badhombre

iTrader: (4)

I'm looking for a new project idea since some jobber stole my truck idea and built it EXACTLY like mine. so, has anyone ever seen this done? I like the looks of the cars, and would be a total sleeper. I know they are front wheel drive though, so not sure how the subframe/tunnel are setup on them. there doesn't seem to be alot of information available about the cars that I can find, or anyone doing anything like this. apparently the sevillle of those years is the same, just with 4 doors, so if anyone has done one of those it would be about the same. this is the body style I'm talking about:

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

The body style went to 2002 but anyway...

I used to own a 2002. Great looking car, complete pain in the rear to work on in nearly every aspect but that is a different story...

The floor is completely flat with a small hump just tall enough for the exhaust. As you mentioned, the car is FWD so a new front end would have to be created and a rear drive axle placed out back. The fuel tank is under the rear seat so something would have to be done about that and all the electronics are behind the rear seat upright. Did I mention the car tips the scales at nearly 4400 lbs in stock trim?

I could well roll on but I think you get the point. I'm not saying you can't do it or don't try but the short story is this... If you do it, plan on losing nearly all of the Cadillac goodies while creating your own tube chassis, new floor and wiring harness.

I've seen a 2002 - ish Deville at cruise nights sporting a 572 big block. Yes it's rear wheel drive but looks mostly stock minus the hood blister until the cutouts are opened. I've seen pictures of the chassis work and they did what I think would be the hard way by using much of the factory floor and making a tunnel.

I have seen several FWD to RWD conversions and 90 or 95% end up with a tube chassis - even if it's hidden beneath a factory - looking floor.

MikeFSKSpeed

iTrader: (37)

Another method that I see alot of guys do that may be easier then a tube chassis is taking something like a g-body or S-10 frame and channeling the body off of that, seen alot of FWD to RWD conversions like that around here.

turbinesurgeon

you could simplify the swap and retain alot of the factory goodies, by just staying front drive. An LS4 set-up out of a monte carlo, impala or grand prix isn't too hard to find these days. And I think those engines come stock with LS6 heads.

Plus the 4T-80E transmission that the eldorado comes with is much stronger than what GM has been mounting to LS4's. Take the time to figure out how to get an LS4 to bolt to a 4T-80E, and I think you have a fairly bullet proof combo there. Would be unique too, I can't seam to find any info on this combo.

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

Since I was typing at 2AM I also forgot to add the "cut up another car for it's chassis" option. That would not be limited to full frame cars but uni-bodies as well. Of course using the uni-body method takes a lot of planning to keep things square - but it can be done.

Having owned one of those cars, I say getting the electronics to work would be by far the hardest part. Now I'm talking true sleeper like my Thunderbird or the guy on here with the Lincoln MKZ. We both have full interior, AC, no errors on the gauges, etc.

Joseph Robert Koenig

Hi i have a 96 eldorado that is the same body style, and i just wanted to post a few of my idea's i think to get the rear wheels driven. i believe i could possibly use a dana 9" diff out of a 96 corvette since that happens to be a independent rear suspension setup, and take the front hubs and mount them on the rear mounts and use the cv shafts to connect to the diff. The main issue i can see is that the gas tank will b in the way of the drive shaft and im not sure what to do to solve that issue yet. as for the transmission tunnel i plan on cutting it out of an s10 or something so that i can squeeze in a t56 manual trans. as for a motor im going to convert a 350 out of a 97 suburban into a 383 stroker and twin turbo it. this is all just in the planning as i havent done anything yet. ps the reason im considering this is because i blew up the pos northstar and would like something more reliable and fun.

gsteele

"the guy on here with the Lincoln MKZ"

He doesn't have a build thread does he? I searched and could not find anything. Nice job on your Thunderbird btw.