Steve, my 1995 K1500 Cowboy Cadillac.

[MIHELA]

Here is the firewall after a little tweaking with a rubber mallet.

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[MIHELA]

Test fit number 2... lookin good.

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[MIHELA]

This fit got my biggest fears out of the way. Exhaust outlet placement and oil pan clearance. I did put a small dimple in the oil pan just in case, better to do before paint than after.

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[MIHELA]

My buddy welding on the timing cover. 3 of the water pump bolts thread only into tapped holes in the thin sheet metal, so I got some weld nuts. We bolted them tight with brass bolts and welded them into place. That way the threads cant pull through which necessitates the removal of the water pump, oil pan and cover.

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[MIHELA]

Cadillac big blocks used the A^ AC compressor until 1977/78ish when they switched to the R4. I despise the R4, and my motor came with an A6. Earlier A6 compressors used a superheat switch Later models used a pressure switch, just like our trucks. The two switches are the same size, but the catch is that they operate on separate sides of the compressor. So I needed to find either a complete A6 out of a narrow window of models, or the rear head from one. I found one on Ebay for a reasonable price, a NOS Buick part. I robbed the pressure switch out of my dead R4 and swapped it in. The only other part I needed was a metric bolt to match the new head.

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[MIHELA]

Prepping for paint.

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[MIHELA]

Soaking pistons in Pine-sol to help dissolve 40 years of gunk. My basement smelled nice.

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Vortec style drier installed. At this point I had intended to go with the Vortec air cleaner and the hose placement for the TBI drier would interfere. After some test fitting it would sit really weird to get a hose to connect, so I stuck with the TBI air cleaner. I also cleaned and touched up the firewall after the vicious beating I gave it.

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[MIHELA]

This is the solution I went for for the breather side of the PCV. These are sold as PCV valves, I gutted it and put in the steel mesh from a ford breather. I had to knock down the edge of the valve cover to seat it, and enlarge the factory hole, but it fits nicely. I wanted to get the PCV stuff done before paint thus the rush of little detail stuff.

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My buddy came over and painted the engine for me. It turned out great, but hasn't held up as well as I'd like. We may redo in the future with a different brand. The color is supposed to be close to the original Cadillac blue.

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