1953 Cadillac 60-Special "The Muskogean Phoenix"

[kudims]

I was tempted to install all of this on the car last Friday, but the call of an evening bonfire and whiskey prevailed.

Let's begin with some prep work:



License plate light was partly sandblasted and painted silver inside (as from the factory) and black hammered-finish on the outside. Nearby are a new lens gasket (to replace the old one) and a new fabric wire sleeve.



The wire itself was in good shape, so I left it as is. I did, however, replace the rubber sealing ring and the rubber tube through which the wire is tightly threaded. Found the exact dimensions on Amazon. Its outer protective shell is fabric, just like the original. The wire ends are wrapped in cloth tape, indicating it came from Guide (the lighting supplier). Previously, I noted that GM typically used vinyl tape for its wiring, while Guide used cloth tape, so the car peacefully combines both cloth and plastic.



You can see why I kept the original wire: the contact is spot-welded, not soldered—something I can't easily replicate.



The assembly is ready for installation. Here's the freshly re-chromed license plate frame.



Next, the inside of the driver's door trim. Now installed. I'll eventually do a separate "before/after" post so you won't have to dig through the log for pictures. Let's just say it looks amazing.





The door trim for other doors was also reinstalled.
The Art Deco style, or at least its echoes, is in full display.



Moving on: the antenna nut. Someone previously removed it with pliers, leaving deep marks. All fixed now with fresh chrome.



I also sent the ignition lock nut for re-chroming; it came back in perfect shape.

Rear apron (the bumper splash shield) I started straightening and prepping for paint in the last post. Now it's finally painted:



Base coat is Sherwin-Williams. The clear coat is also theirs. Base is nitro, clear is 2K (4:1).





Painted the underside first, then flipped it to do the front.



With the garage door slightly open and a strong extractor fan, there's no overspray or haze. Clear coat is already on.



By the next morning, the clear coat is solid enough to wet-sand. I knock down any texture with 1000-, then 1500-, then 2000-grit paper.



Then I use my Interskol polisher (came with me from Siberia!) with 3M compounds #074, #075, and #077 to polish the clear.



It turned out really well. Bear in mind, from the factory this piece was just sprayed with nitro paint, no primer, and certainly never polished—unlike the main body.





Installed it, and the color matches perfectly.



The backside is also done.



I used self-tapping screws and star washers—done by the book.

And now the bumper, since I know that's what everyone's waiting for!



The bumper was thoroughly cleaned on the inside with abrasive wheels and painted with hammered-finish rust-preventive enamel. The outside chrome was taped off. The same process for the bumper guards ("dagmars").



Hard-to-reach areas got a coat from a 1-inch brush, flat surfaces from a 2-inch roller—two coats total, with a couple hours' dry time in between.





Some areas needed a Dremel with sanding attachments to remove rust.



Also got hammered-finish enamel.

After it all dried, it was time for assembly:





Installed the exhaust deflectors, then the bumper guards.





The bumper keeps getting heavier, but conveniently, I use stools/poufs—they handle the load fine.



Added the brackets. All the bumper-to-bracket bolts are 1/2-inch fine-thread; bracket-to-frame bolts are 9/16 fine-thread, meaning some serious torque there.







Fitted the side extensions. I replaced the cracked original rubber flaps ("splashers") with new rubber.



Called my son to help slide this assembly onto the car. We set the height. The bumper rests on additional brackets at the front edges, so it won't fall.



Spent a while chasing ground for the license plate light. Turned out paint had coated the threads. A quick go with taps and dies fixed that, and the light now works.



From the inside: The jack, per the manual, goes under the bumper near the buffer.



Everything is "feng shui," aside from the well-worn exhaust deflector. I've mentioned my reluctance to pay $1,000 for two stamped steel pieces (non-stainless!).





I shine a flashlight inside—the exhaust pipe is free and clear.



Finally, the last pic shows the reflection. I know you might be thinking, "Where's the overall shot?" Hang tight. Let me wash the car, get it outside, and take pictures in all its glory. Plus, I'll show how the fog lamp and headlamp bezels sparkle now!

[59-in-pieces]

Dmitry,

This has been a great series of how you have done this and that along with the up-close photos, priceless.

