Jamming a 500 cid (8.2L) Cadillac V8 in a Yugo will definitely get you mad props at the local car show. That’s got to land you on the “Big Motor in a Small Car” Top Ten list. But why stop there? Stuff another Cad 500 in the rear, build them both to nearly one HP/cid and you’ve got almost 1000 horsepower. That’s exactly what you’re looking at here: a 1986 Yugo GV near Portage, Indiana with twin Cadillac V8s. The asking price of $25,500 here on craigslist could put this rolling red death trap in your driveway. With an estimated 1500 lb of V8 machinery at each end, this Yugolac tips the scales at about two tons. Ridetech coilover shocks keep things from getting to wild in the corners (even autocross!) as the twin FWD Cadillac packages struggle for grip. Thanks to reader Ian C. for injecting this mad creation into our dreams and nightmares.
It takes some effort to get 500 HP from the 8.2, HotRod and others have done it with no power-adders. Ironically it could be more reliable than the original powertrain. If you’re feeling economical, you can run the rear V8 only, keying on the front 500 when more than 450 HP is required. Suspicious buyers will immediately question the spartan listing with virtually no details and four pictures, exactly like anyone in the world could do after watching a YouTube video (and another here). The thought is not purely fictional. Always drop the VIN of a car you intend to buy into your favorite search engine and you may learn some interesting and surprising facts. The practice of poaching someone’s legitimate ad and posting a duplicate bogus ad, usually with an irresistibly low price, happens every day. Reference a burner phone and a throwaway email address and a fraud might reel in someone’s $1000 deposit.
My friend Michael has a 2006 Civic and we’re always throwing out crazy potential transformations like “We should put a 427 in this thing and set it up so you drive it from the back seat.” This Yugo-thing is like that times three on the Insanity Scale.
This custom may actually look less radical in design than the factory Renault R5 Turbo. The body is widened but maintains the original side panel and door profiles. Though it looks like an extended front end, only the wheelbase was altered, moving the front wheels about 8 inches forward to fit the motor (also probably adding stability). Overall it’s certainly more attractive than the original Yugo GV, including a well-crafted cowl induction hood. The Yugo greenhouse is practically the only indication of the car’s economy-minded origin.
The factory-ish monotone gray adds to the brutality of this project. Both motors were sourced from ’68 to ’70 front-wheel-drive Eldorados, the latter representing the peak of factory horsepower, 400, along with a foundation-wrecking 550 lb-ft of torque according to Wikipedia. Most of the original Yugo structure remains, with tubular members added for obvious reasons front and rear. I think I’m in love! Certainly, this Cadyugo experiment flies as a testament to vision and execution from the builders. I tip my hat in your general direction. Have you seen anything to rival this project on the Overkill-o-Meter?
It’s not the car we need, it’s the car we deserve
we had a gearhead that used to turn up at our local cruise nights with a moss green lada, looked bone stock, down to the brown interior! but under the hood he had a warmed over 340 dodge with a six pack and 4 speed behind it! narrowed dodge 8/34 rear end!, real sleeper! he also had a austin healey sprite with a 394 oldsmobile automatic, he humailed mustangs and anything else that was dumb enough to play with him! great guy, smart too
He sounds like my kind of guy
Zero to 60 in OH S#1T!
0 to 60 was back there – somewhere
If given enough opportunity someone is going to perish in it, it’s the HOW that has me thinking.
Another joy of Barn Finds, we get to see crazy creations such as this. Good lines Todd, “rolling red death trap”, “Overkill-o-Meter.”
Thanks Bob_in_TN! This is one I won’t soon forget, making some of my crazy ideas seem downright practical.
Hey y’all, watch this.
YOU FORGOT, Hold my BEER ——-
Nah, L88, 4 speed, 4.11’s, pre ordered tombstone that reads ‘Dumb Enough’.
Crazy build here, you never what you’ll find in the world of hot rodding!
Makes me think of the old comic book ads where the 98lb weakling gets sand kicked in his face, goes away and comes back a real muscleman.
“Let’s see them laugh at my Yugo now!”
This car needs to be in the next “Cars” movie. Pixar should be digitizing it. It answers several questions like “why not?”, “because I can”, and ” there’s nothing else like it! “
This waste of metal need to be in the Car Grave in Southeastern Montana!
OK, while doing something incredibly stupid – driving this monster qualifies, you hit something solid. Suddenly, you are wearing one (or both) of the Caddy mills…..or is it that they would be wearing you???
