Buttercup's frame-off restoration is complete!

[jyinger]

I drove her yesterday for the first time.  What a dream!!

All new (or rebuilt) everything.  I have a few photos....  Also photos of the engine compartment, drive train, etc. if anyone is interested.

Jon Yinger  CLC#226643
49 Fleetwood (2)
49 Coupe DeVille (2)
49 Convertible
52 Fleetwood
58 Eldorado Brougham

[Dan LeBlanc]

Looks fantastic Jon.  I'd love to see how you mounted the a/c compressor as I'm contemplating a trunk mounted unit as you did in the 49 in my 53.

[harry s]

Very nice.   Harry

[Ralph Messina CLC 4937]

Jon,

As usual, a beautiful restoration. The '49 CDV doesn't get the respect it deserves considering it created the hottest body style throughout the 50's, 60's and into the 70's.

[Blade]

Beautiful restoration! The color change was a personal preference?

Cheers!

[Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373]

Wow.

[2manycars]

Beautiful work on an outstanding car. It can take one back, just looking at it.  It just looks so comfortable. I'll bet it rides like a dream.

[62 driver]

Wow!  Love the color combination.

[NORTHPORTGUY]

just stumbled on this post and want to compliment you ion a terrific job of work. Buttercup is beautiful.    How long did it take?

Ken Wiebke
23013

[DeVille68]

nice color!

[jyinger]

It's been about a year and a half since we started work on it.

I must say, though, that I was a little premature in declaring it to be completely finished, and home.  After a few days of test drives, she developed a rough idle and an annoying miss that got steadily worse.  We tried everything--rebuilt the carburetor (again), tried a different (rebuilt) distributor, checked the compression.  Checked the spark to each cylinder.  No clue.

Until we (that is, Danny, the mechanic) took the heads off and found some problems with a couple of valves.  One was badly scorched--and this is with only about 100 miles on the newly rebuilt engine.  So Monday it goes back to L & R Engine to make those heads right.

I'll keep you posted when we get it back.

Jon

[savemy67]

Hello Jon,

Buttercup looks great!  Many people prefer the '49 Sedanette, but I think the coupe looks great too.  Oddly, of the photos you posted, I like the first photo best - the "before" picture.  I think it appeals to me because it represents the idea of overcoming the odds.  And for the most part, Buttercap represents a happy ending.

Sorry to hear about the engine trouble.  You would expect to have confidence in parts that you paid to have rebuilt. but it seems, more so today than ever, that time is money.  Many shops will only spend a finite amount of time on any given project, and they may overlook some crucial step in the process.  This may be due in part to the loss of skills over time - there just aren't enough old Cadillacs around to expect that there are a lot of people with the know-how to repair them.  This may also be due in part to the temperament of people.  You must have the patience of Job to work on these cars, and sometimes this patience is incompatible with running a business.

I have more time than money, so I tackle just about every repair on my car (I may re-evaluate that statement when I reach age 75).  And I do have the patience of Job.  This allows me to evaluate whether I want to use a worn part or try to find a piece of unobtanium.  If I use a worn part, at least I am aware of its limitations.  When someone else does the work for you, you entrust them with your project and compensate them accordingly, but you may never know the limitations of a part because you have never seen it.  Hopefully, the scorched valves are due to an honest mistake, and your engine builder will rectify the problem with no excuses, thereby keeping your trust.  Hope all goes well, and that Buttercup is soon cruising the by-ways as she should.

Respectfully submitted,
Christopher Winter