The exhaust deflectors that you sourced and installed were painted DREEN.
Where did you get them and why are they green or some other color less conspicuous - in your face, look at me.

Great job and series.

Have fun,
Steve B.

[kudims]

As I anticipated, the greatest difficulty in restoring the "shiny" parts was presented by the wide and long sill moldings.



Their width, taking into account all the edges and ripples, is over 10 cm



And the length is 1.8 meters. The thickness of the stainless steel is 3/64 of an inch or 0.9 mm. This is a very thick and difficult metal to work with

Below are several photos of the problematic areas "before" and "after."



The right molding was dented and badly scratched right from the start, plus some genius for some reason drilled a hole for a self-tapping screw to hold the molding in place



The hole was welded shut with TIG



On the back side, there is a patch. Otherwise the metal would have overheated and blistered



All dents were straightened, then sanded and polished



Other damage to the right molding: at some point the car landed the sill on something very large and hard. The sill fiercely caved inward, pulling the molding along with it



This contoured stamping needs to be straightened



There was also a serious crease in the most visible place



Someone tried to straighten the left molding in the area where the fender meets the body. As a result, they hammered it so badly that repairing the left side was even more difficult than the right





During the panel straightening process, more than a thousand small taps were made using a special dolly that compressed the excess metal which caused blistering on the visible surface



But now it's all in the past, because the moldings, after the face of the molding straightening and polishing, are back on the car



Left side



That very spot where it was thoroughly hammered



Right side



I straightened the sill somewhat. I didn't use filler, I only covered it with red oxide primer and then nitro paint, as per factory specifications. The marks from the uneven battle between sheet metal and the earth's crust are present, but are no longer noticeable.

Before a series of final photos of the entire car and its individual parts, here are some workshop photos.



The bumper work process





The chrome has been removed from the parts, and now they are ready for further work



Fog light bezels



Headlight bezels



The process of grinding and then polishing the bumper guard



The bumper guard was taken out of the copper plating bath



The process of cleaning the fog light bezels after brazing cavities with silver



Processing the headlight bezels

Final photos:



Headlight bezels







The entire car



Notice the neat rocker molding





The left molding in close-up under daylight



The right molding under daylight



The touched-up sill and restored lower door frame



The same on the right side: while everything was removed, I unscrewed the stainless sill cover, masked everything with kraft paper and touched it up with an airbrush using the previously matched paint code PPG 9200. Then I polished it, and it turned out better than from the Fisher Body



The rear bumper is awesome. People wrote in the comments that the green exhaust tips are very aggressive. In reality, I photographed them that way with bright lighting. In real life, they're always in the shade and practically don't stand out in color



Yuh!



Against the backdrop of an oak tree knocked down by the hurricane



Against the backdrop of a rare-for-Greatwood blue house with a stuccoed facade

[kudims]

Dmitry,

This has been a great series of how you have done this and that along with the up-close photos, priceless.

The exhaust deflectors that you sourced and installed were painted DREEN.
Where did you get them and why are they green or some other color less conspicuous - in your face, look at me.

Great job and series.

Have fun,
Steve B.

I guess that in 1950-s there was a green primer - acid and corrosion resistant

[kudims]

"Dealer Scanner from 1953"

Sounds unusual, of course. What kind of scanner is that, and what exactly is there to scan? Nevertheless, in modern terms, it is a fully fledged dealer instrument used to calibrate the "autronic eye."

The autronic eye can switch from high beams to low beams and back again when passing oncoming vehicles, as well as when approaching vehicles ahead, so as not to dazzle other drivers with the high beams in their mirrors. Kent-Moore specialized in producing a wide range of automotive repair and service tools: pullers, calibrators, testers, and so on. Naturally, with the advent of the Autronic Eye, they made a straightforward device commissioned by GM that allows you to adjust the sensitivity for switching from "high" to "low" and the delay for switching back from "low" to "high."

You can sometimes find these instruments on eBay, but typically for $300+ — and that's only half the problem. The real issue is that all of the ones offered were incomplete. Either the level was missing, or the adjustment tools, or the instructions. I wanted a brand-new one at a low price. After a mere two years of waiting, a device appeared for sale that met all my requirements for $65.

