What have you done with your Cadillac today?

[jaxops]

The 7up sounds like it was likely the biggest mess.  I once ran over a can of PB blaster in the garage. Not a lot got on the car but lots of stuff in the garage got it.   

Had to wash the whole garage out.  The ants were already making their way in!

[Lexi]

Well, I took the plunge and have now spent 7 days cleaning, straightening and re-bending my Gold Grille horizontal and vertical slat bars for re-use. I also cleaned a spare Gold Grille set in case any slats proved to be an upgrade to swap out. Only exchanged one. Taking apart one of these without adequate photos and written documentation is a nightmare job upon re-asssembly. This is indeed the "Cadillac Rubric's Cube".

So, while I would have done some things a little differently, the grille assembly is cleaned and back together. It looks really nice, but hoping I can get the temporary replacement silver grille off without removing the entire bumper, for re-installion. Will update with some photos. Clay/Lexi

Here are a couple of updated shots. One shows the Gold Grille done and assembled backlit by the sun. Shot #2 shows a close up of the grille, with the original Gold Cadillac script. These show the "restored" Gold Grille. I had to remove the front bumper, again, to install this. A brutal job. Hope I never have to do this again. Should have just left the entire front clip off untill all was ready for assembly. My metal bending and straighening worked and the original, uncommon Gold Grille is saved. Now on to my next personal nightmare project with this car. Clay/Lexi

[jwwseville60]

Brakes, exhaust, AC and power steering pump all fixed and in perfect order, Yesterday I drove my 55 FW ("Lulu-bell") to the DMV to sort out some janky paperwork. Hot damn, the gals down there love the old cars! They know me well.

87 degrees and wicked humid. Stock R12 AC is freezing! Cracked a window. I salute the GM engineers who developed this system. Perhaps also used on GM meat trucks?

Then I went to Five Guys for a hotdog, no, two. As you can see, some cars just dont fit in to our modern world....you people call that a parking space?

When I pulled into my GMC dealer the car quit. I raised the hood since I know she doesnt like hot ethanol fuel even with an electric pump.
Test drove a GMC 4500 truck. 35 minutes elapsed.
Shut the hood and went home. Avoided a wild turkey. Ran perfect at sunset.

[Lexi]

Here are a couple of updated shots. One shows the Gold Grille done and assembled backlit by the sun. Shot #2 shows a close up of the grille, with the original Gold Cadillac script. These show the "restored" Gold Grille. I had to remove the front bumper, again, to install this. A brutal job. Hope I never have to do this again. Should have just left the entire front clip off untill all was ready for assembly. My metal bending and straighening worked and the original, uncommon Gold Grille is saved. Now on to my next personal nightmare project with this car. Clay/Lexi

A shot taken today showing the Gold Grille installed and back on the road. The car drove like "new" today. Just was one of those  great driving days. Happy Father's Day to all. Clay/Lexi

[z3skybolt]

Took our 1940 LaSalle on a 120 mile drive through the back roads of Missouri. Had a father's day lunch with my wife at a small mom and pop restaurant in New Haven Mo. Beautiful day, lovely drive, pretty wife. It doesn't get much bet

[jaxops]

Started taking out the speedometer on the '56.  Yikes.  I will take my time.  So far I have the speedometer and odometer cables unhooked after removing the dash pad.  Trying hard not to break anything!

[Lexi]

Liking your post as this is a nasty job. Done that a few times. The worst part of it, at least with my car, is the re-insertion of a couple of the trim screws. Guess the hole/s have enlarged over the years and the screw pitch not grabbing as it should. Embarrased to say how much time I once spent putting one of those screws back in, (don't ask). Feeling your pain from a distance. Clay/Lexi

[jaxops]

Sent the '49 limousine in to the shop to get the knee-action shocks replaced.  I got a working set online and hopefully that will dampen out the pitching going over a bump.

[Steve W]

Because my car is a driver/survivor, and not likely to place in any car shows, I have a bit more freedom to add a few modern or custom touches to my 68 Coupe deVille.

