vapor lock

[76eldo]

I hope you get the venting issue fixed but if it runs well with a vented cap which is only a few bucks you should buy one and keep it in the trunk in case you have this problem again on the road.

On a personal note, I have no time for business people that will not return calls, texts, or emails.  Dealing with that issue drives me nuts. 

On another personal note, when you own a collectible Cadillac you get to know your own car inside and out.  You become intimately aware of it's faults, flaws, and deficiencies.
The sooner you decide for yourself that the opinions of "judges" at non CLC events are pretty much meaningless and that the value of driving the car or even just polishing or cleaning it in your driveway far outweighs the temporary satisfaction of a tin or plastic award at a local car show, the happier you will be with your car.

I went all through the car show phases of my collector life and now I just have fun with my cars when time permits.  I can feel the anxiety in many of your posts mostly caused by getting your car ready for shows.  Relax and enjoy the majestic ride of your Fleetwood and let the 2018 Mustangs and Challengers grab the trophies at the local shows.

Brian

PS... Have you joined a local CLC region and gotten to know fellow CLC members?

[z3skybolt]

Boy, what in the world is happening in USA when everything has to be licensed.   No wonder nothing gets done.

Hang in there.

Bruce.

You are so right Bruce.  I am 71 and cannot count the loss of freedom of action that has occured during my lifetime.   So I hide out in rural Missouri, do my own thing and try not to be noticed. My older sister's response when things would go to hell always has been...." I think that I'll move to Australia".  Given that she is now 84....don't think that is going to happen!  Haa haa....

Bob

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Yeah
Who needs a doctor with a license?
Greg Surfas

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

Hey folks,
is 0345 my time, its been a long day. The Ark has been fixed, its never been better. Details are NUMEROUS so I'm taking the cowards way out with a copy/paste from my Facebook page. If we're Facebook friends, there are 3 live videos under this post on my page from today at the shop. When everything was going to hell in a hand basket, the people I needed most stepped up today.
Thank you all so much for your posts, opinions, information and time, always grateful.
\m/
Laurie

************************************
A long but glorious day. And contrary to my deleted rant of Tuesday (fueled by complete and total physical and mental exhaustion from over 6 weeks of 6-7 day weeks at 10-14 hours per day, then surgery, then the possibility I injured the surgical area helping someone when I should have been resting, then people I needed desperately blowing me off) I was reminded yesterday and today I *DO* have Angels watching out for and over me here on Earth and from above. So blessed.

When I called Ryan Morrison at Cape Tire Service on Wednesday frantic about installing The Ark's hideously over priced replica battery and my plans and parts for a battery holder, he was only too happy to say he'd get the car in next week. Then I said we had a show on Saturday, and he said we'll see you tomorrow morning. Sweet. And my gloriously executed plans and parts for this battery holder failed in flames at the shop this morning. Ryan however had a plan, got some different parts, and the new hideously over priced replica battery is properly installed and working nominally. You rock Ryan. \m/

Have Blue will be going to his shop Monday for an over due oil change and tire rotation/re-balance. Have Blue my dependable work slave; the car that makes my life and the money to pamper the show pony Caddy possible has been getting the short end of the mntx stick for a while since The Ark has been getting everything. So glad cars can't hold a grudge. Have Blue has more scheduled mntx coming up; transmission service, AWD service, etc. Ryan will be doing that too.

And I really thought The Ark's problem was a clogged fuel tank vent, since it ran well without the gas cap. Until this morning. On my way to Ryan's early sans gas cap, at one point I didn't think we'd make it. Now I *KNOW* the problem isn't a clogged vent, its something else, now what and more importantly 'now who' since we don't have a mech we can depend on when the $hit hits the fan. Its military, just deal with 1 disaster at a time, get the crippled Ark to Ryan and get the battery block checked. And after a few aforementioned snags, the battery block was checked. Now for The Ark and its mechanical issue...

For me to call Michael Amster on the phone is a doomsday phone call. Seriously. I'm happy to keep communication to texts, simply because I know how busy the guy is and I know he WILL answer his phone if I call. If I dial his number, its because its life or death for me, I don't want to bother him. He's too good, too kind, too considerate, and too damn busy. But I had no choice. Called him from Ryan's, frantic and in tears about The Ark, its current mechanical state and the looming show on Saturday. Response? Bring it in at 2pm.

