Lovey, the 1955 Eldorado restoration story

[Roger Zimmermann]

Thanks for the info about the top kits and side glass frames!

[Eldovert]

Nice work!
I will be interested how you do with matching the paint with modern formulas....I have to figure that one out too.
Cheers,Pat MacPhail

[David King (kz78hy)]

Pat,

The paint is bought and awaiting the body.  There is a really good paint store where the car is being done and they were able to match the original color.  It was kind of hard as the car was repainted in what I believe was the 58 copper.  On the heater blister we found a good remnant of the original which was a lighter copper.  This will be a base coat, clear coat paint job now since lacquer is no longer available.

When I find the photo of the paint code, I will post  here.  I found the spray out, but will have to get a photo of the formula next time I am there.

David

[David King (kz78hy)]

Blasting the body floor, creating more welding opportunities, but now it is upwards and onwards...

[Eldovert]

Looks like the project is moving right along.
Thanks for the info on the paint..I have seen a few restored cars where the paint appears to be quite a bit darker.
Cheers,Pat

[David King (kz78hy)]

The turn signal switch had some wires where the casing was broken.  I did not want to just wrap it w/electrical tape as though I it would not stay and hard to get at.  I experimented with taking some shrink wrap and cutting it so it would go around the wire, then I super glued the wrap back together.  Applied the heat and it did shrink up.  The repair worked, but very hard to keep the wrap in place while gluing and getting your fingers released and not pulling everything apart again.  I made it work and deemed it good enough as there is no stress on this area.  No tiny ball bearings lost, contact points cleaned.  When attempting to reassemble, the chrome had built up the holes, so I had to get a tap and chase the threads, then it went together. 

The column is ready now to mount.  The shift and turn arms are out getting the knobs molded at the steering wheel restoration shop, so this is really close to installing, the body just has to get done.

[2manycars]

I actually LOLd when you said Creating new welding opportunities! Yeah, I saw plenty in the photos too. But then you DID expect that I am sure. Once you patch it up and smooth the welds, some primer / surfacer, it'll be good as gold.

I saw the way you had to repair the wheel well liner edges. I had to hand form repair strips similarly on my 57 TBird, in the trunk area. Non-reproduced parts, so... One does what they need to do. Proper prep under there, and primer/surfacer, and no one will ever spot it, unless they knew it was there.

Single layer inner and outer rockers? With the perimeter frame, I'm guessing they are. They are on my TBird. My 64 Caddy though, they are multi layer thick, like my 67 Camaro rockers are. The Camaro is unibody from the cowl back, and the Caddy has the X frame with no side rails. I'm guessing the frame is the reason the Caddy was built with that type of rocker panel.

Nice work to date! You guys are much faster than I am!

[Roger Zimmermann]

The Camaro is unibody from the cowl back, and the Caddy has the X frame with no side rails.

The "X" frame on Cadillac models came for 1957. 1955/56 and prior models had  side rails plus X brace; thicker on convertible (the X brace).

[David King (kz78hy)]

The underbody has been painted the red oxide primer color and the dash panel has gotten the color on it.  It is almost ready to come off the rotisserie and go back to the frame.  I installed the brake hardware in the rear hubs and was going to do the fronts, but had trouble getting the front wheel bearings.  I ended up buying from Rock Auto, but they will arrive after I have left this week. The flex tubing has been added over the take down pipes.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Nice!
Before I put my body on the frame, I assembled the accessories on the firewall; I found this way easier than doing the assembly when the engine is on the way.

[David King (kz78hy)]

Attempting to get the last of the known items finished so assembly can begin.  The power steering pump and oil filter canister  have been gone through, LH exhaust manifold has been sent out for a coating and returned; we will see if if lives up to the claims.  There are other items, but those will be separate posts.

[David King (kz78hy)]

More steering pump photos.  Earlier I got focused on completing the task over doing a good job of document the clean up and prep for assembly.  I bought a big ultrasonic parts cleaner the steering pump was the first thing tried and it worked pretty good.  Time will tell if it was a good tool to have.  It did do a decent job of breaking the oil/crud and paint off the pump parts.

LH Exhaust manifold awaiting new pipe studs.

4/28/21 RH exhaust manifold coated.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Cleaning tools are never a bad investment!

[David King (kz78hy)]

Some dash parts were painted last week.

[David King (kz78hy)]

This weekend I put the I/P cluster together.  Last year I scored a NOS temp gauge.  Mine had been soaked with water somehow and rusted and corroded.  I had soaked in vinegar and oiled which allowed it to work and my plan was to use it until the one ebay became available.  It is  now mounted.  I bought some anti static spray for the lens to hopefully not get so much dust inside the unit.  Parts are starting to look a lot better.  I used windshield butyl to replace the stuff which isolated the glass lens from the housing.  Rolled it down to thin it out and placed in the spots where it was originally.

[David King (kz78hy)]

More photos of the cluster assembly.  I polished the 3 lens on the front and used dabs of black RTV to hold them in place, that was tedious.  I painted the inside of the re-chromed housing to match the painted areas of the originals.  Taking photos when disassembling sure makes it easier to get right when putting back together years later.

The LH dash trim got its grooves painted as well.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Nice dash assembly! I suppose it was rechromed. Good idea with the windshield butyl!

[David King (kz78hy)]

Tires and wheels mounted by a mobile tire service in Chippewa.  Valley Wire Wheel did the wheels and they are a work of art.

[David King (kz78hy)]

Doors were painted on the inside and few other odds and ends.  Seals will be mounted and the doors fitted to the body.

[David King (kz78hy)]

Misc. shots of front brake work.  Bearings were a pain to install, and I did a oil seal backwards and had to replace and it turned out the powercoater coated the inner part of the spindle where the inner bearing race has to work, so another teardown to remove the coating....3 days to complete the front brakes, bearings buildup.  Body was mounted and torqued to the frame, adjustments likely.  We had a map and labeled shims so those were positioned back to their home spots.  Enough work was done to the body that some of those will not be correct now, but have to get the rest installed to tell.  Installed the prop shaft and the park brake cable and linkage. 

Installed the valve covers & coated exhaust manifolds so it looks better.

I did not make the progress this trip I wanted, be back over the 4th.