1937 Cadillac Restoration

[csvancara]

Hello:

Looking for some input and advice.
I bought a 1937 Cadillac earlier in the year........Car was sitting inside stored for probably 45 years......car is completely original...........that is why I purchased.

I am thinking by summer I will have time to work on the car....Engine runs....need to fix brakes and needs a gas tank.

I do not want to do anything crazy (like the hot rod folks). Assume it is best to leave as original.

Looking at the cost to do things right, I am not sure if I should start this project, or consider selling to someone that can really preserve the car.
How big a money pit would this b

[Jim Govoni CLC 20546]

Depends on your definition of money pit? To get it running and safe probably to start somewhere around 15-20K. Then you could drive a safe car. It needs complete renovation of the entire braking, fuel, steering and wiring for starters. Just my opinion.

[csvancara]

Thanks!

[harvey b]

It would depend on how much of your own work you are able to do,if you are mechanically inclined you could save yourself some money and have fun doing it too.It also depends on how high your standards are too,Pebble Beach costs a lot more then good driver quality does.Mechanical parts are somewhat easy to find for them.Do you have any friends who could help you. Good Luck  Harveyb

[fishnjim]

Only one photo so can't determine much.
Looks fairly solid and complete, but when I see a band of rust like that all around the bottom, (unless someone sanded on it) it sat on the ground/over dirt at some point.   So the underside could be questionable.   Doesn't look like any rust through holes from the front.
You could take to a resto shop and get an estimate to get it driver worthy.   Then decide if you want to keep and invest the time and money yourself or not.   If you don't have the tools, then factor that cost in too.   Almost always better for selling if it runs and drives.   
If it's not a V12 or 16, I don't think it's a very valuable car as it sits.   
Check the CAAAR and/or Hagerty price guides and you can get a sense of what it'd be worth after you dump money into it based on condition now and when fixed.   Some people justify it as a hobby, but I think being a little shrewd is always called for.   
Must be some reason you bought it, liked the looks, price caught your eye, moment of weakness, etc.   Sometimes, resisting the temptation is the thing to do, and not experience the post buy regrets.

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

There are several things that responders have not covered. Such as desirability. I believe that your car is the Series 60, maybe 65 that are the least costly models when new. So, they are (naturally) and usually, less desirable, especially the four door (bread & butter) sedans. Countering that is the condition of the interior. If it is in good, usable shape, that helps the car in being a "survivor" which is popular at present. (And saves you a ton of money.)

As has been suggested, getting the car running and safe is what is needed now. Also, if the paint is in relatively good condition, it might be salvageable. (Except where someone has started sanding it.) Do not do anything with the running boards without advice. They are also extremely expensive to redo.
We have Club members who have made a black pre-war car look more than presentable, so that leads into offering you Club membership. On of the benefits is a Club Directory that shows every CLC member that owns a car like yours. Most of our members are quite willing to share their knowledge with others and if you call at a reasonable hour (not bedtime/mealtime) you will find you have been talking for an hour with a person you will possibly never meet, but having a mutual interest, you probably have made a new friend. In my fifty seven years of membership, there are less than a handful that I don't consider friends. Welcome, and "don't give up."

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

I did just notice something rather rare about the car. You could buy the car with only one (usually RH as is yours) sidemount. So that makes the car just that much more desirable. Hooray, hooray!

[z3skybolt]

Here is a beautiful 39 to give you an idea of what they are worth.....even in lovely condition.  Good luck!

https://maine.craigslist.org/cto/d/nobleboro-1939-cadillac/7239204064.html

Bob R.

[35-709]

A 60 Special, somewhat more desirable than a '37 60 series, I would think.  Couldn't help but notice that the '60 Special pictures show shots of the interior but, as is so often the case, the most important upholstery picture (in terms of wear and condition), the drivers seat, is missing.   

Good luck with it, it will be very easy to invest more than it is worth but heck, I've done that plenty of times.        

[Alan Harris CLC#1513]

I think that the real question to be asked is "How much do you like the car?"