June 3rd was my birthday and my ever-loving girlfriend surprized me with a custom leather steering wheel cover, which had the same overall colors of my car and interior. I have always thought the steering wheel felt rather skinny in my big ol' biscuit hooks, and I thought I might someday wrap it, but she saw this and felt it would be perfect for my car! And she's right!

[Steve W]

Oh, and because I'm way behind in posting here, I added a few other touches recently that I thought I'd share. Again, its a driver/survivor, not a show car, so I can do things that I probably wouldn't if it were a full-on restoration!

As you might remember, I'm a musician, and from time-to-time I take the CdV out on a gig, and it's nice to have my tunes and navigation and a backup camera and the hands-free phone all in one unit, so I installed the iphone Car Play thing a couple of weeks ago.

I don't smoke, and luckily for me, neither did the previous owner, so the ashtrays are pristine! But more importantly, the big old pull-out, double ashtray and cigarette lighter assembly makes for a perfect mounting spot and power port for this thing! Works great!

[jaxops]

Changed out the carburetor on the 1949 Cadillac with a remanufactured one.  What a difference.  I can actually accelerate going up hills!  Also fixed the broken tailpipe to the muffler.  Now we quietly ride over bumps.  A solid week of repairs!

[56Fleetwood]

Over the weekend I finally got one of my sons-in-law to drive my 56 60S (both guys scared to death of cracking it up).

He absolutely loved it - said the big steering wheel felt weird but was amazed at how little effort it took to steer. Also commented that the power brake pedal effort was close to that of his Ram truck. He was cool as a cucumber driving it - liked that he could see all four corners of the car but not having a right side mirror threw him a bit. Loved the smooth ride too.

Think I may have raised the interest level of a young guy in our passion for old Caddy's.

[Carfreak]

Another summer holiday & another parade this morning with our 42 67.

Nice that they start the parade at 9 am before it got too hot. 

Helps prevent those marching from heat stroke too. 

[jaxops]

Installed the 1956's speedometer-instrument panel. Glad to have that done! No more crunching of plastic gears as you accelerate from the dash!

[Lexi]

Yey! Hope you lubed your speedometer cable prior to re-installing. Clay/Lexi

[jaxops]

Repainted my 1956's upper steering column because I scratched it badly removing and installing the speedometer.  I had it taped off but it still got scuffed/scratched.  Also I had to repaint the flat black below the speed section as it was also worn. 

  I think that it is all there and working now.

[jaxops]

Yey! Hope you lubed your speedometer cable prior to re-installing. Clay/Lexi

Yes- thank you. Sure did.  (Don't want to have to go back there again!)

[Big Fins]

I think the 69/70 dash caps were the easiest to R & R. A few screws, lower the steering wheel and put the shifter in low and it slid right off. It was easier than changing a tire.

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

Well, yesterday, on my 89th BD, my son helped me replace the (Delco) battery in the '81 Seville. What with caring for Gay in her last illness, and before, the car sat in the garage for at least a year and a half. It had a trickle charger on it, but when I finally got around to checking on it, it wouldn't take a full charge.

So, after a BD supper at Outback on the 8th, we went to Menards and found the right size for the car. And yesterday, we swapped the batteries. After a short blast of Starting Fluid, it started right up on the second try.

After a couple of minutes, we took the radiator cap off and found it to be low, so we went and got the correct blend at NAPA and topped it off. And it started right up again. Not even any valve clatter.

I made an appointment with my mechanic to have it gone over before I take it on the road again. I may pull it up the alley so I can wash it and get all the dust off of it. I should be able to figure out a way to hang on to something and get it half way clean. 

Steve even vacuumed the '91 which was really needed. When you get old, some things just "don't get done" like you want to. Our local car wash closed, and usually, there's too long a line at the car wash in Lafayette when you have frozen stuff to get home in the trunk. So, my toys have been somewhat neglected in the last few years.

And that's what I did with my Cadillac(s) yesterday.

[Cadillac Jack 82]

50 needs her speedo redone.  59s fine.  Would love to source another 63 or 64.