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S 5 : Ep 106

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The 365 Cadillac is quickly becoming less of a mess of parts on a table and more of a tidy beautiful blue engine. The process is not a game of simply fitting parts and tightening bolts, however. Davin encountered a few hiccups while assembling the long block of this V-8, but luckily the cameras were around to show you how he got around them.

“Every engine is a little different, and how some of these vintage engines were built new is not nearly as precise as we build them now,” Davin says as he sorts through the valvetrain components on the large table. “Taking the time now to make sure reproduction parts and original pieces play nice together is important, and that might require doing a little extra work.”

For instance, assembling the cylinder heads is always a careful and time-consuming process. This go around was even more so because the special micrometer Davin uses to help set the correct assembled spring height and pressure didn’t fit with the design of the valve seals and cylinder head casting. That’s no problem though. A standard digital caliper did the job with a little bit of ingenuity.

In the same way that a caliper is modern technology being put to work on a vintage project, Davin highlights a great tech tip while rebuilding the mechanical fuel pump. We are all likely guilty of taking something apart and telling ourselves, “I’ll remember how that goes back together. No big deal.” And then we’ve all likely been caught by the err of our ways when we went to reassemble those small bits and pieces, too. Instead of relying on our fleeting memory, reach for your phone (or a small digital camera) and snap a couple quick pictures. It has never been cheaper or easier to document how items are assembled. Keep the photos as long as you need them and delete them when the project is done. It’s that simple.

The Cadillac has come a long way, and now it only has a few final steps in the Redline Rebuild garage. It’s time for the test stand to roll in before this beautiful engine rolls out. Be sure to subscribe to the Hagerty YouTube channel to receive a notification when the next video goes live—we know you want to be the first to hear it run.

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There are two words most people use when describing the process of putting an engine together: assembling or building. Davin is here to make sure you don’t confuse the two. The Cadillac is getting its pistons and connecting rods, and that requires the person holding the tools to be an engine builder—not an assembler.

“At times it can seems like building an engine is just putting parts together, and it sort of is,” Davin says about the progress on the 365 V-8, “but it is also a process that requires great care and precision at times. Knowing when those times are is very important.”

For instance, the pistons rings for this engine are not file-to-fit, but Davin still takes the time to check that the end gap is correct once fitted in the cylinder bores. A few of the rings came in a bit too tight, which would have ended badly if Davin had simply assembled the parts. A quick run on the ring filer sorted it out though.

The oil pan closes up the bottom end of the Caddy, and the final touch of the short block is the installation of the timing set. Similar to the pistons, this is a step that requires close attention. There are timing marks relative to crank and camshaft location that need to be properly aligned. This ensures that the two are in proper sync as the camshaft rotates at half speed relative to the crank.

From there on out, it’s tightening up a couple bolts before Davin calls it a day. It won’t be long now before the Cadillac is on the run stand for break in. If you want to see what’s left to be built, be sure to subscribe to the Hagerty YouTube channel to never miss an oily minute.

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Davin is a man who sweats small details, and let’s just say that painting the Cadillac 365 engine block and starting the assembly of the shortblock called for some perspiration. Nothing is too small for Davin’s attention, and that means ensuring no bare metal is showing that shouldn’t be.

“I could assemble the whole engine and then paint it,” said Davin in a conversation while looking over the bare engine block, “but I’ve never really like the finished product of doing it that way. Painting it all separate just has a much cleaner look and I think it’s worth the effort.”

That effort involves taking the time to cleanly tape off the gasket surfaces and protect the innards of the engine from overspray that could cause premature wear and tear. This precaution ensures the gaskets themselves work properly and the paint does not interfere with a good seal. Once taped off, the block can be wiped down with a wax and grease remover and rolled into the paint booth for a gentle coating of color.

Once back at the shop, Davin unmasks the block and brushes on a coat of Glyptal paint to seal up the porosity of the engine block, and doing so also helps with oil drainback. No assembly manual will tell you to do it, but little things like this add up to a more reliable, longer-lasting package.

With both the inside and the outside painted, Davin can begin assembly in earnest. The main bearings are put in place and the crankshaft is delicately lowered into its forever home. The caps are torqued, and at long last the engine is ready for rods and pistons.

That momentous step will have to wait til next time though, as our assembly series on the Cadillac 365 continues. Be sure to subscribe to the Hagerty YouTube channel to never miss an update—include the final, full timelapse and startup of this engine at the end of the Redline Rebuild tunnel.

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It’s not a speedy engine, but the Cadillac 365 is sure coming together fast. Davin has been cracking away over the last few weeks to clean the parts that are going to be re-used and source the parts that needed to be replaced. Now the time has come to start some reassemble processes, even though the block is still at the machine shop.

