Dedicated to the Promotion and Preservation of American Muscle Cars, Dealer built Supercars and COPO cars. |
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#1
03-12-2005, 06:37 AM
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L78 396/402
Hell everyone, I just bought an L78 402 for my '50 Cadillac Convertible. The engine is rebuilt stock and I am wondering if this will be a good engine to power my sled. It has closed chamber rectangular port heads, which I understand aren't optimum for a street cruiser. Any opinions would be apperciated.
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#2
03-13-2005, 09:49 PM
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Re: L78 396/402
The ideal engine for your Cad is one of the 500+ CID Cadillac engines. There is some aftermarket equipment for them and they produce the kind of torque that you are looking for. The L78 is more of an rpm engine and is more suited to a Camaro, Nova, or Chevelle.
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Chevelleless after 46 years......but we did find a low mileage, six speed, silver 2005 Corvette. It will just have to do for now. 
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#4
03-14-2005, 01:02 AM
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Re: L78 396/402
Not kidding at all. Thinking in terms of street rods, I like to see the engine matching the line that it is going into. Check out what can be done to one of these big Cad engines. I'd put the L78 in a Chevy, where it belongs.
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Chevelleless after 46 years......but we did find a low mileage, six speed, silver 2005 Corvette. It will just have to do for now.
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#6
03-15-2005, 10:56 AM
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Re: L78 396/402
No apology needed. The beauty of building a street rod is that you can do what ever you want. I've had a couple of L78 cars and that engine is fine. I just think that the big Cad engine would really be neat. For a street car, there is nothing like a big inch, big torque engine. We have a '72 4 speed Lemans Sport with an over bored 455 with a mild cam and headers. It will actually run circles around our L78 Chevelle and has mild manners to boot.
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Chevelleless after 46 years......but we did find a low mileage, six speed, silver 2005 Corvette. It will just have to do for now.
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#7
03-15-2005, 05:39 PM
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Re: L78 396/402
Like they say "There is no substitue for Cubic Inches!"
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~JAG~ NCRS#65120 68 GTO HO 4 spd Alpine Blue /Parchment 2 owner car #21783 71 Corvette LT1 45k miles Orig paint - Brandshatch Green - National Top Flight - last known 71 LT1 built. 71 Corvette LT1 42k miles Original paint - Black - black leather - only black LT1 known to exist. NUMEROUS Lemans blue Camaros, Monza Red and Daytona Yellow Corvettes & a Chevelle or two... Survivors, restored cars, & other photos https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/myphotos
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