Just want to share this, we unearthed 2, 4 door Cadillacs in Des Plaines Il. One 1955 green color and one white 1959. We can't say a whole lot about them yet because we have not had a chance to move all the stuff away from around them but they look ok, not rust buckets, not ripped up. We are not rich collectors, just two working guys, so we need to sell both of them. If you have any questions give us a call. Brad 815-370-4837 or Brett 708-903-1006.
Sounds interesting. Hopefully you can get the stuff around them removed and post some pictures for the members to see. Barn finds?
Four Door Barn Finds are really not on the top of anybody's wish list, at least not mine. The way the market is today, you can easily find a great car for less than 1/2 the price of restoring one. Maybe good parts cars for someone......
Bobby
Quote from: Bobby B on May 09, 2016, 07:49:46 PM
Four Door Barn Finds are really not on the top of anybody's wish list, at least not mine.
Was at the top of mine. :)
Hello Brett,
I can understand your interest in selling the cars - hopefully to a CLC member. I encourage you to take many good quality photos and post them on this forum. Be sure to include interior and engine bay photos, as well as a photo of the body tag.
An honest description of the condition of each car is appreciated. If you do not feel qualified to honestly assess the condition of the cars, you may want to contact the West of the Lake CLC regional club at the link below. The club membership is relatively close to Des Plaines, and a member of the club may be willing to examine the cars for you.
http://westofthelakeclc.com/
Christopher Winter
Quote from: INTMD8 on May 09, 2016, 08:19:39 PM
Was at the top of mine. :)
I have a large family. A 59 four door would be perfect for family outings.
I must have read the earlier post wrong......it almost sounded like the poster was stating that all 4 door barn finds are only good as parts cars.....haha.......wait.....they did say that........
I truly wish folks would speak for them selves.... A nice looking Cadillac is appreciated by all, regardless of the door count.
Do you know if the 55 is a Series 62 or Fleetwood Sixty Special?
I'm with Russ! A lot of people like 4 door Cadillacs. I am one of them ! The assumption that all 4-doors are parts car is very arrogant ! I saw a sign once,that read,,,, if it's not a convertible,it's a parts car ! I wanted to beat the guy up >:( Then there are those that say,it has to be a Eldorado convertible,then it has to have bucket seats,it has to have factory paint and every option !Then someone says, well I don't like that year! Where does it end? Lets not forget they all have to pencil out making money. I realy love the one where they say it will cost $100000 to restore ! I drag in shells of 59 4-doors and piece them back together,I take nothing and make something and when I'm done,I have another 59 Cadillac,for cheap. I enjoy it ! (The nerve,,,enjoying a 4-door !) :) And yes I have a lot of 2- doors also and one convert. Never met a classic Cadillac I didn't like ! Can't wait to see the pictures of what the guy found in the barn ! Thanks for posting the Barn Find !Ken Perry
Ken,
I agree with your assessments of ARM CHAIR Cadillac buyers, who say site unseen it will cost $100,000 to restore the car. BUNK!
However if that is their assessment - and they have the $1000,000, I'm confident that you and I can make it work.
Have fun,
Steve B.
Guys,
People are entitled to their own opinion, and mine is that you couldn't give me ANY four door car. I don't care if Elvis or The Pope owned it. Over 125 cars owned, all Convertibles except for one, which was a winter beater during high school while my Convertibles sat in the garage. Arrogant...I doubt it. Bad choice of words there. No one I knew ever drove a four-door car unless it was their parent's car. Just not my style. To each his own..... "When the top goes down, the price goes up" >:D
Bobby
Think you opened a can of worms there Bobby ;D
Steve,
Hi. I should've stock-piled four door cars away, before they hit the crusher, if I knew that there was such a market for them. BOY, was I wrong! Learn something new every day. ;) Somebody needs to save me here. ;D
Bobby
Quote from: Bobby B on May 10, 2016, 06:42:27 PM
Guys,
People are entitled to their own opinion, and mine is that you couldn't give me ANY four door car.
Just when I was about to give you my Eldo Brougham. Guess I'll just have to keep it now.
Quote from: INTMD8 on May 10, 2016, 10:29:20 PM
Just when I was about to give you my Eldo Brougham. Guess I'll just have to keep it now.
Jim,
Thanks, but No Thanks........ ;D
Bobby
Of course everyone has their own preferences Bobby.
For example, if I had a need for a rolling dumpster with power canvas top I don't think my needs could be better served by anything other than a 1973 Mustang.
