Anyone ever raced their Caddies?

[Blade]

I am interested if anyone ever entered a race with their Cadillac? What got me interested is the Back to the Fifties show in St. Paul MN hosted this race (called 'The Great Race') and I see guys entering their Auburns, Jaguars, Duesies or other classics. I think it would be great to enter one day just for the fun of it.

http://www.greatrace.com/news/back-to-the-50s.html

Anybody every did something like it?

[Cadillac Jack 82]

I've tested my acceleration from a stop with my Cadillac and it was okay.  Sure its 300 HP but I have 4800 to push along.  Works better at speed.  Top end on my car is fantastic

[Blade]

I've tested my acceleration from a stop with my Cadillac and it was okay.  Sure its 300 HP but I have 4800 to push along.  Works better at speed.  Top end on my car is fantastic

Tim:

Sounds like you're ready!   

[Cadillac Jack 82]

57 vs 59 in the making? 

[Blade]

57 vs 59 in the making? 

Tim:

It would be more just for the fun of it, not about winning. My car won't be ready next year plus I don't think I would take on such a long drive they have planned for 2016 (http://www.greatrace.com/2016-route) but I would go through a few states like they did a couple of years ago.

[cadillac ken]

IIRC The Great Race is not really a race.  It's a time and distance thing. You reach checkpoints that have a predetermined arrival time (usually not a distance you need to burn up the blacktop to make it to) and if you arrive early you are penalized as well as arriving late.  The winner is the "crew" that completes the "race" closest to the predetermined time (adding up all the checkpoints).

We prepared a car for a customer many years ago who did this race.  He said it was quite fun and there were celebration parties at various checkpoints in the evening that were a lot of fun-- talking cars, etc. No real pressure. Not really feeling like a "race".

Definitely sounds like a Bucket List endeavor. 

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

You have posted a subject near and dear to my heart.  They say you have to grow old but you don't have to grow up. In 1972 I bought my New Eldorado coupe because "I needed something to slow me down".  Well I got hooked on Cadillacs and spent the 40 years enjoying them for all their intended purposes of luxury, comfort and "road burning" ride.  Then it happened.  That old expression " the older I get, the faster I was" crept into my very soul and I started on this project.
My 1973 was a 30,000 mile car, but it was a "low optioned" car, so it seemed available for sacrifice.
I took it out to the drag strip, sans only its hubcaps and ran a 16 second quarter mile at about 90 MPH.
The fever took hold and what you see in the pictures and the u-tube is what evolved.  It has been put on a diet and is now down to 4800 pounds from its original 5200.
Last time out, before I pulled the motor and installed the roller camshaft you will see and hear in the video I ran a 13.2 second quarter at close to 108 MPH.
The roller cam and its mods theoretically have added about 80 HP (seat of the pants says at least so), so I am here in the rain waiting for the weather to clear and I will go back out and play with my toy.
If I have offended any of the purists out there I apologize, but Its a disease that I cannot control.
Greg Surfas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ymmI1np2es

[Philippe M. Ruel]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaRM1ARvOuo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oq9jPmoNUA

No I didn't win. Just had fun.

[Blade]

Ken:

Exactly what I would do, not really race but just a great adventure. It's not about pushing your car (and yourself) to the limit but something interesting and exciting. I will definitely consider it as long as it doesn't go all the way across the country.

Greg:

We were just talking about how people recognize the muscles but few can identify Cadillacs by year and/or model, I think it's also a great way to let people know about them and that a Cadillac can do more than just cruise around. If I had a 70s car that was sort of 'gone too far' I would probably do something similar as well.

Philippe:

Is your car stock or anything modified? I think for a big old and heavy (!!) car that acceleration looked pretty good.

[INTMD8]

Have not yet but will race my 57 when completed.  (1/4 mile)    Those time/distance rallies look like fun too 

[Blade]

Have not yet but will race my 57 when completed.  (1/4 mile)    Those time/distance rallies look like fun too 

Maybe one day some of us members should get together.

I forgot Jim your Brougham has the original engine/transmission setup? You certainly have a great frame underneath to support it.

[cadillac ken]

to add.. the car we prepared was a beautiful 1940 Chrysler Windsor three window coupe.  Certainly was no race car.  We just went through everything to make sure it was safe and ready for long distances.  So my point: you can drive anything, just have fun!

[Gene Beaird]

Haven't run it yet, but with better springs/shocks, I plan to autocross our Seville.  There's a guy on the Cadillac Power Forum (Sean), who has a 200-MPH 70 CDV that he runs on standing mile events.  There's also a guy who regularly-runs his 50(?) Caddy Coupe at Pike's Peak Hillclimb.  I think it's LSx powered, but is very interesting to look at. 

[INTMD8]

Maybe one day some of us members should get together.

I forgot Jim your Brougham has the original engine/transmission setup? You certainly have a great frame underneath to support it.

I think so too, get that 59 rolling! 

Brougham is CTSV 6.2l lsa with turbos.

[mike mason]

I wasn't racing, but once upon a time I was 'stationwagoning' some Alfa Romeo Club students I was teaching in a 72 Sedan DeVille normally used as a tow car at Sears Point/Sonoma Raceway to help them become familiar with the track.  Not going fast, but got a little loose at the top of the downhill Carousel, and demonstrated an unintended four wheel drift.  As I wondered if the car would stop sliding and go straight before it slid off the track and into the dirt, the students were very impressed, excited and vowed to repeat the procedure in their own cars.  I told them it was merely a demonstration of how not to drive and was the slow way around  the track.   No, we didn't go off the track, but I did wonder if we would ever stop sliding.

And, Cadillacs do have a long history of racing.  Briggs Cunningham and his 2 1950 Cadillacs at LeMans.  A 6137 coupe and "Le
Monstrere' finishing 10 & 11th.
In the US we have a modern version of the movie, 'Cannonball Run', which was a take on a genuine highway dash all the way across the country on public highways.  The modern and safer version, annually since the 80s is the One Lap of America.  Usually about 80+ cars , all different varieties.   One week, 2-4000 miles, legal on public roads, and about 18 track events.  A little autocross, skidpad, and mostly race tracks.  Not door to door, one or two at a time.   Starts at Tire Rack in Indiana, recently to Oklahoma, New Orleans, and up the East Coast and back to Tire Rack.  On the track during the day, travel at night, party the first night and the last.  Cadillacs of all kinds have been well represented over the years, and generally doing very well, including the Cimarron, but not the Catera, I think.

[Dave Shepherd]

Ran a 70 Eldo at a 1/4 mile track, back in about 1975 , took the hub caps and air cleaner off , 15.9 @ 89 mph.  Very cool!

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

I ran my '60 in a couple of Go-to-Woah's, and this was when it had the 454 and TH400, but it would leave the stop lights hard when I swapped the 390 and Hydro back into it.

Had a few hard charging down a mountain road, but the brakes, or lack of them made me change back the gears more than once.   The good thing about the Cadillac Brake Pedal is that it is wide enough for both feet to fit.

Not yet put the '72 Eldo down the 1/4, but it does do nice burnouts.   Must try it before I have to change the front tyres.

Bruce.

[James Landi]

Bruce.... careful --- you'll rip out the motor mounts and the aircleaner will dent your hood. The 72 is truly torquy

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

So you know from experience?

My air cleaner is closer than before as I have a Predator on it now, and I even had to trim off the top corner of the Acell HEI Coil cover.   The Air Cleaner is highly modified as well.

Bruce.