You weenies and cry babies are looking at the wrong car. I wish the border was open, I would love this car.
I used to LOVE my 87GV (which just meant it came with a Radio and Knee Pads under the dash… which was a little tricky driving considering I’m 6’2″ and wear a size 12 which barely fit in the area they packed all three (ManualTrans) pedals into. Had a LOT of fun in this car… oddly enough, it got chicks too… hot ones… they never assumed I was compensating I guess haha. I used to drive it from Pittsburgh to Florida all the time because it only cost 30 bucks in gas to drive… I remember once you hit 80MPH youd get a huge adrenaline rush, it always felt like you were hauling ass because it would shake and the engine would be screaming at 5000 rpm at that point, lol and it was so small basically not much bigger than a BMW Isetta.
What shocks me is that someone makes a wide body kit for a Yugo!!!
I do not think they make a wide body kit. In one of the videos the guy explains how he made it all wider
It seems ridiculously impractical, but watching the autocrossing at the end of the youtube, it seems to actually handle pretty well. And it sounds mean as hell. Kinda drooling now…
Please, please keep in mind that when dust clears you have a Yugo.
I can not agree with you Steve. It isn t a Yugo, it is a good old fashion Hot Rod. Well engineered, very fast and yet it kinda looks well stock What you say is is like me saying ” it is just a Plymouth, BUT put a Hemi, four speed in it it turns a crappy old pile of tin into something special. That is what hot rodding id all about.
Very well put. A perfect example of hot rodding. It’s not about taking new parts out of a box.
The only thing that resembles a Yugo, is the main body (shell)of the car.
If you haven’t checked out the video, here it is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJo2kLMb9Vk&feature=youtu.be
I love that someone did this. So much more interesting than another restomod muscle car. My roommate in college drove a Yugo. I had to look at it every time I walked out the door. I say that, because that front end has been stretched, not just wheel well moved forward. I like it though, looks a little like a BMW “clown shoe”
So, what I’d reading here is: For Sale two 500 cid (8.2L) Cadillac V8 engines wrapped in a rolling red box for $25,500
i don’t think i’ve ever wanted something so bad before in my life.
Ha, that’s a great one, Todd! Yugolac, classic. Why could I see you building something like this?
Thanks Scotty! I love this thing. That wide-body work must have taken untold 100s of hours, but this is one for the books for sure. Mad props on the engineering. That autocross video shows great restraint by the driver. With some luck you could gradually explore the limits and live, but this one is more about the Wow Factor. I’d probably build something more well-rounded like the ubiquitous LS-powered Civic, but that would barely raise an eyebrow these days.
I have the Joy of riding I this car in an autocross. It’s a hoot!
Kinda like my Car & Driver dual-engined (3.6 liter total) Accords. 2 automatics, 2,700#, 147 top end, ’84 CRX. Instantaneous hook-up off the line. Only one problem. Transes would try to find one gear in one, and one higher or lower in the other. The Yugo is a little much.
My fav is “Ironically it could be more reliable than the original powertrain.”
Check-out the youtube video. $25,500 looks like a bargain considering the quality of work.
Ain’t no hackjob.
I recall in the 60s a MkII Jag with a 9 litre Caddy engine in the rear. It was for sale in Custom Car mag. Looked like the Hunchback of Notre Dame and probably handled like it looked.
This is an amazing car.
Never thought I would like a yugo
And I thought that the Opel GT with the 455 Stage 1 was crazy.
What would happen if you put the rear tranny in reverse and the front in drive and floored it (or vice versa) lmao😱🤣
Craziness! I love it.
I concur that it looks to be a BS ad. No way I would let this thing go at the listed price, especially if it is in any kind of running condition at this point in its life. Fishing for something IMO.
Would love to read any follow up postings from people that may have persued this further, if I do I will.
I like it! But I would rather have it with a Duratec,
or Toyota twin cam engine (just one).
Somebody did a nice/clean job on the body,and
a great paint job.
Is the second engine for going in reverse? Yugo to be kidding!
If unsure about the Yugo as a base how about using a better quality VW Golf…….
https://www.motor1.com/news/260373/insane-vw-golf-gti-vr12/
If you do not want this car, If you can not appreciate this machine, you are reading the wrong web site. This is the stuff that we should be dreaming about. Watch the videos and if you can not appreciate this, well maybe your momma will get you a doll for Christmas.
Agreed. What a feat of engineering, and artistry to make that Yugo a flawless widebody.
“And that’s what hot rodding is all about, Charile Brown”