Realize that you will always be able to buy a nicer one for less than the cost of upgrading yours. The only real rationale for doing the upgrade would be a feeling of satisfaction or accomplishment in achieving the desired result. If you don't think that you would enjoy the process or revel in the finished product, then you are better off bailing out now.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

One of the problems with buying a nicer car is that some of us can only afford a cheaper one, requiring work to eventually get it to where one wants to be.

In the case of my '72 Eldo, I could only afford to pay what I paid, and if I had to wait to save up for a better one, then I would never get to own one, or be too old to enjoy it, and with me, it is the "tinkering" that I enjoy, and yes, it will cost more in the end, but I don't buy cars on time payment, or take out a loan.

Maybe that is why I will never own a brand new car.   Have driven thousands of new cars, but it is nice to know that I am not losing anything in depreciation.

Bruce.

[csvancara]

Thanks for all the input.....
These are some additional photos to show you the condition.

I really think the pre war cars were Art Work.....

I can do most of the work.........I was able to get the engine running...

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

Get it running and safe, and take it to Maaco and have them paint the fenders and the other spots and just enjoy the heck out of that thing. So the interior is the wrong material. It's adequate and nice looking. You can find out "more" about the car as you own it longer.

[cadillac ken]

Two things.  How nice do you want to make the car?  What is your end goal as you see it for your enjoyment of the car.

Nowadays everything is very expensive.  Parts like glass, chrome plating, and paint and rust work can escalate into tens of thousands of dollars pretty quickly-- even when just trying to make a car "driveable".  Materials costs have gone through the roof. The purchase price of most any car is usually the smallest check you will write.

As others have pointed out it is not necessarily a real desirable model.  Completely irrelevant to you if you want to drive and enjoy the car.  But of course, make no mistake, buying a "done" car while not a small check, is always the best way to go. The seller of a done car is usually absorbing a bulk of what the car cost to restore or redo.  The cars we do in our shop all have special meaning to their owners and they are fully aware that they could buy a done car, same year, make, and model, as the one they are having us restore for less money (although probably not done as well to a high caliber)  But it's not their car-- only one like it.

Good luck and all the best to you, Ken

[dn010]

There is this 37 Series 60 on ebay right now. The paint and chrome needs some help.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1937-Cadillac-Other/143862263731

[AdamS]

I will offer-up my opinion and experience here. A ‘37-60 series sedan with side mounts is a bit uncommon, as the side mounts were an extra cost item. That said, the best one in the world would be worth maybe $25K.

In 1986, I bought a ‘36-60 series sedan. It was a California car and was in what I will call ‘similar’ condition to your ‘37. I had no idea what I was getting into - I only wanted to enjoy the car. Alas, after a bit of tinkering, on the way to the Local Cad-LaSalle picnic, I noted that the oil pressure gauge was at Zero. A few days later, with another gauge, the pressure was indeed zero. That began the nine-year snowball. About $50K+ later, I gave up, with an unfinished project.  Sold the car for $4500 as a kit for the next owner to self-assemble; $2K less than I paid for the car, initially.

On your car, unless you have unlimited tome and budget, it’s crucial to be realistic as to what you are willing to put into it. The ‘39 60 Special noted above is a CCCA Full Classic, so it has that going for it. Your 60 series, sadly, being a base-level car when new, is not.

If this was my car, I would sort out what I could do minimally to get it in safe and good running mechanical order. The chrome on this car would easily cost $30K to do, these days.

It costs about the same to restore a Yugo or a Duesenberg. In the end, one is a $2000 car and the other a $2M car. To get this car into #1 $25K condition, could easily run  $150K++. All depends how +in love+ you are with the car.

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

OK, The car has shiny paint over most of it. It has a decent interior. It is now running. It has a floor shift which is kind of a plus as I think that would be fun to drive. Forget about the chrome bill. Haven't any of you heard of "shiny pits"? That's what I drove with my 1941s when I have kids that needed shoes every month or so, or went to college.

As I suggested, take it to Maaco and have them paint the fenders when they have a sale. $500? Spray bomb the the other primed spots if Maaco wouldn't throw them in. I have "worked" with my local guy, as has our Editor, and they turned out pretty good work. Good enough that my 1979 Fleetwood won a national first at Savannah. Appeal to their craftmanship and give them a picture of the finished product to hang on their showroom wall.