The main thing on the to-do list is to confirm the sizing on the big end of the connecting rods. The process is pretty simple, but there are a few tips that separate proper assembly from “just slapping it together.” The first is the clean and careful insertion of the bearing shells to the rod and rod cap. The final measurement is done down to ten-thousandth of an inch, and since foreign material between the bearing shell and the connecting rod will affect things, most engine assemblers will have a clean room where dirt and grime are banished to keep these precision parts exactly that—precise.

With the bearings placed, the cap is torqued in place as if it was being installed on the crankshaft. A key in this step is to make sure the threads of the rods bolts are properly lubricated so the torque spec is an accurate reflection of the clamping force between the two parts. Once clamped together, the diameter of the bearings is taken, numbers that can then be relayed to the team at Thirlby machine shop, which can cut the crankshaft to the perfect size.

The team at Thirlby has been busy while Davin was checking that clearance. The Caddy V-8 block got the cylinder mating surface decked and a 30-thousandths bore on the cylinder to match the new pistons. The next steps are to take everything back to the Redline Rebuild garage and start the real assembly.

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In the latest Redline Update, Davin gets us up to speed on the Cadillac 365 V-8 and Honda Trail 70 projects.

First off, he inventories the Cadillac parts that remain after he disassembled the mill. The lifters show varying levels of wear, with the worst offenders displaying significant dishing. Those won’t be reused. New parts will join the original camshaft, which is being reground. Davin was surprised to find a new water pump; the big casting is pretty complicated, so it’s good to know that the cooling system will benefit from fresh components.

Plenty of the original Cadillac parts will be put back in service, however, and Davin reviews some of the steps used to restore them. For example, the V-8’s pushrods went through the parts washer and then through a tumbler filled with solvent and stainless rods to remove the baked-on oil. Now, they look brand-new. The rocker shaft assembly shows what the valvetrain parts looked like before that treatment. The shaft and its components are going into the ultrasonic cleaner before it heads to the tumbler. Due to the wear on the rocker tips, the rockers will need further work, since the ridges left by the valve stems need to be ground smooth.

Besides the tumbler and other parts washers, Davin and the Redline Rebuild crew rely on a media blaster. A quick trip to that part of the shop shows the valve covers getting stripped and readied for the same paint that will eventually coat them and the rest of the engine.

On to the Honda Trail 70, Davin lists all the new parts that he’s already collected, including clutch plates and a rebuild kit for the stator, plus brake shoes, sprockets, a battery, and an OE chrome engine guard. More and more original parts are going into the bin that’s destined for Jason’s Chrome, which will re-plate all those components in addition to polishing all the aluminum bits, including the intake manifold. Other aluminum parts, like the side case, will be sandblasted and Cerakoted. We also get a peek at the stamped steel frame, which is stripped of its stickers and nearly ready for sandblasting. The rusty split rims are also ready to get sandblasted. If they’re not too pitted, they’ll be powder-coated, but Davin’s lined up replacements just in case.

Next, the video team heads to Thirlby Machine Shop, where the heads get disassembled before being thoroughly cleaned along with the block. As previously discovered, one of the exhaust manifolds is cracked from the center port almost all the way to the collector; Davin plans to drill out the crack and weld up the cast iron. Luckily, the block passes its magnetic crack check with flying colors. Mike at Thirlby will handle boring, honing, and decking the block, making sure to leave the stamping on the deck surface intact. Compared to some of the other projects Davin has brought him, this Cadillac should be a cakewalk.

Finally, Davin reconditions the stock rods by pressing in new bolts, cleaning up the rod caps, and resizing the big end. As parts continue to show up, including the pistons and back-ordered fuel-pump rebuild kit, we’ll continue to bring you progress reports. Make sure you’re subscribed to Hagerty’s YouTube channel so you don’t miss a single one.

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Grease and grime are staples of the Redline Rebuild garage, but this week is all about cleaning up. No, not the shop, but the Cadillac 365 V-8 that Davin tore down last week. This sturdy iron block is shaping up to be Davin’s main project and it’s time to fire up the parts washer.

“This engine is going back to bone-stock, unlike a lot of the other builds we have done,” says Davin. “Not that we couldn’t add a few subtle hot rod parts … it’s just that, in this case, that approach doesn’t make much sense, because the engine’s going back into a bone-stock four-door cruiser. Stock is best here.”

The mess of parts on the workbench has to be cleaned before the process can move ahead much further, and, for this step, Davin is happy to have his monster parts washer. All the bits and pieces that need to go to the machine shop get a quick bath to remove the worst of the grime before they’re loaded into the bed of the 1950 Chevrolet for a trip across town, where they are unloaded and placed in the waiting line at Thirlby machine shop.

The next step is machine work—sort of. Since both Thirlby’s facing a backlog of work, Davin shifts his focus to even more cleaning. He gathers all small parts that he’ll send out for paint, powdercoat, or CeraKote and begins washing and sandblasting like a madman.