On the other hand I'm quite fond of the e-type so maybe there is hope for you yet ;)
Jim,
The '73 is only a 20 yarder. I think the '57 might qualify as a 40 yarder, which could hold a lot more four-door spare parts. Please keep my E-type out of this discussion. In case you didn't know, it's British, and very sensitive to American criticism. Steve P, Please come to the aid of your country here.... ;D ;D ;D.
Bobby.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. 4 doors that I have owned: 1990 Brougham, 1991 Brougham, 1976 Sedan, 1981 Sedan, 1941 Sedan, 1998 Jag XJ, 2005 Jag XJ. All were good cars and some were only offered in 4 door configuration. Give me a 90 to 92 Brougham d'elegance all day long
Quote from: g27g28 on May 11, 2016, 09:19:02 AM
Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Your absolutely right there Greg. Each to their own. I don't knock 4 doors but each one that has come my way has been here for a reason, and that's usually to move it on. That's just my preference, but that doesn't stop me admiring 4 doors. I just have no need of all that extra body and doors at the back. I love the coupe streamlining. All my 'Keepers' in the last 45 years have been coupes or convertibles and that includes everyday cars. I'm really glad that there are people out there who love their 4 doors, leaves more 2 doors for me and Bobby ;D ;D
My old dad used to say "Be a strange world if we all loved the same girl"
"Bobby"
I'm sure you wanted Steve P. not me Steve B. to come help you.
It takes a really good friend to help scrape the cr...p off your shoe once you step in it.
Back to reality, if you look at new car sales of the eras we are speaking of, the MAJORITY were cars of the 4 doors persuasion.
Who knew they were so unpopular, and the buyers were just radicals going against the future wisdom.
I relinquish my soap box.
Have fun,
Steve B
I have several 4 door cars including the 1940 LaSalle 4 door convertible. I have a 4 door truck and a 2 door truck to balance things out. My parents are 93 (Today is Mom's birthday) and I may put the top down on the LaSalle and take her for a ride. I have my cars to enjoy and part of that is sharing the ride with my parents and grandchildren. Both 2 door and 4 door cars have their place in the world and we can all respect the opinions of others.
Glad I took my '91 Brougham oou to daily service. I've had that car to Nationals als, on Driving Tours, a 3k round trip to my sister's... Many of these trips,we're made with my older parents who couldn't enter or exit a coupe--especially the '57.
When I get older, I'd like a nice rwd series 75 and chauffeur... closest I'll get is a hearse and chances are that'll be a Lincoln.
Funny that we haven't heard a peep from the OP about their "finds" while an epic debate about 4 vs. 2 doors takes place ;)
Quote from: jwjohnson86 on May 11, 2016, 04:29:06 PM
Funny that we haven't heard a peep from the OP about their "finds" while an epic debate about 4 vs. 2 doors takes place ;)
That's the way most threads go on this forum. ;D
Quote from: Steve Passmore on May 11, 2016, 11:25:24 AM
I'm really glad that there are people out there who love their 4 doors, leaves more 2 doors for me and Bobby ;D ;D
My old dad used to say "Be a strange world if we all loved the same girl"
Steve,
Excellent synopsis....When it came time for me to purchase my first car, my Dad told me that I could buy a car and work on it a year before I was officially allowed to get my Driver's license. He said the stipulation was that there was only one car that would be allowed in the house, and it could only be a Convertible...Bam! ;) Now you can see why I was hooked from an early age on. My old man did it to me, and unfortunately, I passed the same philosophy onto my kids. ::)...If you see two cars sitting in a lot and someone says "Let's go for a ride", I could honestly say that 99% of us are jumping into the Convertible, before the four door, unless of course, the women are afraid of getting their hair messed up. People would always ask if we could take my car somewhere, borrow my car, etc., pretty much because it was a Convertible. Again, just my opinion...... ;D
Quote from: jwjohnson86 on May 11, 2016, 04:29:06 PM
Funny that we haven't heard a peep from the OP about their "finds" while an epic debate about 4 vs. 2 doors takes place ;)
A fun discussion entailed while the one time poster was never to be heard from again. Maybe they thought the forum was a good place to advertise a car for free, or to put the feelers out to see if there were any takers before they wasted their time dragging something out of a barn that THEY were not really interested in? To me, Barn finds usually equate to a full restoration in the long run anyway, after being neglected for so long. Of course, the anticipation is usually exciting at first, but I'd rather at least see a running, driving example of what I'm about to sink a good chunk of my time and money into, so I know what I'm up against. Frozen motors, Rust Buckets, and Cars in Milk Crates that the owner states every single nut and bolt is there plus some, is just not appealing to me anymore, unless you have unlimited time and you'd like to loose a lot of relationships along the line. Yes, I have sectioned cars, hung quarters, installed full floor pans, un-stuck motors, etc., but nowadays I try to spend a little more to get the best car that I can find within my budget, in order to eliminate buyer's remorse and stalled projects due to being overwhelmed.
