North Carolina to Illinois Road Trip for 1963 Parts Car

[Jason Edge]

To contribute to more "Cadillac" stories here is one I recently posted to our 63/64 Cadillac Website which I thought some of you might find interesting. This was the longest distance I have traveled for a parts car. In fact it was about 250 miles further than I had traveled before. 

What really ties this into the Cadillac brand is the fact I have used either my 2002 Escalade EXT or 2013 Escalade EXT seen here to bring in around the last 40 parts cars. I LOVE MY EXTs!!


North Carolina to Illinois Road trip for Parts Car #59
Distance to Parts Car: 913 miles, Round Trip Total Miles 1,826 miles, spread across 5 days.

Just popping in to  share a bit about my 5 day road trip to from North Carolina to Illinois to pick up parts car #59, a 1963 Four Window Sedan de Ville. I had recently driven 16 hrs 15 minutes straight by myself from Texas to NC after our CLC Winter Board Meeting and told myself I am going to make this trip easier and spread it out since I needed to travel 913 miles each way, not to mention get the car loaded and secured to car hauler. 

Backing up a bit I had parted out 58 1963 & 1964 Cadillacs since 1997, usually parting out 2 to 4 a year. In 2022 I brought in 3 parts cars back to back which sort of overwhelmed me, not to mention I had been working to complete a house addition to my 1912 Queen Anne Home (my other passion. I have also been consumed with having as much of my fasteners accumulated over the years gold cadmium plated.  (I have now had about 3,300 lbs plated!). Last year was the first time in 26 years I had not brought in a parts car.  You might say I was chomping at the bit to bring in #59!

So, the first leg of mystery trip took me to Xenia, Ohio just outside of Dayton. That was about a 7.5 hr drive.  3 Days into my trip and looking back I now know that was the right choice as it is a great stopping point for destinations further North. It is a very nice small town and my Hampton Inn & Suites Hotel was right o the interstate. In fact I will be staying there again tomorrow night on my trek back home.

Yesterday, I made it to Bloomington Illinois,  The trip from Xenia/Dayton to Bloomington was about 4 1/2 hrs and 300 miles. Compared to the first stretch it was a very easy cruise.  My 2nd stay over was in Bloomington for 2 reason. The first reason was to: take Chapter Members Logan Robb a transmission and grill. Logan is a regular on our monthly Zoom meetings and good customer and Chapter member and it was good to meet him and his dad in person.  He is also the one that turned me on to this parts car so I have to give a big Shout Out and Thanks to Logan!!!!  Second, Bloomington was just off the interstate on the way to my final destination, Plymouth, Illinois, and put me with a couple hours to the car. 

Today I left Bloomington around 8am and arrived at the parts car in Plymouth, IL around 10:30 am and was back on the road by noon.  It is some of the most picturesque farmland I have ever driven through. Siri on my iPhone took me down this secondary farm road that connected two state roads and knew I would have to stop and get some pictures on the way back with the car in tow. I made it back to room about 2:30pm and am here on laptop sharing a bit of my journey.

I have made 3 legs of my 5 leg trip and am looking forward to getting back home. I have about 400 lbs of cadmium to go through that I had just got in, and now a 5000lb/5000pc parts car to dismantle.

Anyway, That is my story and am sticking with it. 

Update Feb 8, 2024:
It was smooth sailing all the way home. Here is a picture with my trophy right after I pulled in.



And one more rear qtr view of the 61 year old treasure just after picking into up with Illinois farmland in the background.

[James Landi]

Thank you so much for taking the time to compose this terrific narrative with the images.  Travelling alone in one's Cadillac over long distances is an experience that I also enjoy.  Aside from the physical challenges and successes associated with my being a very senior citizen and arriving safe and sound, there are many moments for one to reminisce--- to briefly be transported back in time when I sat behind the wheel of a Cadillac from decades back, when I was still in my teens.  All part of the unique gestalt of decades of loyalty to the brand.  Gratefully, James

[Bryan J Moran]

Very cool story.  That is a parts car?  Restorable?  I guess because it is a 4 door, they are not seen as desirable.   

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

I had a '64 Fleetwood that I brought home from Terre Haute. Jack Miller had found it, no engine or tranny, but a very nice & usable interior, and completely straight and no-rust through body. Although it had rust spots all over it's white body.

I played with it on my days off and then Lars came down to visit one day and liked it. So, I sold it for about a $50 profit. But then he had a friend see it and so I don't know where it is now.

But, I loved sitting in it, and kind of regret losing it, as I love the body style.
And Bryan, to me, a nice looking four door is "always" restorable. In fact, from 1967-1968, I almost think the four doors are better looking than the CDV, especially the four-window ones.

But Jason, you're doing a great service to all the 1963/64 owners out there. I'm glad you're back home, safe and sound.

[Jason Edge]

But Jason, you're doing a great service to all the 1963/64 owners out there. I'm glad you're back home, safe and sound.

Most of the parts cars I have brought in over the years, including this one, have just been sitting out in the weather wasting away. Luckily there are usually a lot of good parts off any car if you look beyond the 6 or 8 large removable body panels (i.e. doors, hood, trunk, fenders). Before I could get this one in to the driveway several parts were already on their way to help keep other 63's and 64's and other year Cadillacs on the road. People often ask are you going to restore this car and I say yes "onto many other Cadillacs". First and foremost has always been my 1964 Coupe de Ville "Dino". It is the reason I have anything to do with Cadillacs to start with and it of course always gets first choice of parts from parts cars.  Back in the day I had 5 or 6 driver 63/64's and got nothing done for several years so I finally sold the other drivers and focus on Dino and bringing in a few parts cars each year and farming them out to others that need these hard to find parts. My daily drivers since 2004 have been my 2002 Escalade EXT and more recently 2013 Escalade EXT you see pictured here, but want to get the 64 "Dino" out more this year and going forward. A couple of large additions and more renovations to my 1912 Queen Anne House (another passion) have consumed a lot of my time but now have more time to play with the Cadillacs.