1953 Cadillac 60-Special "The Muskogean Phoenix"

[David King (kz78hy)]

Here is the link to the 53 data book.  On page 190 of the .pdf file (3 or 4 books combined into the file) it discusses the A/C option, function and content.

https://www.gm.com/content/dam/company/no_search/heritage-archive-docs/vehicle-information-kits/cadillac/1953_Cadillac_Eldorado_VVI.pdf

[kudims]

Here is the link to the 53 data book.  On page 190 of the .pdf file (3 or 4 books combined into the file) it discusses the A/C option, function and content.

https://www.gm.com/content/dam/company/no_search/heritage-archive-docs/vehicle-information-kits/cadillac/1953_Cadillac_Eldorado_VVI.pdf

Yes, I have this document, although I have another technical manual, which is 100% related to 1953 air conditioners.



One of the pages from 100+ page manual

[James Landi]

Installation of a/c looks very similar to my '56 model,and you've done incredibly wonderful work ... the ceiling vents are identical.  For those who have never experienced these systems, believe me, they are memorable.  Having frigid air blowing on the left side of your face as you drive and having condensate drip on your neck is memorable... additionally, on particularly hot, humid days, side windows  fog up. When I was using my '56 to commute 90 miles a day, I used a towel over my shoulder to keep dry and warm.  These systems had sufficient capacity to cool down a hot car in a very few minutes.   

[David King (kz78hy)]

The image in the "accessories" appears to show the same content as the assembly plant build.  At least routings and things like the dryer are shown.

[kudims]

Let me share some photos and statistics regarding the trip "Montana - Texas".
2200 miles in 4 days on a 1953 Cadillac. Who did the same or similar trip in recent time / past - please share memories and photos.



Day 1: Hamilton - Dubois through Yellowsone National Park



First "technical stop" for brief inspection after 60 miles from Hamilton. Somewhere in Wyoming.



In Yellowstone



We spent there several hours. Somewhere near Grand Geyser





But we had to drive and find a place to "stop for the night".



Traffic was really heavy





Snow in June





We went through the very heavy rain with hail high in the mountains, and now we are driving down the hill to Dubois...



Super 8 in Dubois. Nice place



Next morning



"Breakfast in America"

Day Summary: We covered 460 miles (740 km).
Here's the breakdown by refueling stops:

Start with a full tank — Odometer: 35580

35732: 10 gallons to full (always filled to the brim) — 15.2 MPG
35879: 13 gallons — 11.3 MPG (thin air and long climbs)
36040: 12.95 gallons — 12.4 MPG (same mountain terrain).

Daily Total: 460 miles at an average of 12.8 MPG.
Elevation gain: from 3000 ft in Montana to 8100 ft in Wyoming and up to 8450 ft in Yellowstone, followed by a descent to Dubois (6850 ft). Pretty result good considering high altitude and a 71 year-old carb.

[kudims]

[James Landi]

Entirely forgot about the "favorite stations" feature... so nice.  I wonder when the vacuum tube, two component tuner and audio amplifier/ power supply system gave way to a single integrated transistorize unit. 

[kudims]

Day 2: Dubois - Colorado Springs

On the second day we understood that the car can move pretty fast without issues. So, I tried to cruise at 60-65. This was the optimum speed in terms of fuel economy, and I was more or less confident that at this speed no hose will blow-up accidentally...



Day 2 map: 500 miles



Some beautiful views of Wyoming



... and Colorado



Brief stop at ACE store. Edsel Corsair 1959





Then we continue our trip



Colorado



Approaching Denver... There was a car accident and a very heavy traffic. Our Caddy had a bit late ignition, and was starting to heat-up in slow move with 90+ F outside. So, we stopped for 40 minutes until it became clear on the highway



Colorado Springs



Parked near the hotel

Day 2 statistics:

Odometer reading at start 36040
Refuelings:
36247 — 14.6 gal (14.2 MPG)
36440 — 14.12 gal (13.7 MPG)
36552 — 9.2 gal (12.17 MPG) (Colorado Springs)

Total day 2: 512 miles, average economy: 13.5 MPG

[kudims]

Day 3 on the way from Montana to Texas



Here is the day 3 plan - the same ~500 miles.