Presenting: Kent-Moore Guide Autronic-Eye Tester Model 10



The instrument is housed in a metal box painted with a silver hammered finish. A transfer decal stands out on the lid



Inside is the instrument itself and the fixture for adjusting the level of the autronic eye



On the inside of the lid, there's a hex key and a small flat screwdriver



The scale is color-coded for two types of glass: tinted (like on my Cadillac) and standard clear



The level adjustment fixture. The numbers are important. On the back side of the magic eye sensor itself, there's a digit from 1 to 11. That exact number needs to be set on the scale before beginning the leveling process



The back side of the fixture. I suspect that the digit indicates the mounting height of the magic eye, and possibly factory calibrations. The point is that the magic eye was installed on various cars with different mounting heights. Hence the need to adjust where the eye would be aimed :-)



A rheostat for changing the brightness of the test bulb that simulates oncoming headlights

And now, here's how to use this instrument.



The number 5 is stamped on the back side of the sensor



I set the fixture to 5. The bubble is out of place



I take the hex key from the set



... and turn the adjustment screw until



... the bubble is centered





After that, I unscrew the two screws at the bottom and remove the cover



The mystery inside the magic eye: a lens, a light filter, and a vacuum phototube that receives the beam of light





The attachment for simulating oncoming headlights. That yellow glow can change in intensity when you rotate the rheostat on the instrument



I install it in place of the lens and close it up with the top cover

After that, I switch the headlights to automatic mode, give it a couple of minutes to let the system warm up and the amplifier stabilize (as per the instructions). I increase the brightness of the test bulb and note the moment when it switches from high beams to low beams. If it happens outside the narrow black zone on the scale, then an adjustment is needed.



Using the small screwdriver, I turn the rheostat all the way counterclockwise. The screwdriver has a hole in which the hex key can be inserted so it can be turned like a wrench if the rheostat is stuck



I set the right toggle to DIM and use the rheostat to bring the needle into the Tinted glass black zone

Then I slowly turn the small screwdriver clockwise until it switches to low beams.

Then, using the instrument's rheostat, I reduce the test bulb's brightness to a minimum (the system switches to high beams), and again increase the brightness, checking that the switch from high beams to low beams occurs in the black zone on the scale. If so, I can move on to the second part—the so-called HOLD, or the delay in switching back to high beams.

This is so that when passing other cars, the headlights don't flicker constantly like crazy.



I set the right toggle switch to HOLD and begin reducing the test bulb's brightness. If the high beams engage outside the green portion of the scale, I need to adjust that point using the rheostat on the back of the amplifier (old photo, just for clarity). Again, you perform that adjustment with the short screwdriver without removing the amplifier from the fender liner.

First, I turn the amplifier's adjustment fully clockwise. Then I use the instrument's rheostat to bring the needle into the green zone and slowly turn the amplifier's adjustment screw counterclockwise until the high beams engage.

That's it. I pack up the device, reinstall the lens, and screw on the cover.



A couple of photos of the usage instructions. It's powered by four large class D round batteries, connected as two in series and two in parallel, so the device runs on 3 V



Back side of the instructions

[Lexi]

I have what was said to be a comprehensive 1952 Kent-Moore Service Tool Guide for Cadillac. An introductory sheet from Cadillac, dated February 1953 is tipped inside. While other specialty tools for other makes are included such as those for Packard, etc.; all Cadillac tools in this catalog have the Cadillac Crest emblem in blue next to the parts that are Cadillac. Great idea to source Cadillac centric items in this awesome reference catalog. I see your Autronic Eye tester's part number in your photos, and it is not listed in this parts list. Missed by like just a few numbers. I think the tester then must have been new for 1953, hence the reason it is missing from it? Or, was the first Autronic Eye a 1953 option? I can't remember. Fascinating old tool find there! And to find what might be the oldest AE tester out there is something. Clay/Lexi

[James Landi]

Some of these specialty tools were manufactured after the car model Cadillac was produced.  I purchased a well used kit off Ebay to diagnose ABS brake issues on our Allante.  As modifications for the ABS/traction control system were produced  by Bosch, an updated model Kent-Moore tool became commercially available.  It's interesting to note that as these sophisticated  diagnostic tools were developed, GM published repair manual updates.

