1968 Eldorado Restoration

[936CD69]

Greg, these manuals were printed several months before the model year introduction. As David suspects, the chart above was used by the sales managers to determine the best colors to order for stock units at intro time. If the 69 didn't have a similar color that the 68s did, they wouldn't show the 68 color.

There is a 68 Data Book on the Modified Chapter's website. http://www.modifiedcadillac.org/ then look under documents. Also the GM Heritage Center media archives http://www.gmheritagecenter.com/gm-heritage-archive/vehicle-information-kits.html and this one http://automotivemileposts.com/contentseldorado.shtml . Have fun researching!!

Craig

[Carl Glass]

They also added the parking lights from a '68 or better and left the lights from the '67 intact.

[Rob Troxel]

I'm afraid the changes incorporated on the 69 Eldorados ( read, decontenting) leaves me glad for the 68s

[Rob Troxel]

Lost the fender mounted turn signal indicators too in 69

[DeVille68]

wow - they both look fantastic!
I didn't realize that the Mark III looks so good in white. Beautiful body lines.

Kind regards
nicolas

[Carl Glass]

I was caught by surprise at my admiration for the Mark as well.

[936CD69]

Both beautiful cars! When I was too young to know better, Mark IIIs and IVs were what I dreamed about......

David, your previous post about how the color of your car changes is evident on this series of pics. With your Eldo and the Mark by themselves, you could definitely see the rose tint on your car. At the cruise it, it looks a rich milk chocolate. Very pretty either way.

Craig

[Dan M]

I am chugging along solving small issues here and there.

The vac advance actuator came is, so along with the lubing of the disty everything seems better.  It runs a lot better and I'm sure more powerful with the timing correct.  The only thing is the spring seems "softer" than the original.  Which leads me to suspect I'm getting too much advance.  Any how, this also allowed me to look in the disty hole and see a steel gear and timing chain, so it was done at least once in its life- I'm not so worried now.

I was having trouble getting the parking brake to latch.  After recognizing that it takes vac to unlatch, I pulled the hose and voila- it would latch.  When I put the hose on it would latch once or twice then not.   I found the vac coming from the neutral safety switch was not venting.  I removed the NSS and sprayed some plastic safe contact cleaner in the tubing holes, and after as few minutes with an air hose could tell I unblocked something.   After reinstallation- automatic brake release functioning again.

I'm down to one main point for me- there is no vac to pull the heater control valve closed.  I did the servo valve flattening, and I tried to remove the control valve with the system in the car- I dould not get it free- so I used the contact cleaner trick- still nothing.  So I've got some kind of a problem in the "red" line.  Although I did not yet verify each of the vacuum ports as laid out in Tim Grove's A/C book.  That is next- maybe the valves are still plugged.

[DeVille68]

Hi David

Please keep me updated on your repainting project.
My wheel cover emblems have lost all their color and I would like to "repaint" those during the winter.
Kind regards,

[Carl Glass]

Pictures of the refreshed emblems please David!

Carl

[Carl Glass]

Beautful!  I just figured out what I'm doing tonight!

I'll take before and after shots!

Thx

Carl

[DeVille68]

Hi David

Congratulation - the emblems look great!
Repainting the emblems will be my next project!

How did you determine the correct color shade?
I guess Cadillac did have some specific requirements for the color shade of their emblems?

@Carl: I am curious to see your results.

Kind regards,
Nicolas

[Carl Glass]

Just to be clear, it looks to me from the photos that gold and black are used in the upper left and lower right quadrants.  And blue and red are used in the upper right and lower left quadrants.  You mentioned white also.  Is that used with the blue?

Thx

Carl

[Carl Glass]

I"ll take one of those too David.  Do you think they are particular to 67-70 Eldo?

[Dan M]

As others have said, noce job on the emblems!

Your trunk shot raises a few questions for me.   My cardboard liners were not covered with anything- does your have the felt/fabric on them?  It appears there is some kind of felty fabric on the trunk floor, wheel houses...  Mine is bare.  Interesting- maybe stripped out, but no evidence of glue remains.  There was a heavy asphalt /paper mat on the floor covering the cable for the trunk pull down- I did scrape that up to work on the pull down.

Does the trunk pull down work?  Mine snaps like a mouse trap.  I think the hydraulic portion of the pull down cylinder isn't functioning, so the spring just snaps it down.

I think it is supposed to click on the latch, and then softly pull down to the final latched position?

Anyone have a cylinder for sale?

[Carl Glass]

David

Thanks for inspiring me to take on this project.  Super easy like you said.  I used automotive touch up paint.  I used a toothpick to transfer the paint from the brush to the emblem.  Only rarely did I actually use the brush to apply the paint.  I'm very happy!

Carl

[Dan M]

I worked on the AC vacuum system again last night.  I found my problem with no vacuum to the heater control valve.

Basically when I removed the control valve and did the flatening to prevent the leakage, I installed it incorectly such that the vacuum was blocked.

Now I have a fully operational AC system again, plus my hideaway headlights, automatic parking brake release, as well as the vacuum advance.

A byproduct of all this has been the elimination of leaks and the associated improvement in engine smoothness. I'm idlinig around 15" and steady, so that bodes well for the engine internals.

I can now definitely recommend the AC book by Tim Groves at http://www.cadillactim.com/   It really helped me walk through the systems.

[DeVille68]

Hey Carl.
Looking good. What an improvement!

Now I have to find the correct paint and do it my self. Will post my results.

@Dan: thanks for the hint regarding the AC book by Tim Groves.
Need to repair my AC System during the winter time. My system misses the compressor and condenser. On top of that, the system doesn't even blow hot air!

Kind regards,
Nicolas

P.S: I have another topic here: http://forums.cadillaclasalleclub.org/index.php?topic=120638.msg212868#msg212868
Does anyone of you guys know about the interior lights and the PCV Valves?

Regarding the PCV Vales: USA PARTS lists a few parts (page 54). I guess thats all I need.
What is the correct size of the hose? 7/16'' for 68 DeVille?

[Rob Troxel]

Dave,

As you know I'm a big fan of your contributions.  I have to say that it's too much to have both the stand up and the old ornament there together, (like a double whammy). Glad to see you removed the old one.  That helps>>While we see this mod done quite a bit, I think it detracts from the intentions of the original  clean front end design. Of course it is your car and it really is an owner choice. Elsewhere one of our talented  members modded his 69 Eldorado with hideaway headlights and fender mounted turn signals. To me that was the best things one could do to a 69 to negate the GM decontenting  for that year.

All the best,

Rob

[cadillacmike68]

Dave, It looks very nice.   

Just my opinion, but I would leave both hood ornaments on it!

Your friend wouldn't be able to source another 71-74 stand up hood ornament (preferably with the long hood strip) would he?