The road was mostly flat and boring, with some mountain passes





But the views are still beautiful



I already posted this photo from Amarillo. This is late afternoon day 3



And we finally checked-in Super8 at Childress (150 miles to the South from Amarillo)

Day 3 statistics:
36552 — odometer at start

Refuelings:
36778 — 16.3 gal (13.9 MPG)
36945 — 13.6 gal (12.3 MPG)
37091 — 11.5 gal (12.7 MPG)

Day 3 distance covered: 539 miles, average day 3 economy: 13 MPG



Main street at Childress



Hotel parking in the morning



Day 4 map

Actually, there was nothing to make photos about. The weather was rainy, we wanted to come home before the night, and that's the reason why I was just pushing the accelerator, and my son was following the navigator...



The mission was comleted. We are at home in Sugar Land.



The old one meets the new one

Day 4 staistics:

37091 — odometer at start

Refuelings:
37223 — 10.2 gal (12.9 MPG)
37407 — 14.59 gal (12.6 MPG)
37606 — 14 gal (14.2 MPG) — came home

Total distance covered: 2026 miles (per odometer), 154.1 gal. Average economy 13.14 MPG
Oil consumption: 0. Level on the dipstick remain unchanged

[Ralph Messina CLC 4937]

Dmitry,


Your thread on this '53 Fleetwood is one of the best I've seen on the board.

Your "how to " discussions on the mechanicals as well as the cosmetics were very informative.

The quality of, and fit and finish of your work and great photography is exceptional.

Thank you .

[Lexi]

Dmitry,


Your thread on this '53 Fleetwood is one of the best I've seen on the board.

Your "how to " discussions on the mechanicals as well as the cosmetics were very informative.

The quality of, and fit and finish of your work and great photography is exceptional.

Thank you .

Yes, I agree. It was indeed a pleasure reading your posts on this project. As I have a background in Forensic Science, I was also a trained photographer; so the quality of your photography was duly noted and appreciated. Thankyou for your posts. Clay/Lexi

[kudims]

Yes, I agree. It was indeed a pleasure reading your posts on this project. As I have a background in Forensic Science, I was also a trained photographer; so the quality of your photography was duly noted and appreciated. Thankyou for your posts. Clay/Lexi

Thank you, and this is not the end. Many things are going on with the car, even more "to-do s" on the list

[kudims]

Re-chroming: Parts and Shop Survey

Based on the title, you can guess the story's about money...
Specifically, money flowing from my pocket into the pockets of some hopefully very skilled people. All that remains is to choose the right ones.

Houston is a fascinating place when it comes to classic car services. A few factors come into play—feel free to assign them your own priority:

1. A fair number of well-funded collectors and enthusiasts
2. Relatively affordable electricity and labor
3. Moderately lenient environmental regulations—essentially, pay an environmental fee and open up a plating shop

As a result, I've counted six chrome shops just within Houston city limits. If you include the suburbs, there are probably ten or so. And even though the factor (1) does hold, it's still "overkill" for a relatively small local market. Consequently, these shops rely on parts shipped in from all over the US—and sometimes from Europe as well. Private individuals like me are a minority; most customers are restoration shops. This also affects the workflow, since the final owner of a classic or hot rod rarely deals directly with the plater. Some owners don't even know where their chrome parts got plated in the first place.

But I'm... a bit different. Here's a short photo story about how I drove 135 miles around Houston in one day and what I learned.

The Parts



First: the rear bumper, which has survived at least two hits. One of those accidents happened in January 1969—there's a pencil note on the back side of the bumper documenting it. I removed six bolts, and my son helped me pull the bumper off.



Left exhaust pipe. After half a year in use, there's not even a trace of soot—reminder that the engine's never been apart for a rebuild.



Starting to disassemble the bumper.



The "Dagmars" removed. At the factory, this bumper was welded together from three pieces; the weld seams are hidden by these large bullet-shaped pieces.



On either side of the bumper are extension pieces.



A whole lot of 5/16"-diameter bolts—plenty of hardware!



The inside of a Dagmar (or "buffer"). The bullet tip is an extra piece bolted on with a massive fastener deep inside.



Loaded everything into the Escalade ESV, folding down not just the third row, but also the second row. Next to it are my stainless-steel rocker trims that need straightening and polishing.



