Thread: 500 Caddy/G Body Swap

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Know what ya mean on the job deal Mike!!!! Just one more of the many reasons I prefer working for myself! Take some time, play with the Elky, have some fun! Life is far too important to be taken seriously!!!!

I believe this one is going to be a keeper. I need a truck to haul parts and such in.

As I was warned a a few members here the little 76 Dodge I built ended up being too nice and too rare to really fit the bill. I've used it a few times and cringe at the thought of a scratch or ding. I also found I missed the lower deck of the El Camino when I load up 100 pound bags of sand. The 76 will probably go up fopr sale in the next few weeks.......(still hoping to get the new shop up this year and that will help).

"...... Life is far too important to be taken seriously!!!! ......"

I LIKE that Dave I think I've felt better in the last week since I handed in my resigination than I have in the past year. I think some times we really don't know how stressed we are until we're out from under the situation

This post should just about wrap up this build. I got the front end aligned today and am now putting on break in miles. There are still a few things to take care …..cut and buff the paint, run the AC lines, install the sun visors etc but for all intents and purposes it’s pretty much done and drivable.

I put about 50 miles on it today it runs 180-190 has good oil pressure and everything functions as it should.

Overall I am VERY happy with the results. The truck is fun to drive with the F41 suspension and quick ratio steering. It rides a bit stiffer than the stock 84 of the wifes but it’s not uncomfortable. The engine is very mild mannered (as a stock Caddy motor should be LOL) and feels very powerful although I’m still resisting the temptation to really stick my foot in it until I have a few more miles on it.

I’ve already got a couple of the nice “El Camino” comments and my favorite “there’s something different about the front end but I can’t put my finger on it”.

With the body work and drive train swap this is probably the most extensive projects I’ve done and I’m am very pleased with how it turned out.

Good work Mike...................Now..................one thing missing.

Where's the You Tube video where you're boiling the hides with all that torque?

you should be very happy mike. that is a very sweet ride

Thanks Bob and Barb.

".....Where's the You Tube video where you're boiling the hides with all that torque?. ....."

It's coming Bob, just havent set up the camera yet.......always figured the first set or rear tires were kind of sacrifical anyway LOL

Originally Posted by Mike P

Thanks Bob and Barb.

".....Where's the You Tube video where you're boiling the hides with all that torque?. ....."

It's coming Bob, just havent set up the camera yet.......always figured the first set or rear tires were kind of sacrifical anyway LOL

Yee ha,,show us the smoke...Thats looking good.Should be a good long distance cruiser..

Great job, Mike! It'll make a great showpiece as well as a hauler. What's the next project waiting in the wings?

Well I’ve got almost 1000 miles on it so far and everything seems to be doing good. I charged the AC last week and took it to the local cruise night on Saturday.

I really like having the open bed to throw things in ……. It was something I found out I missed on the last couple of trucks I built and put bed covers on. I am planning on taking a trip back to Ill in a couple of months to visit family and decided I would like to have a tonneau cover for the trip so I could throw a couple of suitcases and full size spare in the bed out of sight and out of the weather.

I ended up with this one from Craftec that came out pretty good and NO SNAPS. I used nutserts for all the brackets. The cover itself comes off in less than 30 seconds and removing all the brackets takes less than 5 minuets. It looks a little grey in the picture but is actually just a little bit brighter white than the paint on the truck. For the money I’m very happy with it.

that is a great looking bed.

Nice.You know I had s10 pick-ups and thought because of the weather here I Roch,NY the Astro vans I went to would be better.I am shopping for a used stand-up air compressor and wouldn't want to lay that down,so all I can do is haul my dual axle 12' trailer to pick one up.Sure which I had a pick-up again.

Sorry about the hi jack of your thread.I hope you know I think everything you have done on this project has been just too cool.Very nice.

Thanks Barb and Gary. Gary I've almost always had a truck and would pretty much be lost without one. The last couple of years though the truck has been the True Spirit I built a while back. The problem was that it turned out too nice and I really didn;t want to haul anything in it. It's nice to have one I can use again.

This build turned out awesome, I really like the quality of your work. I think speak for everyone when I ask "Whats the next project?".

The CORRECT answer would be a certain hemi powered pickemup that's been pushed back......................for a LOOOONNNNNGGGGG time.

AHHH the next project. I don't really know right now.

I've done 3 major and one minor project one back to back over the last 6 years (57 Plymouth, 76 Dodge, 84 El Camino and this 83). Frankly I’m a bit burned out at this point.

Since I quit my job a bit over a month ago I’ve been sorting thru some of the parts collection and seeing what I really don’t have a use for.....I’m looking at doing the swap meet/E Bay/Craigslist thing for a while. I’m also looking at thinning the herd a bit and maybe getting rid of a few vehicles.

I’ve got a guy interested in the 64 Ford, it might come in next so I can finish up the mechanical and then let it go and let him worry about the paint and upholstery.

I’m debating on whether I’m better off doing a cosmetic restoration on the 68 El Camino or trying to sell it as is and the same with the 81 firebird.

The one I really want to start on is the 37 Dodge and I thinking about getting that back in the shop to at least get the firewall and floor done. Yes Bob I know I know.

Of course all my plans may be moot ........my lovely wife mentioned last night she would really like to have a convertible or Cobra II again (I just can’t seem to convince her she would look really good in an 81 Trans AM clone, but I'm still working on that)