There are lots of Caddy restomods.
All of them seem like high powered CADMAD-style hotrods.
Does anyone know of some that were built to look stock but with a modern drivetrain, PS, PB, AC? I saw one 1947 sedan years ago on Hemmings that fit this bill, but are there others?
Nice car, but still a loud street rod with an ugly IDIDIT column.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeQQkT3VzoM
I would say Dan McNarry's 1962. Or Milton's 1961.
No but I'm somewhat of a purist
I don't consider my '35 Cadillac resto-mod (Big Red) to be a hot rod.
He has a rebuilt, stock '71 472 (burning regular gas), 700R4 trans, 8.8 Ford rear end with 3:73 gears. B.R. was built as a reliable resto-mod cruiser, I don't drag race it or street race it, I don't even burn rubber with it and not sure it would at its weight. It is all-day comfortable with 2006 Cadillac CTS seats, AC, cruise control, power windows & door locks. It has a '72 Chevy front suspension with disc brakes front and rear and has never let me down in 40,000 miles of road trips - no trailer. Cruise it at 70 to 80 on the interstate, more if you like.
He has been driven from my home (and back) to Cadillac Grand Nationals in Boston, Lake George, Washington DC (with a second in class award in Washington), and St. Augustine. B.R. has been to Indianapolis, he completed a ~2000 mile week long road trip and tour this past May to Texarkana, and has completed 2 other similar tours in Ohio and the Adirondacks. Summer of 2025 will see him doing a weeklong organized tour of the Hudson River Valley with an approx. 2400 mile drive just to get up there and back home.
There are lots of resto-mods out there that are not "hot rods", it depends on how you build them, and a little on how you use them.
Geoff N.
A meet a guy at a car show nearby with a 1949 club coupe series 61 with an LS engine. It looked stock until you open the hood.
I won't call it a hot rod but definitely has a bit more power than the stock 331.
Joe
Resto Rod, Street Rod or Hot Rod? I would class BR as a Hot Rod, but it is up to the owner as to what he describes it.
Plus, it could also be classed as a Sleeper
Bruce. >:D
Those Resto-mod Caddies above are all great.
Personally, I was thinking of a "quiet" resto-mod. An everyday use vintage Caddy serviceable by a GM dealer or good independent shop. Easy to find parts, easily fixed.
Take this 1963 SDV. It can be had for around $18-20K.
Id add an LS3 with auto. (Or the whole package lifted from an Escalade)
Or a 5.3 LS from a Chevy Tahoe, 2018-new.
Id like to keep everything mostly GM.
Modern radiator.
Wilwood disc brakes all round.
Trunk mounted AC plus front, but using modern components.
Stock wheels, rebuilt suspension. Keep it smooth and luxurious.
Single or dual quiet exhaust.
Chevy 12 bolt with LSD. Or a more modern rear axle assembly. Any suggestions?
Modern hubs and wheel bearings.
Urethane bushings.
Custom Stainless fuel tank with stock LS3 pump.
A modern wiring harness and Busman fuse box.
LED lights in the cabin & trunk to replace all bulbs.
LED headlamps. Tail lamps too.
Glovebox stereo head. Original radio left in place.
2 x batteries up front with cutoff switches.
It would look 100% stock inside and out.
What did I miss?
Unfortunately all that cut up and spliced together would not be serviceable by a dealership. You would have to go in with a laundry list of which parts came from which year and vehicle. Then note all the modifications done to make it fit.
I have a front disc brake conversion but I know it was built to fit my vehicle with stock wheels. The rotors were turned to make them fit and they never tell you what cross references for the brake pads because they don't want you piecing it together yourself.
Oh well..... :'(
Who's going to build the car for you? Are you doing it? If so, you shouldn't let a dealer parts change anywhere near it. Keep a build sheet with all of the replacement parts and their numbers documented.
Yeah, you need to keep a list in the car of what is what - no oddball stuff.
As noted, my '35 has a '71 472, GM 700R4, '72 Chevy Nova front suspension & disc brakes, 2000 8.8 Ford rear end with disc brakes --- all common off the shelf stuff. Not afraid to take it anywhere.
It will always bother me to see LS engines in older Cadillacs, but, de rigueur these days.
Quote from: Clewisiii on August 27, 2024, 05:58:59 PMUnfortunately all that cut up and spliced together would not be serviceable by a dealership. You would have to go in with a laundry list of which parts came from which year and vehicle. Then note all the modifications done to make it fit.
Who in their right mind would even think of taking a car like that to any dealership to get work done.
Bruce. >:D
Who in their right mind would take any car to a stealership anymore? Unless they had a Brinks truck following close behind and loaded.