Its about 11am. The Ark is running - so bad. Do I want to chance limping it home then limping it back to Hyannis later, I know I'm PSR with the car. Do I really want to add a tow to my day... Opted to go directly to Mike's and I'll just hang around and play on my phone until 2pm. Good thing I did. The car died at his shop when I got there. There are 3 live video's under this post from our day there. Ridiculously long story shot, Gary Amster (Mike's dad) worked on my car. This is as close to God as I can get. The problem was the electronic ignition (that I didn't install) had failed. Additionally numerous vacuum lines were not attached or attached incorrectly, components necessary to the good working order of the car were either missing, failed or improperly installed. Other electrical issues, etc. Gary did all this. Properly set the timing, and I know he tightened all the belts. And probably a bunch of other stuff while he was under hood. The result? The Ark now drives and acts like its 1970. The car has never, ever, ran so well, so quietly, so smoothly, so powerfully. Its back to its biblical roots with points, as God and GM intended. Its a brand new car. (I'm in tears typing this) Few know how much this car means to me, the few that do know stepped up and supported us today. Forever grateful, forever blessed, forever Hyannis Vintage Auto for mechanical (and of course up coming roof and body) work with The Ark.

And I again impaled myself on Gary for his opinion on all the headliner and vinyl roof samples I've been sent, I think they're all pretty, what do I know. And he picked out the headliner color/material and roof. Both shall be ordered.

Left there and headed to friend Janet's business "Sew What" to deal with the missing button issue on the drivers seat. I have replacement material, she has buttons, all are on my kitchen table, I'll deal with that tomorrow. I did earn the sewing badge when I was a Girl Scout after all. And I need to touch up the detailing I did to The Ark over the past few days with all the mntx it got today in preparation for the show Saturday. No problem, a labor of love. And both will happen tomorrow after plenty of sleep tonight, these daily 4-5 naps just aren't cutting it, and Saturday will be an early morning.

If you got this far reading you are indeed a friend. And I hope you had as blessed a day as I had. Pics attached of the hideously over price replica battery installed by Ryan and of Gary, Chris and Michael under the hood of The Ark. I took that photo from a distance and I knew at that moment my life, and The Ark, were about to get really gooder. So blessed.

**********************************

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Congratulations on solving the shutting down issue.   I had a similar thing happen to me with my '60 CDV, and it turned out to be a coil.   I changed coils, and the second one was faulty.  Sometimes they worked, and other times they didn't.

Bruce.

[Scot Minesinger]

Laurie,

Glad it is fixed, congratulations!  Vacuum hoses seem to be the most overlooked and easy item to make the car run so much better.  Glad you have it running well now.  In the picture, the idea that there is a 1965 Caddy right next to yours seems a strong endorsement of the garage.

Enjoy your Cadillac!

[35-709]

   Another story supporting the statement, "if you think it is fuel related it will be ignition, if you think it is ignition related, it will be fuel.  Have fun at the show, Laurie.

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Laurie,
Glad you've got it. Just shows how wildly inaccurate a diagnosis you can make fixating on a single symptom from 2000 miles away. Keep on truckin.
Greg Surfas

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

Thanks guys, love you all.
Edit being made tonight to the showboard to reflect Gary as 'mechanic' now.
Can't wait for tomorrow, I can't present this car in its current state any better.
Plan for the worst, be surprised with the best, etc.
\m/
Laurie

PS Scot I'm going to post pics from HVA yesterday, including a drop-dead flawless '57 Caddy.

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

So happy for you that everything worked out.

As others have already said, diagnosis via the
phone or internet forum is not an exact science. 
Being there and actually "hands on" looking under
the hood can't be beat.

You were actually lucky it went totally "dead" and
would not start in their driveway -- that helped
them quickly zero in on the ignition issue.

Mike

[metalblessing]

Its always a good feeling when you fix a longstanding problem. Glad it all worked out. I've got alot of small kinks on mine that come up now and again too.