Hello From A New Member!

[ChrisB]

Hello! New forum member, and new to the hobby, too! Recently I picked up the classic Caddy I've always lusted after, a '56 Sedan Deville and can't wait to dig into it. Upholstery is decent, engine and transmission seem strong, and it's very complete. It's also very worn-out, so I definitely have a lot of work ahead. I'm very much a newbie so I'm going to limit myself to one project at a time, research the heck out of it, and put it back exactly according to the factory specs.

Alas, being a NY car it's also got quite a lot of rust in the usual places... rockers, lower fenders and etc. It looks like it's going to be a big job, but I'm not after a perfect restoration - just something presentable and safe that I can put a nice paint-job on and enjoy.

First up, some front end work looks to be in order as it currently has the steering characteristics of a drunken buffalo. Looking forward to getting this beast onto the road!

Cheers! 

[Mike Baillargeon #15848]

Welcome aboard Chris......You've come to the right place..

Your car looks like a good place to start...

Keep us posted and .....Good Luck !!

Mike

[35-709]

If you don't already have one, get yourself the 1956 Cadillac Factory Shop Manual ---
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=1956+Cadillac+shop+manual&_sacat=6000

It will be some of the best money you will spend on the car and the least.

[ChrisB]

Thanks Mike and 35-709!

In fact the car came with the old manual and I have been reading through it in my spare time. Since I am still hunting for parts, I also just picked up a re-print of the GM 1950-1965 Part Interchange Manual off of EBay. It ought to make things easier!

[ChrisB]

Slow going, since I had to save up some $ and buy a ton of parts (and tools, since all mine got stolen!). The wheels are in better shape than I'd feared, but the brakes look very iffy - JBWeld on a brake line is NEVER good!

All new lines, cylinders, pads, hoses & etc. on order... in the meantime, I am trying to remove the right-side fender to get better access. The fender is totally trashed anyway, so there is no sense working around it. It's so rusted that it isn't even connected to the frame - you can shake the entire front clip around with one hand. I'm having trouble getting the thing off though - the manual calls for removing the headlamp and fog lamp assemblies "at the plastic connector". Anyone know where this is? I can't find it anyplace unless it is the thing I found just behind the right-side of the radiator - and it looks neither original nor like it will come apart.

I prefer not to just cut the wires until I'm ready to tackle the electrical stuff - but will snip 'em if I have to. Any tips are appreciated!

[ChrisB]

Also just for some tragic fun, here is a shot of my sad, sad fender.

[billmorrow]

re your electrical connections, you need to clean them off for pix.. they sure look to be push in and snap type of connectors which can be disconnected by pushing up or down while pulling BUT you might just pull the wire from the connector part..
it all looks pretty corroded..

re. your fender and other rusted parts, since i'm new here and to searching for part availability, should i need parts, i find a lot of parts are available..
i've been to a couple of salvage yard web sites located in the socal desert.. the yards not the web sites..
i think one of them had a '54 to '56 sedan or coupe de ville..
good hunting and i suggest you learn to solder..

[cadman56]

Sorry to see the fender.  YIKES!!  I have a complete front clip for a 56 but I think someone else has spoken for it.
You are picturing eh correct wiring connector for the lights.  You will most like pull the wires out of the brass connectors because they are full of corrosion. 
I must caution you, do not let anyone tell you the 54-55 parts will work.  1956 is a one year only body.
Good luck, a pretty car you have.

[hornetball]

Honest John's Caddy is another good place for sheet metal.  N. TX which is a pretty kind environment.  Nice people (John and Allen).  They just gave me a bunch of fiber optic stuff in good working order.  I think they're tired of seeing me come by. 

[ChrisB]

Thanks all for the input! No sooner did I get this car than I had some medical problems which kept me from working on the car for a few months. Once the weather is halfway tolerable it'll be time to dig back in!

Also thanks for the tips. I checked out Honest John's site and there are plenty of goodies that I'll surely need. Fenders are still elusive - many available, but all local pickup out west thus far. It looks like rust repair on this beast is going to be my biggest challenge! The rockers are toast of course, plus the usual minor holes in the driver and passenger front footwells. Fortunately there look to be some replacements available from C2C Fabrication so I'll be looking into those.

[hornetball]

When it comes to Honest John's, you're better off calling them.  They have MUCH more than what is on their infrequently updated website.  I suspect other parts places are like that too.

[J. Gomez]

I'm having trouble getting the thing off though - the manual calls for removing the headlamp and fog lamp assemblies "at the plastic connector". Anyone know where this is? I can't find it anyplace unless it is the thing I found just behind the right-side of the radiator - and it looks neither original nor like it will come apart.

I prefer not to just cut the wires until I'm ready to tackle the electrical stuff - but will snip 'em if I have to. Any tips are appreciated!

Chris,

Those are the ones for the connectors to the headlights and the front parking lights, the male terminal is towards the light sockets. They show to be very corrosive so you may need to spray some electrical contact cleaner around to loosen some of the corrosion and allow you to pull them out.

You will have a hard time finding the insulators in good/fare shape some are for the larger GM/Delphi 59 and other are the smaller GM/Delphi 56, same would be applicable for the male terminal GM/Delphi 59. The ones shown on your pictures for the headlights and parking lamps are the 59 type.

You best alternative is to re-used those that are in good/fair shape and clean up them up. Removing the female terminal from the insulator is easy, just insert a straight needle tool on the flat side and slightly bent the locking tab down, this allows the connector/wire to pull out from the insulator.

If you can’t save the insulators as most are extremely brittle and will cracked very easy the best alternative is to change the terminal ends to the GM/Delphi 56 type and get the insulators for them, they are available from several electrical sources in several layouts.

Good luck…! 

 

[Cadman-iac]

I must caution you, do not let anyone tell you the 54-55 parts will work.  1956 is a one year only body.
Good luck, a pretty car you have.

Chris,
Yes, that's a beautiful car.  As for the front sheet metal interchangeability, Larry's absolutely correct. I didn't know about the subtle differences between the 55 and the 56 when I first got mine.  One day I heard about a 55 for sale cheap and went to look at it.  It had a lot of stuff I needed, or so I thought.  After I paid the $100 for it and got it home,  I  realized just what the differences were. They're not very obvious unless you have the two sitting side by side.

There are many parts that do interchange,  but most are suspension and drive train parts. None of the body is. Taillights will, but the chrome spears on top will need to be swapped over.