An LS is an original equipment GM Caddy engine so fair is fair for a turnkey everyday Caddy Resto-mod.
No dealerships for service, yes I agree. Except for a dire emergency.
But my overall plan is a good one for at least a more reliable vintage Caddy for long trips or everyday use. A parts and modification list in the car is a good idea.
Quote from: Big Fins on August 28, 2024, 04:17:43 AMWho in their right mind would take any car to a stealership anymore? Unless they had a Brinks truck following close behind and loaded.
When we thought all other options were exhausted, we took our 15 y.o. tractor to the New Holland stealership. Only after I started calling New Holland CORPORATE Dealer Tech Support 3 months into the situation did the dealer finally get what ended up being a minor issue resolved.
Still disputing the damage the dealer caused to the body when they r&r'd the body WIRING harness (not the problem) and caused a new water leak over the windshield. They supposedly clocked 72 labor hours & broke the driver glass door.
The problem? A small section of the ENGINE wiring harness coating was rubbed off (about 1") causing the wire to short when it touched the valve cover. In all reality, the Techs should have figured this out in no more than a couple hours. Finally got the tractor back after almost 4 months; it was filthy inside and out. Service Manager lost his job since this was a pattern for him with other customers also. Labor rate? $145/hr
If I'm not mistaken, the term resto-mod came into being when those of us baby boomers who for one reason or other missed the chance of building and driving an actual hot rod in our youth finally had the freedom and opportunity (money)to try and recapture our youth. Back in the 50's we had no AC, power everything ANN had the skills and tools to keep our contraptions running.
It seems that driving something that sort of resembled what we saw back in High School but was closer to a modern vehicle was the goal and thus the term "Resto-mod" was born
Greg Surfas
Has anyone built a "restomod" Caddy that isn't a hotrod?
That's what I'm trying to do with my '56. It's going to look completely stock on the outside, but will have a more modern (as compared to the original) drive train. I'm using a '69 472, TH400, the rear axle assembly from a '72, and the finned brake drums all around so I can use the original wheels and hubcaps.
I modified the shifter on the column so it has the correct detents to match the TH400, replaced the steering gearbox with the one from a '72, and am working on installing a Hydro-boost unit that sits in the same location as the original brake booster/master cylinder assembly.
The interior will match the original design, and if I can afford it, I'll paint it the original colors.
I'm going to use the original air conditioning system except for the compressor, which will be an A6.
Not sure yet if I'll do single or dual exhaust.
It'll be a sleeper, looking all original, but have the heart of a newer car.
Rick
This is what I have done with my 1957 Cadillac camper. It was a commercial chassis converted sometime in the 60's to a self contained motor home.
found an 18k mile 6.0L engine and trans, since its a camper a 14 bolt gm rear, converted everything to disc brakes--can be serviced anywhere(or get parts at any generic parts store) keeping a list of what year the parts are from for easy reference later. Had the car refinished in an original color and kept the original interior. Added power wipers but was able to utilize the original location for the switch. Added bluetooth phone and vintage air--runs and drives great and doesn't look or sound modified--you cant see anything different until you lift the hood
Quote from: Phil J on January 11, 2025, 06:43:26 PMThis is what I have done with my 1957 Cadillac camper. It was a commercial chassis converted sometime in the 60's to a self contained motor home.
found an 18k mile 6.0L engine and trans, since its a camper a 14 bolt gm rear, converted everything to disc brakes--can be serviced anywhere(or get parts at any generic parts store) keeping a list of what year the parts are from for easy reference later. Had the car refinished in an original color and kept the original interior. Added power wipers but was able to utilize the original location for the switch. Added bluetooth phone and vintage air--runs and drives great and doesn't look or sound modified--you cant see anything different until you lift the hood
Phil,
Have you got some pictures of the newer engine? I'd love to see what was done.
That's a great idea for a motor home too. A little more plush than the usual truck version. My brother has, or had a 66 GMC version of that. I don't know if he ever sold it or not, but it was a nice one.
Rick
I have a blue top cover from an escalade I put on it after these pics Wasn't too bad to fit but there are some tricks to making it work
The 79 Eldo here looks completely stock, even
under the hood. But the suspension has heavy
duty sway bars/shocks/springs and more so it no
longer rolls like a boat. The (original) fuel
injected small block Olds is now a 409 (bored
403), with a 3 in stainless exhaust. It has a
67 Eldo switch pitch transmission with 6 speed
electronic control. The super duty 78 final
drive teamed with a reversed POWER DRIVE chain
set in the trans gives an economical 2.40:1
overall ratio in high. Smooth, rugged, and
overweight, it will beat any naturally aspired
79-85 E car, never mind those turbo charged
Rivs. Bruce Roe
I don't think you would consider the "Paris" "El Camino" version a hot rod.