One of the boxes contains the Dagmars.

In truth, driving around without making any calls or prep would've been irresponsible, so I did email several shops in December. Only a couple replied. I sent detailed photos of all the parts and their issues, seeking accurate quotes. The initial estimates ranged from $2,000 to $3,000 for the entire bumper assembly, plus $800 for the headlight bezels, and $1,600 for both rocker trims (they're 5" wide and about 6.5 feet long).

Stop 1: Reds Parts Attic



My route and appointment times were planned to maximize efficiency and minimize mileage.



Google Maps shows the location as a residential home—definitely not a typical plating facility. But around here it's normal to run a small business on your own property, provided the neighbors aren't upset about "environmental" matters.



I had a friendly chat with Joe, the owner. He recalculated his quote—upward—to $4,600.



I didn't mention to Joe that while he promises "show-quality" chrome, the piece he was showing me had visible scratches from poor prep work, and the shape wasn't perfectly straight.



Joe buffing a bumper with polishing compound right before handing it off to a customer.



Another freshly plated piece that's tricky to prep. The final result is okay but not perfect.

Nevertheless, as I left Joe's place, I was in a fairly good mood. He's about 40, well-kept, pleasant to talk to, and showed me quite a bit of his operation.

Stop 2: Custom Chrome Polish



Next destination.



Based on Street View, the neighborhood looked a bit "iffy"—kind of like a run-down urban residential area, though still with paved roads, drainage, and relatively clean surroundings.

Behind the facade is a huge single-story warehouse, maybe a few hundred feet long.



A Mexican-American lady (that's her hand in the photo) greeted me. I asked to see some of their work. The quality was immediately far better than what I saw at Joe's.



A bumper from a Bel Air. The quality is impressive.



A stainless-steel piece after polishing. They stamp their mark on the back for identification.



Parts ready for shipment. They have dozens of shelves like this.



Front side of the polished stainless trim.



They gave me a brief tour of the shop floor, which ordinarily requires PPE and respirators—lots of acid vats.



A copper-plating tank. Copper and lead solder serve as filler.



A part post-nickel stage, ready for the final chrome dip.



Chrome bath.

Price-wise, they quoted $2,950 for the bumper assembly, $750 for the headlight rings, $950 for the stainless trim, plus $175 for miscellaneous odds and ends—$4,825 total. I left with a good impression.

Stop 3: Atlas Chrome Polish (central Houston)





Not the most glamorous exterior, but that's not always telling.

The owner is an Indian gentleman named Sean Savad. He spent a while examining the bumper and other parts, then brought in an older colleague for a second opinion. They talked about cutting off the internal brackets to straighten the bumper, then welding them back (which is fairly standard). After half an hour of deliberation, he quoted me:

$2,500 for the headlight bezels
$1,700 for the bumper add-ons (Dagmars, etc.)
$3,000–$5,000 for the bumper itself.
They refused to work on my wide stainless trim, calling it "too complicated."
A few photos of their work:



A cast-alloy (POT metal) piece in the prep stage. The white areas are lead filler, the red is copper. There'll be more rounds of filling and sanding.



A stainless trim piece after polishing—pretty good, though my parts are five times wider.



Some miscellaneous bits. Sean and myself in the reflection

Stop 4: Speed & Sport Chrome Plating

They market themselves as "Nation No.1," claiming no one can beat them.



Here's the route and distance. They're in southeast Houston near the freight harbour.



Street View makes the workshop look decent. All seems fine.



Inside, it's stylish—and they definitely carry themselves like they're #1.

I arrived around 1 p.m., but the owner (who handles all estimates) wasn't there yet. He only comes in on Fridays from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. to do quotes. I knew this in advance but showed up early anyway (I left home at 9 a.m.).

I debated leaving, but decided to wait an hour. The question: where and how to wait?

Meanwhile, Another Shop Emerges

I knew of one more place nearby but could never reach them by phone (the line seemed disconnected).



A family-run operation Auto Chrome Plating, located just one block from Speed & Sport Chrome Plating. Off I go.



On Street View, it looks very run-down, like it hasn't seen repairs in decades.