Be sure to tune in next week to see whether Davin finds good news under all that oil and dirt. All the progress will be documented in upcoming Redline Updates, so be sure to subscribe to Hagerty’s YouTube channel to next miss a greasy minute.

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The Redline Rebuild master generally looks forward to the work week. The day Davin anticipates most keenly, however, is teardown day. This week, the Cadillac 365 gets torn down so that Davin can see just what he’s getting into with this oddball V-8.

“Tearing into a new project is always exciting for me,” says Davin about the greasy Cadillac. “It’s during this time that I learn the small differences between the various engines we rebuild. Those details are what keep me coming back to the engine stand.”

Davin spots the first oddity in this engine’s design before he even begins taking it apart. The water pump has a radical design compared to a standard small-block GM product: Each cylinder head, along with the transmission, gets its own dedicated feed. Davin hasn’t seen those long hoses that run under the intake manifold to cool the transmission before—but this probably won’t be his last encounter with them.

An engine’s unique touches are fun to think about … until it’s time to order parts for the rebuild. Davin is most worried about sourcing the pistons and piston rings—the last thing he wants is another Buick straight-eight scenario on his hands. Custom pistons are relatively easy to source; the rings, however, are not so straightforward. Now that the Caddy V-8 is torn down and he’s had a look at everything, Davin will start flipping catalog pages and dialing up suppliers to evaluate his options.

If you want to see how Davin solves the piston-ring problem, be sure to subscribe to the Hagerty YouTube channel.

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Probably the smallest project on Davin’s 2021 roster is this orange Honda Trail 70. It’s a running and riding bike, but it’s far from perfect and could use some love. Teardown time for the air-cooled single-cylinder moves quickly, so let’s get to it.

The Trail 70, or CT 70 as it is also known, came stateside in 1969. It was the perfect bike to get those curious about motorcycles absolutely hooked on riding. The diminutive size made it approachable and comfortable for just about anybody, and the peppy four-stroke, single-cylinder engine was both quick and easy to handle, especially with the three-speed transmission behind it. The Trail 70 is a machine that bike people often say “gives room to grow,” meaning that it’s forgiving enough to learn on, but remains entertaining and rewarding as the rider gains experience.

The orange model Davin is going after looks to be in pretty good shape at first glance, but with each step of disassembly this little machine delivers some piece of hidden bad news. Luckily, none of the items found are catastrophic and each can be easily rectified. Before those fixes can take place, however, everything is going to need a good bath and scrub-down.

That’s for next episode, though. For now, go forth and heed Davin’s call to go work on your projects. And if you don’t want to miss the next Redline Update, subscribe to Hagerty on YouTube.

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Enjoy Season 5 stories, opinion, and features from across the car world - Hagerty Media

Last week, Davin gave a quick recap of the projects that he’ll be tackling this year. This week it’s time to get down to work. Up first: returning the Buick to the Hagerty Learning Garage, which means Davin gets to play with a new toy that recently arrived—a forklift.

“It might seem like overkill, but a forklift is one of those tools you don’t think you’ll use until you have one, and suddenly you find all kinds of uses for it,” Davin says. “For example, it’s a whole lot easier to lift this whole engine run stand into the pickup than to take the time to disassemble it all carry it piecemeal.”

Once loaded, the Buick straight-eight took a short blanket-covered trip to be reunited with the 1951 Buick that it will be bolted back into. The car, covered in fresh paint and nearing the finish line of its customizations, has been waiting for the engine to arrive. It should come together quickly now, but Davin is not at the shop to lend a hand with that; instead he’s there to pick up the 365 V-8 from the ’57 Cadillac that has already been stripped down to its frame, right next to the Buick.

The 365 is next up in the Redline Rebuild series, but if you want to see it torn down you’ll have to wait until next week. Davin says there are some interesting tidbits about this engine, and he’s going to dive into all that on a future episode of Redline Update.

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Tom and the Barn Find Hunter crew have been put in a bit of a pinch by the travel restrictions placed in various parts of the country. Despite what you may think, there is a silver lining: it has allowed the crew to go back and revisit some of our greatest finds, particularly the ones in which we didn’t have enough time to talk about all the good stuff. Time is something we all have in great supply, these days.

One of the biggest stashes of cars Tom has ever stumbled across is also one that really deserves a revisit. Billy Eubanks’ massive collection of cars was nestled into the trees of the Carolinas, and the depth and breadth of the cars in the multitude of buildings meant that even with an extra-long episode back in 2018, we couldn’t even begin to talk about them all.

It’s almost hard to believe that the first episode covering this group of cars had to gloss over this many great finds. More than a few Hemi cars, homologation specials, and Jaguar coupes are strewn about the property, and now two years on you get to hear the whole story. Enjoy this walk with Tom around a property that might be familiar, but it’s all fresh cars for you loyal viewers.

Enjoy Season 5 stories, opinion, and features from across the car world - Hagerty Media

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