By the way, regarding the Autronic Eye, I'm assuming that the system had a vacuum tube amplifier somewhere under the dash, is that the case?  This accessory was available before the advent of transistors, so an "amplifier" had to include vacuum tubes and a power supply.

[kudims]

By the way, regarding the Autronic Eye, I'm assuming that the system had a vacuum tube amplifier somewhere under the dash, is that the case?  This accessory was available before the advent of transistors, so an "amplifier" had to include vacuum tubes and a power supply.

Yes, this is a phototube inside. It is well seen on some photos with the cap off

[kudims]

Or, was the first Autronic Eye a 1953 option? I can't remember. Fascinating old tool find there! And to find what might be the oldest AE tester out there is something. Clay/Lexi

It was an option in 52, 53 at least. I saw Cadillacs without Autronic eye, and there was no hole in the dash for it.

[kudims]

Brake fluid remote reservoir

It took me exactly one year to go through all the stages from denial to full acceptance of the improvised solution described below.

What's the issue, exactly: this Cadillac has a floor-mounted brake pedal, which means the master cylinder is located down on the frame under the floor on the driver's side. And the only access is from underneath the car. There are no access panels or openings in the floor. Moreover, you can only check the fluid level with your finger, a bent piece of wire, or by using a mirror. Bleeding the brakes is a complete nightmare, because you can only add fluid using a hand pump, similar to those for liquid soap.

Naturally, on most Cadillacs of that era, dealers were installing remote reservoirs from anything they could find, not only from passenger cars like Buick, Chevrolet, Pontiac, but also from pickups.

By 1957, Cadillac had realized this was a problem and introduced its own cylindrical remote reservoir, which attached via two studs to the hydro-vac brake booster and was connected to the master cylinder by a rubber hose.

As for the dealers, they didn't bother much with underhood aesthetics and mounted these reservoirs wherever they could—most commonly, from what I've seen in videos and photos, on the heater housing or the firewall. They'd drill a couple of holes and bolt it down with 5/16" bolts.

I think we've covered enough background. Let's get to the essence.



Just for fun, a year ago I bought on eBay a 1957 Cadillac reservoir described as used but fully functional

The first thing I did was sandblast it and realized it was only good as an idea source and for certain components I could repurpose. Take a look at the screen.



I cut it open and discovered the reservoir had rotted through



Completely rotted



Also, the bracket with those crookedly drilled holes was of no use to me whatsoever. It made my left hemisphere throb, and my right hemisphere was just humming "to hell with it, to hell with it"

I let that "dough" sit for about six months. A couple of months ago, I decided to revisit the topic of a remote reservoir. I decided I'd only use the cap and the threaded portion from the original. The thread piece was soldered to brass, so I had to heat it pretty strongly to remove it.



Based on the inner diameter of the original reservoir, I found and bought a brass tube on Amazon



The bottom will also be thick-walled brass



And I decided to connect everything not with hoses but with steel brake lines, which I know how to bend and flare neatly



Let's get started. I also bought a new master cylinder cover so I wouldn't have to cut up my original one



I cut a piece off the brass tube exactly matching the height of the original 1957 reservoir



Next up is soldering paste and silver solder



I prepare the surface, apply flux



This is the steel thread collar for the cover, screwed onto the cover itself. This is what I'm going to solder



The thread collar fits snugly, I heat it with a torch, and fill the joint with solder



Checking—came out great



From my stash, I grab an exhaust system bracket and adapt it as a mounting bracket. Same process—flux and silver solder



Next, I needed to solder shut the vent hole in the new cover and solder in a brass fitting. Yes, it's threaded, but I decided to seat the tapered thread with solder as well, for a permanent seal. I practiced on a cast-iron broken lug from an A/C compressor (those who've read this log book for a while know what I'm talking about). This flux is great, because it allows soldering cast iron



A 1/4-18 NPT tap (tapered pipe thread)



I thread it in and solder it



A vent hole was originally soldered on the side of the hex portion of the cap. From now on, the cap must be airtight