I entered, initially thinking the door was locked—it was just stuck. Dimly lit interior with heavy blinds shut tight (think gangster-movie aesthetic). Facing the door was a large leather couch with an elderly man of 80+ dozing. He perked up as I walked in.

"Are you open?" I asked. "Yes, yes," he replied, "I'll get my son." The "son," about 50 and a younger version of the father, came out to check my parts.

He and his father examined the bumper and the other items, conversing in Spanish. The son asked clarifying questions, then crunched numbers on a notepad:

$1,910 for the bumper and its components
$635 for the pot-metal items (headlight bezels, etc.) I had in my box
$55–$60 per foot for the stainless trim—$960 total for both pieces.
That's $3,505 altogether.



A pot-metal part after plating.

Then we got talking about the local chrome business scene. They explained:

"Our family has run this place since 1971, when we moved here from California. Dad (82 years old) is the best bumper guy around. He used to specialize in straightening bumpers and still does. Many other plating shops bring us their bumpers for straightening—or they go to one of his former apprentices who split off and opened his own place."

It turns out the owner of Custom Chrome Polish (from stop #2) used to work here before starting his own shop. He still comes back for bumper and trim straightening.

Joe (Stop #1) is a unique character. He married the daughter of a plating-shop owner. The father-in-law got older, the business fell into disarray, employees started doing side jobs, taking whatever wasn't nailed down. Eventually Joe sold off all the equipment but kept advertising as though everything's still operational. He subcontracts all the work, so there's no true "show-quality" result (as I suspected). Joe's simply a middleman, shipping in and out across the country.

As for Speed & Sport Chrome Plating, the current owner bought the business in 1989 from the same person who started it with "82-year-old Dad" in 1971. They split at some point, each going their own way. When I asked why their phone number doesn't work, they said it was flooded with spam calls, so they shut it off, never updated it publicly, and now rely on direct, private contact info.

All this clarified a lot for me. These other shops charge such high bumper prices because they can't do metal-straightening themselves—they farm it out, incurring extra costs. Plus, most of them have staff overhead and building leases. This family, however, owns everything, so overhead is minimal.

They further estimated that Speed & Sport Chrome Plating would charge about $6,500 for my parts.

Finally Back to Speed & Sport Chrome

The "right guy" has arrived. The conversation started off in a rather off-putting way:

Me: "I've brought some parts for an estimate."
Owner: "If you're looking for cheap, not here—we're No.1. Read our reviews."
Me: "Fantastic to meet the best in the business. Now let's check out my parts."
"Okay, bring 'em inside."

I suggested maybe he could step outside since the parts are huge and heavy, and my car is literally by the door. He looked at me like I'd asked him to tap-dance on the table. "We're No.1 over the Nation," he says, "and I never go outside to look at parts. We do estimates right here under this lamp."

I nearly left right then, politely. But I took a breath and said, "Look, I understand, but there's a lot of big, heavy stuff, and the car is right here." Muttering, he begrudgingly stepped out for a glance.



He quoted $6,250. The family-run shop had guessed $6,500, so they were off by 4%.

The Day's Conclusion



I ended up driving 135 miles total, all within the Houston loop.



Just in case, here are contacts for those I wouldn't recommend. The bottom number is the owner at Atlas Chrome; the top is "No.1 Over the Nation." The middle is Joe.

That's the story from a meticulous customer—long and maybe tedious in places, but I feel it lays out how things stand.

Stay tuned for more updates.

P.S. Every shop except for the "family" Mexican place quoted turn-around times of 4–6 weeks. Speed & Sport said 4 weeks will be fair estimate; the family-owned shop (Auto Chrome Plating) said 2 weeks, because they do everything in place, no need to subcontract someone else.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Interesting story! It seems that the plater's world is very small...

[kudims]

Underwood DeLuxe Leader 1953 & Owner's Identification Card

The Cadillac dealer would print what they called an Owner's Identification Card for the car's owner and place it in a special pouch in front of the radiator. These cards were made of cardstock, with text typed on a regular typewriter, then covered by a clear plastic overlay for protection.

Naturally, the original card bearing the first owner's name—Roberta Sayer—faded and blurred long ago. I wanted to recreate it. You can still buy blank versions of these cards, but handwriting the info wouldn't look right (laser printing is even worse). So I decided to track down an Underwood typewriter, preferably from before 1953.

