Will a Caddy 1972 472ci motor fit right into a 1971 Buick Riviera?

[Lazyman]

Got a 1972 Cadillac 472 Motor and tans, and was wondering if it would bolt in with no trouble to a
1971 Buick Riviera Boat tail. Motor is shot,a nd the caddy motor is just sitting there looking for a home, free hp I figure, and i don't have the money to rebuild the 455.
what are yer thoughts?

[CTX-SLPR]

Got a 1972 Cadillac 472 Motor and tans, and was wondering if it would bolt in with no trouble to a
1971 Buick Riviera Boat tail. Motor is shot,a nd the caddy motor is just sitting there looking for a home, free hp I figure, and i don't have the money to rebuild the 455.
what are yer thoughts?

While I hate to say it.... probably considering the Riviera by that time was just an E-body which is closely related to the common B/C-body which is your DeVille and Fleetwood. Now that doesn't mean it'll be a cake dunk with the right motor mounts because while the trans should be the same TH400, the alternator, battery, starter, power steering pump, radiator outlets...etc might well be in different spots requiring rewiring and plumbing to make it work.

[Lazyman]

While I hate to say it.... probably considering the Riviera by that time was just an E-body which is closely related to the common B/C-body which is your DeVille and Fleetwood. Now that doesn't mean it'll be a cake dunk with the right motor mounts because while the trans should be the same TH400, the alternator, battery, starter, power steering pump, radiator outlets...etc might well be in different spots requiring rewiring and plumbing to make it work.

I realize there is going to be alot of fabrication, this car has been sitting for over 30 years, I just wanted to be sure the motor mounts might match up. THe car is a mess, but straight, thats what sells it as I want to make a cruiser rat rod with it. The car as a whole I think I am going to hae to do a painless rewire on it after i cleaned out all the rodent crap.

[cantvalve16]

Don't know anything about the swap, but I totally dig the cruisin for cheap mentality. Go for it and make a build thread.

[Deaf Bob]

Ok..My son put a 500 Caddy (same as a 472) in a 65 Skylark..
He set the tranny in on the crossmember and bolted it on..
For the front, he used "motor plates" to the frame..since the Skylark does not have power steering or AC

Isnt the Rivvy a rear sump motor (pretty sure they are) you will need a pan from an Eldorado.. Or an aftermarket one..Unless the 472 is from an Eldorado already.

[Huskinhano]

We need pictures!

[squirrel]

If you have the complete motor and trans and all the accessories and brackets and stuff, it should be an easy swap.

[SuperBuickGuy]

The motor mounts aren't even close.
Transmission is the same.
Oil pan could be an issue - but are easy to get from a 425 Cadillac.
At least the starter is on the same side?
Cadillac tended to take all the space they had on the front of the motor(which is quite ample) so their brackets tend to be too wide.... nice thing about too wide is it's far easier to remove metal then add metal.

As for direct swap... alternator, power steering pump are on the same sides as compared to a 455

[hauen]

My friend tried this swap in a boattail Riv and a 472 DeVille engine. You'll need to make your own motor mounts, use an Eldorado pan, and also make new PS and A/C hoses. FWIW he got as far as getting the Eldo pan from a junkyard and getting it on the engine, but once he realized the cost of getting new hoses fabbed and taking the time to get the motor mounts right he found it was just cheaper and easier to find an old Electra or whatever the big Buick boat was and get the engine out of it (granted, this was the '80's and you could pick up old boats like that all day for $400)