We've recently been taking a look at "Rosie" – our 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Seville two-door coupe powered by a Chevrolet Performance LT4 E-ROD crate engine.* Our goal with the Caddy is to inspire others to get out, drive, and make memories on the road with their own vehicles.

We've covered the idea behind the project and the engine itself, so let's take a deeper dive into how Rosie looks now and some of the parts that made it happen.

With only 2,100 Eldorado Seville two-door coupes built in 1957, this car was one of the rare models from the era. In addition, our research shows that Copper Metallic paint was an Eldorado-only color in the period during which this car rolled off the line (but correct us if we're wrong).

So we must be crazy to turn this car into a restomod, right?

Well, not entirely.

Our friends at Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center helped supply us with a variety of factory Chevrolet Performance and ACDelco parts, while also sourcing Dirty Dingo Motorsports motor mounts and a Drive Junky LT4 front accessory drive system for use with our Restomod Air air-conditioning unit.  A new radiator, cooling fan, heat exchanger and transmission cooler from Performance Rod & Custom help keep powertrain components cool, while the exhaust is spent through a custom setup from Kooks Headers and Exhaust. 

Improved Racing was also a big help when it came to making sure we kept our oil at a proper temperature. We worked with their team to source one of the company's oil cooler adapters to run with our new Performance Rod & Custom oil cooler. 

Speaking of oil, the whole power plant is protected by Mobil 1 Supercar 0W-40 advanced synthetic. Our friends at Mobil 1 have been a massive help with this project, and in fact, inspired it with their recent Route 66 road trips. We looked at what they were doing and simply wanted to join the fun.

To ensure we can make those trips, fuel is delivered to the engine via a fuel tank from Caddy Daddy, who also sourced us the sending unit and straps. Tanks Inc. components including a fuel pump, hose, fittings and more are utilized to plumb the system.

Paint and Interior

The third-generation Eldorado received a makeover from GM in 1957, and we worked closely with the team at Retro Designs Speed & Custom in Harrisburg, North Carolina, to not only install the engine, but to ensure all of the car's classic style was kept intact. Rosie is highlighted by the famed tail fins of the era, and the model year was also notable for the downward-tapering fenders and wrap-around rear bumper. The original rose-gold Copper Metallic color remains, as does the Ivory White roof and much of the style of the Copper vinyl/paisley cloth interior.

Since our goal was to create a time capsule with the car, the exterior wasn't repainted. We felt that the paint was about a 6.5 out of 10, and we wanted to see how good we could make this paint without repainting the whole car. That's why we contacted the detailing team at Chem Guy Detailing in Concord, North Carolina. They came out and inspected the build and condition of the paint, chrome, windows and interior, then came back with a plan. This team worked miracles on the entire car. Now, when people see the vehicle for the first time, they think it has been repainted and completely redone. 

The entire Chem Guy team worked hard to remove as many imperfections as possible on the paint and return it to its former glory. Plus, that group worked its magic on the top, bringing the Ivory White to its original color. They did the full-blown, Q-tip treatment by going over every inch of this car and it absolutely shows.

Suspension, Rear End, Brakes and Driveshaft

While the 1957 Cadillac was notable for the creature comforts of its time including a new rear suspension design and multiple power features (including power windows), Williamson wanted to spend time updating how the car would sit. The stance of the car is crucial; the way the car sits still means as much to us as it does while it's moving. 

To find just the right setup, we called upon Smith Chassis & Metalworks in Louisville, Kentucky, to rework the whole suspension and help us acquire the look and feel that we wanted. Maintaining the original air-like quality of how these big Caddys cruise was especially important. Smith Chassis' Brandon Smith developed a plan for how we would achieve all that we wanted from the suspension setup utilizing Air Lift Performance.

The company was at the top of our list of who we wanted to work with due to their innovative products and status as a long-standing leader in the aftermarket industry. Air Lift Performance staff were able to work with our team to set us up with all the right products to help lay the car out fully, yet still offer a sleek and aggressive stance when standing still.  

Smith Chassis also made a to address the rear end. We knew that we were going to be dropping in a Chevrolet Performance LT4 crate engine, and that meant that we would need to address the rear-end setup. Since we were already doing suspension and chassis work, it only made sense to incorporate a new Moser Engineering rear end into this process.

Moser is an industry leader when it comes to rear ends and race products, and we had the best time working with the company. Our turnaround time was super tight, and Moser not only quickly assessed what we would need with the power that we had, but they came through with a killer rear end and rear brake setup that completely revolutionized this build. 

To round out the braking, we turned to Master Power Brakes in Mooresville, North Carolina, who not only brought wizardry to the front brakes, but went above and beyond to create a whole front braking system for this car. These guys are absolutely amazing and have some of the top braking setups in the industry. 

To finish off our braking system, we had to think about some extra stopping power. Let's just say that this Caddy is a big gal, and will need some extra assistance. As luck would have it, Battle Born Brakes is a unicorn of a company that just so happened to produce a hydroboost brake system for a car like Rosie. We were able to incorporate that system perfectly, and it made a huge difference in our braking power.

With all of the horsepower from the LT4 E-ROD, and that amazing new Moser rear end, we also had to figure out how to connect the power via a driveshaft. But not all driveshafts are created equal and we had to take a few things into consideration. For one, we had to consider all of the suspension upgrades and the fact that this car would be super low while sitting still. The team over at Inland Empire Driveline came through with an amazing driveshaft that accounted for those concerns. It seamlessly delivers torque to the rear end while keeping Rosie driving smoothly on the road. 

Small details like a proper driveshaft are often overlooked. We found that if you use the right products the first time it'll save you a lot of headaches and money down the road. Inland Empire was not only great to work with, but their products are industry-leading.

The latest project at The BLOCK is "Rosie," a 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Seville two-door coupe. Designed by Andy Williamson, the Caddy was built by the team at Retro Designs Speed & Custom in Harrisburg, North Carolina, and features a Chevrolet Performance LT4 E-ROD crate engine to inspire driving. Rosie is part of the Mobil 1 Keep Route 66 Kickin' campaign, a program in which the world's leading synthetic motor oil brand looks to make "The Mother Road" a national historic trail. Rosie is set to make memories on Route 66 and other highways for the remainder of the year and through 2023 -- while encouraging others to do the same in their own vehicles. 

*Chevy Performance E-ROD engines have been granted CARB Executive Orders, which allows for their installation on specific emission controlled vehicles to be driven on public streets and highways. An exemption is granted if the product has been determined not to cause an increase in vehicle emissions from the production vehicles for which the part is intended, nor otherwise cause vehicles to be non-compliant with the vehicle emissions certification and anti-tampering laws. For additional information, including which vehicles these E-ROD engines can be installed.