Quote:
Originally Posted by invincible
Thanks Rick

17.5 seems a little odd to me, I mean the HT4100 does 17.7 @75 or something like that, and people always say it SO slow... but this is hardly any faster? WTF?
I don't think the RWD HT4100 was that fast....

Wasn't a race car, but it held its own... by the time I was done with it, I am sure I had her in the 16's..... and that was all just minor stuff.

Out of the '77-'92 generation, the 425 is the most powerful, and almost the fastest... the 350 in the '90-'92 has the edge, but its also using another gear and a much lower final drive.... thats a Chevy for ya! .... Still tho, Cadillac 425 > Chevy 350.

Quote:
Originally Posted by invincible
Actually, they say that the 425 makes up in torque what it lacks in hp.

17.7 is just what I was told, I thought it seemed a little quick too, but hey, if thats true, its ok with me
Until you throw a tach on the 425 and watch it while driving, you'll never understand the amount of torque shes got.

Unless you open the secondaires, she'll never go above 2,000RPM..... it'll rise 300RPM in between gears, then shift and drop 300RPM, then rise again... all that while accelerating from 35-60 without any issue.

Put all the weight you want in it, she may ride a little low, but you'll never feel it in the throttle..... it was a beast.

Quote:
Originally Posted by invincible
I can see that, the V8-6-4 is like an iron HT4100 as far as power goes. yet I really wish I could drive a 368, just to see what it feels like, I've driven almost everything else that came in this bodystyle

425 ('79) well, soon...
HT4100 ('83)
350 ('90)
305 ('91)

now all I need is 307 and 368 with and w/ out V8-6-4
368 (V8-6-4) wasn't too bad of an engine..... and the V8-6-4 operating in V8 mode was the same as the regular 368.

You also forgot to mention the 4.1 Buick V6 and the Olds 350 diesel .

Of all the engines throught the years of this generation, my personal list is:

425 (always a spot in my heart for it)
368/V8-6-4 (just cause its a BB Cad... and the V8-6-4 is a really cool system)
Olds 350 diesel (Honda-like MPG from a big body Caddy)
Olds 307 (will never, ever die) <--- those last 3 are held very close together

Then the HT4100, I have no desire for, nor the Buick V6..... the 305 I woudln't even look at... and the Chevy 350... only if I wanted performance out of the box... I don't care for Chevy engines tho.... nor do I think a small block should be in these cars.... if I am gonna make one fast, its getting a big block Olds or a big block Caddy....somewhat easy enough. If i wanted mileage (awesome highway cruiser) then it'd be the Olds 350 diesel... then the V8-6-4, tho they were about even with the 307/200R4

I like my 425 a lot. It's not the fastest thing I've driven by far, but it feels very strong.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SadEyes

Out of the '77-'92 generation, the 425 is the most powerful, and almost the fastest... the 350 in the '90-'92 has the edge, but its also using another gear and a much lower final drive.... thats a Chevy for ya! .... Still tho, Cadillac 425 > Chevy 350.
Just think if the 425 had a 4 speed with a 3.08:1 rear end!!

No good.

BB Cads like to tug, then sit at a low RPM....

different mindset then building a Chevy... Chevys lack the low end torque of the Cad, they need low gears to get them off the line, and then overdrive to keep the RPM down on the highway so it wont burn itself up.

BB Cads like high gears, they like to tug, engine accelerates slowly while car accelerates fast.... then for the highway, it dosn't need overdrive because it would just end up bringing the RPM too low.... BB Cads perform best (most highway MPG and engine is most \"happy\" ) when the cruise RPM is at peak torque (as with most cars) With my 2.28 gears that would be 2,000RPM right around 73 or so..... at that speed mileage was starting to go down due to aerodynamics of the body.... but right around 70 she would get around 18mpg... not too bad IMO.

The best trans for a BB Cad is the Turbo400, bar none. People that have built Chevies their whole life, then attempt a BB Cad end up runing it... they will throw in some insane gear like a 3.73, then have overdrive.... that'd be like putting the 2.28's and 3spd on a 350... it'll work, but it wont be happy at all.

Although the 3.08 you mentioned would be almost ideal, actually thats pretty much as low as I'd go with a BB Cad, but the overdrive isn't needed... it dosn't like to race thru the gears... it'll run better, and actually accelerate the car faster by tugging.

You can really hop up the performance on a 425 car with basic work... dumping the 2.28's for something like a 2.56-3.11 would help alot... but even then, I kept the 2.28's and got her going pretty fast... off the line, despite all the torque, she would bog, just because trying to get 5,000lbs moving with 2.28 gears would be like trying to push a football player with your pointer finger.... but 25mph+ and it was quick... floor it from 30 and it would downshift into first, actually push you in the seat and youd see the front end lift.... I miss that car.