Hot Rod Engines 101 ~ Early Cadillac OHV V8 Engines

Matt and IronTrap Garage are starting a new mini-series called Hot Rod Engines 101 that will help DIY hot rodders answer questions about what engine to use for their hot rod build.

In this second episode, Matt covers the early Cadillac OHV V8 engines.

Cadillac OHV V8 Engines

One of the most popular engine swaps for early hot rodding has to be the early Cadillac Overhead Valve engines.

The 331 was first released in 1949 and was used in hot rods almost immediately. The first generation of engines are almost identical and a vast majority of the parts swap between.

Stock Cadillac’s were known for making good power and torque and were quite smooth-running engines.

Speed equipment can be a little expensive, and hard to find at times. One of the downsides to the engine is the lack of adjustable rockers, but you can use early aftermarket rockers or stock Studebaker rockers…

Also of Interest:

• Hot Rod Engines 101 ~ Ford Flathead
• What Is A Traditional Hot Rod?
• Traditional Hot Rod Reference Books You Should Own
• The Dan Morehouse Cadillac Collection
• Engines & Components For Sale