Trunk Motor and Passing of Jay Brown

[P. Manoogian]

This morning my wife slammed my trunk lid and damaged my trunk motor rebuilt by Jay Brown. When I called his wife informed me that he passed in February. So sad, he was an asset to the Cadillac hobby.

Does anyone know who repairs these pull downs?

Thanks,

Peter

[Lexi]

Sad to learn about Jay. He was a great guy. I bought and traded parts with him. His work I found was top rate. There is, (or was?), a fellow on Ebay who had vintage trunk motors that I believe he rebuilt, for sale. You may want to look for him and enquire if he offers a rebuild service. If I see any of his ads I will post. Clay/Lexi

[Roger Zimmermann]

I will never understant why people are slamming the trunk lid when there is a pull-down. Many years ago, I had a friend in Switzerland who has a nice 68 de Ville. Each time he wanted to close the trunk lid, he jumped on it and push on it with the whole body weight. (that system was well built, it did not failed). The day I saw him closing his tunk lid the way I described, I showed how to close it. He looked at me like I would be some divinity!
The other funny story was mybe 30 years ago at the Geneva show. We had a Park Avenue with the pull down; many people did like my friend did; sometime one of the staff showed the proper way to close the lid, but on that day, an elegant old lady opened the tunk (a key was in the lock but could ne be removed on purpose) and acted the same as hundreds other people. I went to her and said, Madame, don't fiddle with that system, let me show you how to do. The Madame, upseted by my remark just said "no, I don't fiddle about that" and went away, followed by her husband who was discretely smiling! That story would be more funny in French, as I could better describe the situation...

[Lexi]

Well put Roger. People continue to slam doors, hoods and trunk lids closed, even some mechanics. I gently remind them that there is such a thing as metal fatigue and not to treat these vintage parts as if they were new. That said, I always questioned why Cadillac came up with the pull down motor. You still have to get out of the car and (gently) push the trunk lid down. Are people that lazy? For the sake of an inch or so of electric pull down movement? Decades later these units can cause big trouble if abused due to spare parts availability. My '56 has a rebuilt one from Jay, but none of my other '56s had them. They all worked great just with the key. Truth be known, I would probably rest easier at night if my car did not have the pull down accessory. More useful arguably is the push button trunk lid opener, which is a separate system on my car. Though I do like the opener function and the cool red indicator light on the dash, (see attached pic of Lexi's red light lit-shows trunk open), I could have done without the pull down motor. Personally, it is not really needed and just something else to break down. Clay/Lexi

Edit: (Roger quote) "He looked at me like I would be some divinity!"...Even they recognized you as a "Cadillac God" !!!

[76Caddy]

I read somewhere (can't remember where) that someone from Cadillac saw a woman having to slam the trunk lid to get it closed and felt women shouldn't have to slam the trunk lids (wasn't lady-like) and that's how the pull-down closer came to be.

Tim

[Lexi]

I read somewhere (can't remember where) that someone from Cadillac saw a woman having to slam the trunk lid to get it closed and felt women shouldn't have to slam the trunk lids (wasn't lady-like) and that's how the pull-down closer came to be.

Tim

How ironic if true, as the mechanism used in the standard closing of the trunk,(without the pull down option), is far more robust than the power assisted one. Big problem there is the plastic striker switch and it's related parts and limit switch. Used correctly, they can out live us, (except the 1958 Cadillac trunk motors according to Jay Brown), but they are sensitive to physical abuse and wiring overheating. So they seem to have caused a problem in an attempt to solve another. Things that are first created are usually more flawed. That is why the Wright Brothers did not fly the Concorde at Kittyhawk; it was bascially a bicycle with wings. Late model year 1955 Cadillacs were first equipped with this option, with 1956 being the first full year it was available. Clay/Lexi

[druby]

Jay Brown was a good friend of mine and an asset to the CLC with help in the electric trunk motor rebuild parts & function. His work and knowledge was top notch in the industry. He love helping and explaining his work on the function of the motors in the 50's & 60's. He owned some of the finest 57 & 58 Cadillac Eldorado's in the country and sold parts to people all over the world. Rest easy my friend !