Asking around among friends (and friends of friends) didn't turn up anything, so eBay came to the rescue. I found about a dozen machines from 1950–1953, inspected them closely (by photo, of course), and picked the least worn example, which happened to be a 1953 model. Cost me $55 plus $18 shipping. I also bought a new two-color ribbon on Amazon for $3.



The typewriter was coated in years of dust. I blew it off with compressed air, then used isopropyl alcohol to clean the surfaces and de-grease the rollers. With a toothbrush dipped in the same isopropyl, I scrubbed the typebars. A few drops of WD-40 on all the pivot points, and the machine became fully functional again.



Under the "hood."



First lines typed after who knows how many years in barn storage.



I took the original dealer card (from which the info on the Owner's Identification Card was copied) for practice. Interestingly, the digit "1" was typed using the lowercase "l" instead of a capital "I," and there's no exclamation mark. To make one, you type a dot, backspace, then type a single quote.



All set. Time to install it.



Pulling out the placeholder.



Now the card takes its rightful place. Historical accuracy restored.



Signing "for Roberta" on the side seemed unnecessary.

P.S. If someone wants to have the correct typing of the O.I.C - don't hesitate to reach me. I will be happy to help

[kudims]

Power steering pressure hoses

Why do power steering hoses need this intermediate connector? From a straightforward standpoint, it seems simpler and more reliable to have a single hose with as few fittings as possible. However, that connector houses flow restrictors, which help reduce cavitation in both the high-pressure and low-pressure lines—keeping operating noise to a minimum. If you try using hoses without these inserts, you'll quickly understand what I mean.



This is the high pressure hose for 1952-53 models



And here is the flow restrictor



Steering gear fitting



You will definitely want to put this steel part in the rubber sleeve



Intermediate connector from the old hose

[kudims]

I hope that in ~2 weeks I will come back with new posts regarding chrome plating. Meanwhile, here is a photo from one of the 5 car shows that we have participated in 2024.

Sugar Land Town Square - we were put in the center of the center



Also, if someone needs it - send me a message. These are the paint codes of all US cars





On the left - factory code, on the right - PPG code

[kudims]

Partial re-chroming

February flew by in a blur of home projects, but the new car show season is just around the corner. The first event I'd planned to attend is next Saturday, March 22—and the car is still in pieces. That's not good.

By way of reminder, in my last post I toured various shops specializing in re-chroming and restoration work.

In early February, I brought the first batch of parts to my Auto-Chrome Plating "dream team," then followed up with another batch soon after. Meanwhile, I turned my attention to the car. After all, you can't simply reattach everything fresh from plating without a bit of prep.



I hardly needed some welding. As I left my 220-volt Mig welder in Russia, I shopped for the new one tuned for 120V of input



The device came with 2 options - stick welder and Mig welder. Also, you can purchase for additional $60 a Tig welder



Now I am fully satisfied with this guy







This is how it works with the zinc-coated steel. You know that it's usually a pain to weld zinc-coated surface, as it boils



Then I started straightnening the rear slash shield, which was bended after accident on Jan 27, 1967



First, I removed all filler and paint





I have fixed it as much as it was possible, and filled some deep dents with the solder



Ready for filler



Back side



Rocker molding hangers were sandblasted, though one was deeply corroded for unknown reason. The rocker panel is in excellent shape



The process





Side hangers of the rear bumper were welded and gringed



These guys were also grinded and ready for primer and paint





Primed





I used stainless screws instead of original bare steel





Interesting detail: Rear fenders were painted without any primer! But it's still in good shape





All cleaned



I have purchased 300ml of original black paint, which has an excellent fit (checked with spectrometer)
I used an airbrush to touch up the worn paint on the rocker panel's edge.



And... here is my Dream Team



Almost everything that was rechromed. Plus two 5-inch wide and 6 ft long rocker modlings are still being processed.



You can use it for shaving as a mirror, if you want



You can scroll the posts to see how bad this corner was





I purchased this speedometer bezel on ebay for 15 with all the trim around))) And rechromed it



Dagmar





Bullet





Headlight bezels



With all trim around.

Stay tuned. More posts are coming

[kudims]

I was tempted to install all of this on the car last Friday, but the call of an evening bonfire and whiskey prevailed.

