking before I was finished with the modifications and it was parked. I am interested in getting it back on the road again and am doing research.





Cody G. Carson
(Raced a stock 70 Eldorado in the 1985 and 1986 SCCA autocross in Fayetteville, AR)

[BLACKJACK]

i need to see this thing in action

[wedged]

disc breaks ?

[CadVetteStang]

As already stated, I used the stock TH325-4L tranny, which is good for a daily driver, but if anyone wanted to put a Chevy, Olds, or Buick motor with performance mods- or drive a stock Caddy motor they way it begs to be driven, the TH325s won't hold up. Here are some pictures of custom mounts that can be made to swap in the stronger TH425 . Adaptor plates also need to be made to mate the bigger tranny dif to the smaller CV axles. Some hammer mods required for lower part of firewall.


BYW: as pictured, I have less than $2,500 invested in the whole car project (including the cost of the car) and used totally stock salvage yard parts.

[98ssnova]

Originally Posted by wedged

disc breaks ?

It's brakes CadVetteStang he was checking your spelling. sorry didn't want to seem rude but I looks like you missed what he was going for. Welcome to the board I hope that your caddy does all you say and more. Have fun at the track.

[CadVetteStang]

Originally Posted by 98ssnova

It's brakes CadVetteStang he was checking your spelling. sorry didn't want to seem rude but I looks like you missed what he was going for.

Good read; thanks for the attitude alignment. Yeah, I overlooked the misspelling and thought he was being insulting for mentioning that the car had “discs” (as if that is too common- like saying “my car has an engine”) Anyway, I went back and fixed the misspellings.

Thanks again; his welcome gave me a bad first impression of the group- you fixed that.
P.S. oh, and I used to have a 74 Nova hatchback... loved that car and wish I still had it.

[67rstbkt]

Definately a unique project, keep the updates coming. I really like the Cads, I've got an '01 Deville as a daily driver and I used to have an 89 Eldo, but I never thought about improving handling. Cool beans

[wedged]

sorry if you took it the wrong way ? Your project is one of those " i gotta see this" types. I like sleepers and sneaky type of cars. A land yacht that handles is going to be a shocker to everyone.

[CadVetteStang]

Originally Posted by wedged

sorry if you took it the wrong way ? Your project is one of those " i gotta see this" types. I like sleepers and sneaky type of cars. A land yacht that handles is going to be a shocker to everyone.

All is forgiven: it was my misunderstanding. My 70 Eldorado is a land yacht, but my 82 is so small and light it is surprising: Here is some info:

My 82 Eldorado has 114” wheelbase, while a 78 Camaro has 108”. The 82 Eldo weighed 3637 lbs. with the aluminum 4100 engine and the 78 Camaro weighs 3616. Although there is only 35 lbs. different in the weight of a 350 Chevy and a Cadillac 427 or 500, the aluminum 4100 is very very light weight. My car’s weight with the 472 is now about 3780. However, that extra 160 lbs. Eldo –to-Camaro handicap is unnoticeable due to the 535 lbs. of snap-your-neck torque and FWD traction.

When it was running, it felt very light and responsive. You could accelerate hard coming out of the corners because the nose-heavy FWD would direct the power where you wanted it to go and the back end had nothing to cause it to come around on you. I could come out of a corner with enough torque at the wheels to send a Corvette spinning in circles- and if I did break traction, it just plowed forward safely until I feathered the throttle to get it to hook again. Currently the brakes are small 10.5” discs, but with so much weight sitting on top of the front, you could brake hard without locku. High brake heat and brake fade during hard autocross-like driving was a small problem, but a future brake upgrade is in mind. The Eldo already has high offset hubs, so all it will take is modified spindles and caliper brackets to put 13” C5 discs on all 4 wheels. 17X9.5” wheels will fit easily under the front with 275/40 17 tires. The rear has a clearance problem, however, so I can only go 8.5” wide with 245s unless I widen the rear fenders which is planned for a future upgrade.

When I get time, I’ll post some pics of my 70 Eldo racing the 1986 autocross; I wish I had pic or vido of this 82 Eldo in action. Both are very fun to drive (and it’s a lot more fun when you win in an autocross run or a drag race while driving a Cadillac than when you win while driving something that looks cool like a Mustang……

I mean if you are a Camaro/Mustang owner, how do you tell your friends that you got beaten by the car they made fun of the “Gone in 60 seconds” movie? LOL Remember the Burgundy drug dealer’s car that they revved up and laughed at? That’s an Eldo in the 79-85 range. LOL

[1970judge]

i GOTTA say I love this thing. I am all about the sleeper cars!