Quote from: Phil J on January 12, 2025, 08:46:42 AMI have a blue top cover from an escalade I put on it after these pics Wasn't too bad to fit but there are some tricks to making it work
Okay that's rad! Not a huge fan of resto-mods but that's a camper that any psychobilly boy wouldn't mind taking to Viva Las Vegas.
To answer the question,no I haven't considered building or owning a Cadillac resto rod. A hot rod, yes, but not a radical one, maybe a late forties Ford. Carbs, cam, custom paint frenched lights, smoothed door handles, etc. A Cad, no,as I don't remember any rodded CAds growing up in the fifties or in the early sixties.
I like hot rods. During my lifetime I was able to attend the Oakland Roadster Show and Hot August Nights every year for ten years along with the GoodGuys Shows in Pleasanton Ca.
Builders like Roy Brizio, and Boyd Coddington, are icons. Both design and build works of art. Roy Brizios' cars are designed to be driven and they are.
Resto implies restoration, but to what level? And what level hot rodding? My feeling about restorods is keep as much of the car correct and only incorporate changes that affect the safety and perhaps performance while trying to preserve as much of the cars' originality as possible.
At a show years ago in Santa Rosa, Ca. I saw a '47 62 series that looked for all the world like a well restored example until it started and then when the hood was raised. THe owner had shoehorned a 500 into the engine compartment. It looked like a factory installation. It sat on radials and must have been a ball to drive.
That to me was a restorod. A sleeper, a Q ship.
I bought a '53 Chrysler New Yorker Coupe a few months ago with the 331 Hemi. It has been lowered, a 727 TorqueFlite trans installed and Cherry Bomb mufflers,along with a four barrel manifold and Demon 650 carb, duals and a mild cam. Otherwise it is original. It performs.
The ride height has been corrected, it's scheduled to have the Cherry Bombs replaced with stock mufflers. Once that happens I intend to drive it and see if I can live with cam lope at idle. It's a luxury car. I want a smooth ride and a smooth idle. If it were a '46 Ford tricked out the way the Chrysler is I wouldn't have touched a thing.
Is the car a resto rod, I dunno. After all of the above,I guess it comes down to to semantics. After all this discussion I can't help thinking about "Cadzilla". I had to mention it. I can't help it.
tony
Why is Johnny Cash's "One Piece at a Time" going through my head?
Quote from: SteveB3155 on February 07, 2025, 08:55:01 AMWhy is Johnny Cash's "One Piece at a Time" going through my head?
Because its the only one of its kind?
I have a 41 Convertible. It's mostly stock with the exception of a 472-500 Eldorado engine and trans and a commercial rear end. I would say it can be driven and has been driven like a Hotrod at some point.
It's not quite resto-mod whereas custom wheels, modern amenities - no Ac,ps,pb on it.
I don't enter it to be judged in any way. I just drive to enjoy it. And fix little things it needs.
My '75 Caribou started out with the vinyl roof as pictured in the first photo, but I removed it while doing some subtle engine mods and installing a wooden bed. So it's a modified modified.
That camper is awesome!
Im putting a helicopter turbine in my 47. Jet-A diesel.
Should hit 175 mph.
My 49 fastback is a numbers matching car. I installed electronic fuel injection on the stock manifold under the stock air cleaner, electronic ignition in the stock distributor, a dual-circuit master cylinder for safety, and a modern front seats with integrated 3-pt seat belts (I could not design a shoulder belt anchor to fit on the super slender B-pillar of this body (covered in stock 49 fabric). In the back seat I added lap belts. I also designed and added a "hidden" air conditioning compressor (between the exhaust manifold and the engine mount) and an underdash console for the air conditioning controls, some aux gauges, and some AC outlets. When you open the hood, the 49 Cadillac engine looks rather stock and there is no hint of the air conditioning. You have to look closely to notice the throttle body fuel injection. All my changes are reversible.
Car is super reliable, starts instantly, is comfortable in the heat in Georgia, and is as safe as I can make it without diminishing the design that Cadillac bestowed on this lovely model.
Is it a resto-mod? Probably not. Is it all stock? No. But the body is untouched and the original drivetrain still powers the car.
Wizard, I love your 49 coupe.
My perfect modified Caddy would be one like yours but with:
• AC
• electric power steering
• A 1962 390 with 3-deuces
• TH400 trans
• stronger rear end
• espresso maker, 12v conversion