Put a set of tires on it, and spray bomb the wheels red or green (authentic colors of the era) to brighten the car up, polish it and then have fun with it. Do as little as possible beyond making the car safe and dependable. Quit bombarding the guy with your "expertise" on "how much it's gonna' cost."

If it'll run and start and stop, that's how guys with limited budgets enjoyed their cars in the early days of this hobby. I would have loved to have had a car in this good a shape "way back when." The heck with that noise, I'd love to have it right now!

[cadillac ken]

OK, The car has shiny paint over most of it. It has a decent interior. It is now running. It has a floor shift which is kind of a plus as I think that would be fun to drive. Forget about the chrome bill. Haven't any of you heard of "shiny pits"? That's what I drove with my 1941s when I have kids that needed shoes every month or so, or went to college.

As I suggested, take it to Maaco and have them paint the fenders when they have a sale. $500? Spray bomb the the other primed spots if Maaco wouldn't throw them in. I have "worked" with my local guy, as has our Editor, and they turned out pretty good work. Good enough that my 1979 Fleetwood won a national first at Savannah. Appeal to their craftmanship and give them a picture of the finished product to hang on their showroom wall.

Put a set of tires on it, and spray bomb the wheels red or green (authentic colors of the era) to brighten the car up, polish it and then have fun with it. Do as little as possible beyond making the car safe and dependable. Quit bombarding the guy with your "expertise" on "how much it's gonna' cost."

If it'll run and start and stop, that's how guys with limited budgets enjoyed their cars in the early days of this hobby. I would have loved to have had a car in this good a shape "way back when." The heck with that noise, I'd love to have it right now!

All due respect Barry... Clinton in his opening post said he was asking for advice.  I really think the advice that has been offered is not a "bombardment" or anything but the truth by folks who have been there- done that. If I read Clinton's post correctly I think he came here for exactly that.  "Expertise" and "how much is it going to cost" relative to what he wants the car to be for him.

I think it is important not to gloss over that the car is original in most all it's mechanicals and will probably develop issues on a regular basis (as pointed out by Adam who went through almost the exact same scenario with almost the exact same car) which is exactly why most go ahead and "restore or refurbish" all the fuel lines, brake lines, suspension, wiring, etc. at the start all at the same time to make the car roadworthy, reliable and enjoyable on outings without having to call the roll back to take the car back home.  And as pointed out, these things add up. Costs of parts and materials have escalated to, IMO, ridiculous highs.  Things no longer click off in hundreds but rather thousands. After owning a Restoration shop for nearly 30 years I can tell you it' not cheap on any level like it may have been 30 years ago when I started my business.

As for the Maco and spray bomb route: 
It's all in how high are your expectations?  What level of quality and longevity are you going to be happy with?  And of course this is an individual's own choice.  I think the guys here are simply trying to offer up some real numbers through their experiences for Clinton to consider. Looking at those surface rusted front fenders I seriously doubt Maco will do much other than scuff and shoot them.  Not going to look very good-- or last for very long.  To me that's a quick fix that's wasted money if I have to do it every year.  And to be sure, Maco is not the bargain most think nowadays.  They itemize everything and extra sanding, rust treatment, "special" primers are all additional costs-- most times resulting in a job that may look good when you pick the car up but probably not look good for very long.

We all know our old cars are most times a money pit.  As so aptly pointed out in Adams post:
"it costs about the same to restore a Yugo or a Duesenberg. In the end, one is a $2000 car and the other a $2M car. To get this car into #1 $25K condition, could easily run  $150K++. All depends how +in love+ you are with the car.

While not always the case, the sentiment is, to be sure, correct on so many levels.

We all admit that our cars are money pits.  Some bottomless, some not.  But a good amount of cash can be spent on any one of our cars that we will never see again at resale.  Not that the resale is the point.  But I think for someone like Clinton who is asking the right questions it is important not to gloss over those issues and costs that often get glossed over when a buyer finds a car that is emotionally exciting to them.

[csvancara]

Thanks Everyone.....I do appreciate all the input.

Thanks All!!!

[e.mason]

You might want to see if you can find out the original owner.  Quite possibly it could be a Hollywood Star's car......Charlie Chan.