1940 LaSalle 5029 restoration

[gary griffin]

This is my first post in the restoration forum regarding this car. I bought it last week from another state and it is on a truck to my home  (Actually to a shop for some work) near Tacoma Washington.

I am trying to find out the history of this car as I go.

The car has a pleasing appearance and is in running condition but will need some sorting out before using it on the road.

My first step after buying the car was to purchase a kit to install a dual brake master cylinder. Club member Art Gardner designed a kit for 40's Cadillac's that he thinks will work and he will refund my money if it does not work. I had a couple of brake failures on jalopy s I owned in the 1950's and never want to go through that again.

I will have all of the rubber checked out including belts and hoses, along with fluids changed and radiator flushed. The car has only been run a couple of times in the past 6 years and the gas is probably bad also.

This is the first time I have had two blogs in this forum at one time. My long running 1942 blog is covering a much more complicated and expensive restoration of my 1942-6719 which will be going on for a few more months

During the coming winter I will be having the radio reconditioned.  The original radio and heater were stolen but previous owner bought replacements . The car has a non standard radiator reputably from a Buick and the previous owner also provided the correct radiator with louvers. A good check out of the undercarriage and general tune up and adjustments and it should be ready for a trip next year.

More to come later!!

It looks red in this picture due to the flash but in natural light it is apparently Oxblood Maroon.  I will post better pictures later.

[Paul Tesone]

Very nice - please post some interior pictures . Good luck . Paul Tesone CLC #6876

[gary griffin]

The joys of restoration. I was getting some basic maintenance and repairs made as I mentioned in the earlier post and when changing the fuel level sensor we found that the fuel tank was coated in the interior and the liner was failing. It was a lousy job with build up to 3 inches in some places.

This was discovered with a little camera with a 36 inch  flexible sending unit. I liked it so much that I found one on sale for $70 and bought it. I was amazed that it is in color and if the little screen is too small it can be hooked up to a T V set. AS much as I  like old cars the new technologies are amazing. I am even learning to like my new "Smarter than I am phone. Hopefully I will learn to use it to post pictures soon. I am keeping my folding phone just in case though.

The tank is undergoing a difficult cleaning and repair now. I tried to buy a new tank in all of the usual places and searched the internet but no one I could find had the patterns to make a new one.

More pictures coming soon .

[Tom Knoebel]

Gary,
Some where on this forum is a posting of a 1950 Chevy Gas tank fitting these autos.

Tom Knoebel

http://forums.cadillaclasalleclub.org/index.php?topic=110075.0

[gary griffin]

  I found out yesterday that my tank restoration had been completed. My mechanic was really p---ed off at the tank company.  I was also but not as much as he was. He has only about 8 inside bays to work stations and I am occupying two of them with my 1942 Cadillac and the LaSalle.  I would have been more angry if it had been summer.

  With the dual cylinder master cylinder installed and all new brakes and a tune up I will be happy to get it home. 

   Some of you have asked for more pictures and especially interior pictures and I will add them as soon as I get the car home and learn how to post from my new "Smarter than Me phone".

[gary griffin]

Update.

  A couple of weeks ago I drove the LaSalle home. It fts like a glove or should I say a straight jacket?  Very tight interior for my husky 6'-2" body.  I am working on the Husky part nut not willing to amputate my size 13's to get more leg room.

Conclusion is that Patty (5'-5") will probably be primary driver for a while as I rework a steering wheel for more leg room.

The shop forgot to install a brake light tee so I still need to do that.  I have a new wiring harness but will wait until fall to install it

I think I will just enjoy it this summer and do the improvements this winter.

I am guessing the Oxblood Maroon paint job is about 20 years old and is showing some crazing and a few small bubbles. My intent is to repair and touch up for now rather than a repaint at this time. Hopefully the vendor can get a good match,

It sure looks good in my crowded garage,

[Fred Pennington 25635]

Gary, I feel your pain.
It is perfectly OK to move the seat back as much as 3 inches.
The instructions for moving the seat are in the body service manual beginning on page 117.
It does requires some reinforcing under the floor for the seat brackets.

Good Luck
Fred P.

[gary griffin]

Fred,

  Does the 5019 have the curved bulkhead behind the drivers seat. The 5029 has a solid bulkhead that prevents rearward seat travel. I am not sure there there is 3 inches there to use?  I think the bulkhead is to reinforce the B pillars as the car is a convertible and the B pillars stand alone instead of connecting to the roof of the car.

  I do not have the body book yet but will look for one. Does the book distinguish between the sedan and the convertible?

[Hans Ackermann]

 Very nice car !    More pictures pleace ?
Hans Ackermann

[gary griffin]

The car has been rewired and ready to drive. I have added pictures to this blog and they did not come forward, so I started a second blog and it came forward but I could not add pictures???

. Must be computer problem or operator error??  I finally got a few to add

[tturley]

Awesome car
What color is that?

[gary griffin]

The car was originally Grey but I think the current color is supposed to be "Oxblood Maroon"  I always repaint to original colors but will probably not be painting this car. I am having a little touch up done and the painter had a difficult time matching the color