Hideaways in 69 eldorado

[dirtycustom40]

Finally got a chance to get the hideaways installed in my 69.Everything is bolt on and go.Need to make final adjustments to grill and headlight doors.Im waiting for the headlight switch so i can finish it up.The only real change is moving vacuum tank to retain my radiator overflow bottle.I purchased this car in southern colorado a few months back.Leaving albuquerque to go back to chicago for a week at the end of this month and this is what we will be driving.

[Rob Troxel]

Masterful job!  It sure looks good to see a 69 re contented with those hidden lights! Why not put in the vac reservior back in the right spot, and then get a small chrome cylindrical overflow tank to mount near the battery side? either way, Kudos for taking this on and showing it can be done!

[Carl Glass]

wow, i'm impressed!  it looks amazing!  i'm wondering if you could post a video of them in motion?

thx

carl

[dirtycustom40]

Got back from our chicago trip a couple weeks back.The car ran absolutely perfect,especially once we got down around sea level.Nice smooth,quiet comfortable drive and plenty of power on the highway.A real pleasure to drive.The only problem was the hideaway cans gave out and wouldnt hold vacuum after a few days which is to be expected for 40 plus year old parts.I used some coat hangers to hold the doors up during the day.Cheesy but effective.I ordered some new cans from ricks camaros and am waiting for them to arrive.The best i could get for mpg was between 14 and 15 at 75-80 mph.I had removed air pump as soon as i got the car and went to a single pulley ac compressor and gm hei from a 79 coupe deville.I also found a dual outlet muffler which i installed for dual exhaust.That gave me just a hint of a rumble if you are standing behind the car but cant be heard inside.Im debating on whether or not to put resonators on or leave it alone.The car will sit till the first week in december till i take a 4 day trip to california.In the meantime im going to add a one inch phenolic spacer to carb,msd 6a ignition box and try manifold vacuum to distributor instead of ported vacuum and play with timing a bit.Ive always had my sbc set up this way and they ran real nice.Hopefully i can get close to the same effect with the cadillac and pick up a little better mileage.Its worth a try i think.The 40 ford i drove for years(daily driver) had a 350/350 with 3:08 gears and was getting a little over 20 mpg at 75-80 mph.I drive my car pretty much the opposite of most people.I ride my old flh year round and the only time a i drive the car is on long trips.The car in the photo is my 40 ford with -- 39 chevy fenders,40 chevy headlights,36 olds or buick grille cant remember which,unknown front bumper,totally stock front steering,fabricated runnung boards and so on.Just a bare shell when i got it and used whatever i had and could make work to put it together.It wasnt much to look at but i could get in it whenever i wanted and drive it anywhere without a thought.

[Rob Troxel]

Sorry to hear those vac cans let go.  It is always a question mark on how long they will last.  I am curious about the Camaro cans..don't the ends have to be threaded for the clevis fitting?  Give us a report on what they are like.  Thanks for the trip undate too