I do the same to the brass plug, which in my case will be the bottom of the little reservoir





First I solder the bottom



Then I screw in and solder the fitting



The reservoir is ready



All that's left is to paint it matte black, like all the other underhood accessories





Not sure why, but I painted the master cylinder cap and even highlighted the letters. Apparently, the guy had nothing better to do



We'll seal it with reliable metal-bonded rubber lip seals



This is just an example—how it looks on my original master cylinder cap



From steel wire, or more precisely from two pieces of wire that were later joined, I bent a template for the brake line. Using that template, I bent the 1/4-inch steel tube (zinc-plated on the outside, copper-washed inside) the way I needed, then did a double flare on both ends



I installed it on the car. Here is the main difference from the dealer approach, where they'd do a rough retrofit installing these reservoirs on the firewall or heater housing. I found a great, convenient spot on the left side of the radiator. I didn't drill anything, just used one of the radiator mounting bolts



In the end, it's almost invisible, yet way more convenient than reaching deep into the engine compartment. Also, spilling fluid here will be harder than back there in the depths



I slipped a piece of rubber over the line where it might contact the fender. All the bends, and the fact that it's not just a hose but a proper steel line, suggest that professionals did this, not backyard mechanics, haha



I found a captive nut for a 1/4-inch bolt on the fender. I used it to secure the line with an original galvanized clamp (I bought a bunch of those last year)



The line feeds into the master cylinder from above and threads into that custom-made cap we prepared earlier. Since there must be no air pockets between the reservoir and the master cylinder, you have to maintain a continuous downward slope—i.e., the line shouldn't wander up and down. It should slope gently downward



Overall view of the work area. I filled the reservoir halfway with DOT 3 brake fluid, it gurgled, and almost all of it went into the master cylinder and line. I refilled it to halfway and left it like that. Road tests showed everything works, with no leaks anywhere.

In conclusion, let me say this:

First: Yes, I understand this is an offbeat setup, but that's how it was done on almost 90% of Cadillacs of that era with under-floor master cylinders—by the dealers—often far more crudely than what I did in my garage. At car shows, professional judges don't deduct points for a remote reservoir; at most, they note it on the judging sheet.

Second: This entire modification can be undone in half an hour, leaving absolutely no traces. That was very important to me. That's why it looks so simple, although I went through a lot of design variations.

Third: If, during our trip from Montana to Texas in 2023, I had been able to top off the master cylinder fluid this easily for the last 300 miles (when the wheel cylinder seal on the front right wheel started leaking), I would have been a lot less stressed, and wouldn't have had to rely so much on the parking brake and crawl along at a max of 50 mph.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Interesting modification!
You wrote:
By 1957, Cadillac had realized this was a problem and introduced its own cylindrical remote reservoir, which attached via two studs to the hydro-vac brake booster and was connected to the master cylinder by a rubber hose.
Indeed, the 1954 & 55 models had also a remote reservoir, connected to the master cylinder with a steel line.
The position from the remote reservoir was not ideal: near the LH hood hinge. Anyway, a huge improvement over prior models!

[kudims]

Interesting modification!
You wrote:
By 1957, Cadillac had realized this was a problem and introduced its own cylindrical remote reservoir, which attached via two studs to the hydro-vac brake booster and was connected to the master cylinder by a rubber hose.
Indeed, the 1954 & 55 models had also a remote reservoir, connected to the master cylinder with a steel line.
The position from the remote reservoir was not ideal: near the LH hood hinge. Anyway, a huge improvement over prior models!

Yes, Roger, you are absolutely correct, my bad )))

In '54-'55 they did a remote reservoir near the hinge



In '56 they had to put a booster next to the radiator with a reservoir on it. And from what I've seen, there was a steel rod link from the brake pedal to that booster (not a brake fluid line)



So, my implementation is close to '56.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Don't forget that the 1956 brake system had a different system: the Treadle-Vac booster combined with the master cylinder as a unit. 1958 had the same system, but the arrangement was different as the assembly was vertical and located near the firewall.
Indeed, to check the brake fluid is easy on a '56 model, almost as easy as your construction!