Let's begin with some prep work:



License plate light was partly sandblasted and painted silver inside (as from the factory) and black hammered-finish on the outside. Nearby are a new lens gasket (to replace the old one) and a new fabric wire sleeve.



The wire itself was in good shape, so I left it as is. I did, however, replace the rubber sealing ring and the rubber tube through which the wire is tightly threaded. Found the exact dimensions on Amazon. Its outer protective shell is fabric, just like the original. The wire ends are wrapped in cloth tape, indicating it came from Guide (the lighting supplier). Previously, I noted that GM typically used vinyl tape for its wiring, while Guide used cloth tape, so the car peacefully combines both cloth and plastic.



You can see why I kept the original wire: the contact is spot-welded, not soldered—something I can't easily replicate.



The assembly is ready for installation. Here's the freshly re-chromed license plate frame.



Next, the inside of the driver's door trim. Now installed. I'll eventually do a separate "before/after" post so you won't have to dig through the log for pictures. Let's just say it looks amazing.





The door trim for other doors was also reinstalled.
The Art Deco style, or at least its echoes, is in full display.



Moving on: the antenna nut. Someone previously removed it with pliers, leaving deep marks. All fixed now with fresh chrome.



I also sent the ignition lock nut for re-chroming; it came back in perfect shape.

Rear apron (the bumper splash shield) I started straightening and prepping for paint in the last post. Now it's finally painted:



Base coat is Sherwin-Williams. The clear coat is also theirs. Base is nitro, clear is 2K (4:1).





Painted the underside first, then flipped it to do the front.



With the garage door slightly open and a strong extractor fan, there's no overspray or haze. Clear coat is already on.



By the next morning, the clear coat is solid enough to wet-sand. I knock down any texture with 1000-, then 1500-, then 2000-grit paper.



Then I use my Interskol polisher (came with me from Siberia!) with 3M compounds #074, #075, and #077 to polish the clear.



It turned out really well. Bear in mind, from the factory this piece was just sprayed with nitro paint, no primer, and certainly never polished—unlike the main body.





Installed it, and the color matches perfectly.



The backside is also done.



I used self-tapping screws and star washers—done by the book.

And now the bumper, since I know that's what everyone's waiting for!



The bumper was thoroughly cleaned on the inside with abrasive wheels and painted with hammered-finish rust-preventive enamel. The outside chrome was taped off. The same process for the bumper guards ("dagmars").



Hard-to-reach areas got a coat from a 1-inch brush, flat surfaces from a 2-inch roller—two coats total, with a couple hours' dry time in between.





Some areas needed a Dremel with sanding attachments to remove rust.



Also got hammered-finish enamel.

After it all dried, it was time for assembly:





Installed the exhaust deflectors, then the bumper guards.





The bumper keeps getting heavier, but conveniently, I use stools/poufs—they handle the load fine.



Added the brackets. All the bumper-to-bracket bolts are 1/2-inch fine-thread; bracket-to-frame bolts are 9/16 fine-thread, meaning some serious torque there.







Fitted the side extensions. I replaced the cracked original rubber flaps ("splashers") with new rubber.



Called my son to help slide this assembly onto the car. We set the height. The bumper rests on additional brackets at the front edges, so it won't fall.



Spent a while chasing ground for the license plate light. Turned out paint had coated the threads. A quick go with taps and dies fixed that, and the light now works.



From the inside: The jack, per the manual, goes under the bumper near the buffer.



Everything is "feng shui," aside from the well-worn exhaust deflector. I've mentioned my reluctance to pay $1,000 for two stamped steel pieces (non-stainless!).





I shine a flashlight inside—the exhaust pipe is free and clear.



Finally, the last pic shows the reflection. I know you might be thinking, "Where's the overall shot?" Hang tight. Let me wash the car, get it outside, and take pictures in all its glory. Plus, I'll show how the fog lamp and headlamp bezels sparkle now!

[59-in-pieces]

Dmitry,

This has been a great series of how you have done this and that along with the up-close photos, priceless.

The exhaust deflectors that you sourced and installed were painted DREEN.
Where did you get them and why are they green or some other color less conspicuous - in your face, look at me.

Great job and series.

Have fun,
Steve B.