Bobby
I'll throw my hat in here.
I really can't afford to be in this hobby to the extent as some are. We found our coupe by accident and we were able to make it work....... I would have bought it even if it was a 4 door. Just always wanted one and we finally have a Caddy. I am not sweating the small stuff, at least I am in the game.
But, shhhhhh, I am happy it only has 2 doors.
Jeff
Quote from: Bobby B on May 11, 2016, 05:45:43 PM
Barn finds usually equate to a full restoration in the long run anyway, after being neglected for so long. Of course, the anticipation is usually exciting at first, but I'd rather at least see a running, driving example of what I'm about to sink a good chunk of my time and money into, so I know what I'm up against.
Gonna have to disagree with you once again. I bought my 59 convertible from someone on this forum. It had been sitting for 35 years and the engine was seized. Engine/trans and brake rebuild along with tires and a general cleaning and it was back on the road the very next summer. I've put thousands of miles on it and everything works great. Power windows, seats, signal seeking radio, power antenna, all worked and required no attention. Power top just needed new fluid. I replaced one bulb, for the license plate.
Could it be worse? Of course, but stored in a decent garage a lot of these cars can be brought back to usable condition without doing a full restoration.
Quote from: Jeff Rose CLC #28373 on May 11, 2016, 09:43:25 PM
I'll throw my hat in here.
I really can't afford to be in this hobby to the extent as some are. We found our coupe by accident and we were able to make it work....... I would have bought it even if it was a 4 door. Just always wanted one and we finally have a Caddy. I am not sweating the small stuff, at least I am in the game.
But, shhhhhh, I am happy it only has 2 doors.
Jeff
Jeff,
Just for your brutal honesty and humor, I'd hail you even if you owned a 6-door vehicle.... ;D
Quote from: INTMD8 on May 11, 2016, 11:09:03 PM
Could it be worse? Of course, but stored in a decent garage a lot of these cars can be brought back to usable condition without doing a full restoration.
Jim,
Just for the record, the subject was "Barn Finds", not cars stored properly in a decent garage way from the elements, rodents, moisture, etc. of a "Barn". I'm on the East Coast and have seen my fair share of some real down to earth "Barn Finds".
I'll wholeheartedly agree with your above statement of reviving a stored car, but let's get back to the subject and compare apples to apples. Geographics can play a big part in general condition of a vehicle stored for any length of time. We have a term here called 'East Coast Rust Bucket"... Whether Indoor, outdoor, barn, garage, etc., there are very few cars in this area that can escape that moniker that were left unattended. I'm sure the arguments will be coming, but very few cars have zero rust where I live, and for obvious reasons.
Talked to the OP this afternoon, the '59 has been sold, which is why he may not have returned
I'm in for the four doors as well. While I admit, that in some years I prefer a drop top or a coupe, I find the four door to be more practical, and more within my price range.
As for the cost of redoing barn finds. Depends on where you start and how far you want to go. Do you want a Concours show piece or a nice driver. All except the 65 Eldo and the 93 were Chicago area cars.
My 65 Eldo was a major job to get it from what it looked like in 1985 when I found it under a plastic tarp outside, to completion in 1989, much now needs to be redone, but still fun; 65 Fleetwood had major frustrating systems issues, and new ones pop up every now and then and still haven't painted it; '57 Brougham- well its a Brougham; 72 Fleetwood- issues arise but its been driven to each GN from 2010-2015; 76 Fleetwood- tires, fillers and new gas- had been sitting since 1984, 93 Touring Sedan- tires, heater fan, and brake booster. Only the 76 was close to being properly stored. I don't think I have more than $10k in any of them, and most are pretty presentable or better. I'm a practiced parts installer not a mechanic or bodyman.
Admittedly though, I did give up on my '47 Fleetwood, and the '97 Catera that developed an engine know on the way to the GN last year
Any day in a 4 door Cadillac, is better than in a lesser marque.
GB
Quote from: Bobby B on May 11, 2016, 11:37:59 PM
Jim,
Just for the record, the subject was "Barn Finds", not cars stored properly in a decent garage way from the elements, rodents, moisture, etc. of a "Barn".
Yes and also for the record "barn find" is probably just as, if not more often actually a car in a garage or storage unit. "storage unit find" just doesn't sound quite as romantic. ;D