1953 Cadillac 60-Special "The Muskogean Phoenix"

[Cadman-iac]

  Thanks for the link for the water valve seal, that will come in handy.
How many times do you think you can rebuild one of these before the ears break off of the pipe part of it?
When I did my first one I mistakenly put the mounting plate on it backwards so it sticks out from the firewall instead of being recessed into it. The offset on the bracket is not much, but to the trained eye it'll probably be obvious.
I thought about taking it apart and flipping the bracket, but I was afraid I'd break off one or more of the little retainer ears since it's just copper to start with.

I appreciate your sharing your method of charging the tube too. Very cool idea.
I took a bolt and drilled it out with the smallest bit I've got to see if I could, then cut the head off since the bit quit cutting about halfway through the bolt.
You show your bolt sitting in a die, is that what you held it with when you drilled it? Or was there another reason?

When I first read your reply I thought I've got a bolt that's already drilled. I dug out my collection of brake line bolts, (banjo bolts) and found the one with the smallest hole in it, but unfortunately that was too big.

I also wanted to ask you, what kind of tubing cutter did you use to cut the capillary tube? My smallest cutter was too big, wouldn't even leave a mark on the tube.

Very nice post on your compressor rebuild too. That's an interesting design for the clutch. It looks like the whole thing is internal, just like actuation stub sticks through the pulley part.
I've always been amazed at how things are designed, and I like to see how they change through the years.
Thanks for sharing your experience here.

Rick


These are the two valves I rebuilt. I forgot that the second one did have both tubes on it and worked. The problem with it is as you can see the pipe size is bigger than the other one. I don't remember why it's bigger either, been too long since I did it.



My smallest cutter, the extra tubing I have and the bbake bolt. Not compatible.

[kudims]

Thanks for the link for the water valve seal, that will come in handy.
How many times do you think you can

Mine ear was broken after 4-th disassemble. But you can either solder a new one or use other method to fix it.

Die was shown only to confirm the thread size and fine/coarse.

For original tube which is thin, I used just wire cutter. The tube should have very small inner diameter. 1mm at maximum, but I think it's even less

[kudims]

Let's call it this: brakes with a secret

A quick reminder: 1953 was the last year Cadillac didn't install power brake boosters at the factory. Hydrovac boosters were added by dealers, and starting in 1954, all Cadillacs rolled off the Detroit assembly line with Bendix hydrovac units.

Over the span of 70 years and 35,000 honestly-driven miles (the brake shoes are still factory originals), neither Roberta nor Bill ever thought about installing a brake booster. But times have changed. Once, going downhill in Colorado with a speed 60+, a huge truck pulled out of a parking area in front of us. I had to stand on the brake pedal so hard it felt like my ears were steaming, yet the heavy Cadillac was still stopping rather leisurely... Luckily, there was a concrete shoulder to veer onto, or the situation could have gone out of control.

So, once we got all systems working again after their long dormancy and the handiwork of some less-than-skilled mechanics, upgrading the brakes became a priority.

The goal was to keep it looking as close to original as possible, while adding a brake booster that wouldn't cost us points at any show or competition.

A universal 7-inch-diaphragm brake booster was purchased, featuring a long pushrod travel (well-suited for drum brakes). It can provide up to 60 bar of boost, which is way more than enough.





Initially, I thought to mount it in the left fender recess where the antenna is. The first test fit was okay but too low. In rainy conditions, water might get into the booster's air filter.



A more suitable spot was found between the hood spring and the antenna, below the windshield-washer fluid jar. It's attached to the splash shield (rearward) plus two struts running to the frame and the lower edge of the splash shield.



Flaring tool set for brake lines



New lines and fittings



First line—running from the master cylinder to the booster



The old line (the one sticking out on top) will be replaced.



Wire mock-up for the second line, which goes from the booster to the distribution manifold



Finished steel (zinc-coated) line with new nuts



I'll tap vacuum for the booster from the main vacuum manifold that feeds the wipers, the radio antenna, and the washer. A tee fitting adapts 1/4-inch to 5/16-inch.



Here's how the booster looks from above, if you peer inside the fender with removed windshield washer jar.



The new line follows the same route as the original one.



Nothing rubs, and there's space for the special hood-spring removal lever (just in case).



New line at the master cylinder



Lines routing down to the frame



In my opinion, it turned out really well.



With the washer fluid jar in place, it's nearly impossible to see the brake booster.



This is how the vacuum tee looks—hidden behind the right cylinder head, under the battery tray.

I bled the brakes with my son, then took the car out for a test drive. Let me just say — I really would need ABS now. :-)
At a light pedal press, the car stops dead in its tracks, and if I really push the pedal at 5 mph or faster, all four wheels lock up.

Regardless of what people say, drum brakes with a proper booster can be extremely effective. Their main downside compared to disc brakes is a more complex design, with more components, greater mass and inertia, plus the need for either precise manual adjustment (0.4mm between the shoe and a drum) or a fairly intricate auto-adjusting mechanism for the clearance between the shoes and the drums.

[PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192]

Let's call it this: brakes with a secret

A quick reminder: 1953 was the last year Cadillac didn't install power brake boosters at the factory. Hydrovac boosters were added by dealers, and starting in 1954, all Cadillacs rolled off the Detroit assembly line with Bendix hydrovac units.

Over the span of 70 years and 35,000 honestly-driven miles (the brake shoes are still factory originals), neither Roberta nor Bill ever thought about installing a brake booster. But times have changed. Once, going downhill in Colorado with a speed 60+, a huge truck pulled out of a parking area in front of us. I had to stand on the brake pedal so hard it felt like my ears were steaming, yet the heavy Cadillac was still stopping rather leisurely... Luckily, there was a concrete shoulder to veer onto, or the situation could have gone out of control.

So, once we got all systems working again after their long dormancy and the handiwork of some less-than-skilled mechanics, upgrading the brakes became a priority.

The goal was to keep it looking as close to original as possible, while adding a brake booster that wouldn't cost us points at any show or competition.

A universal 7-inch-diaphragm brake booster was purchased, featuring a long pushrod travel (well-suited for drum brakes). It can provide up to 60 bar of boost, which is way more than enough.





Initially, I thought to mount it in the left fender recess where the antenna is. The first test fit was okay but too low. In rainy conditions, water might get into the booster's air filter.



A more suitable spot was found between the hood spring and the antenna, below the windshield-washer fluid jar. It's attached to the splash shield (rearward) plus two struts running to the frame and the lower edge of the splash shield.



Flaring tool set for brake lines



New lines and fittings



First line—running from the master cylinder to the booster



The old line (the one sticking out on top) will be replaced.



Wire mock-up for the second line, which goes from the booster to the distribution manifold



Finished steel (zinc-coated) line with new nuts



I'll tap vacuum for the booster from the main vacuum manifold that feeds the wipers, the radio antenna, and the washer. A tee fitting adapts 1/4-inch to 5/16-inch.



Here's how the booster looks from above, if you peer inside the fender with removed windshield washer jar.



The new line follows the same route as the original one.



Nothing rubs, and there's space for the special hood-spring removal lever (just in case).



New line at the master cylinder



Lines routing down to the frame



In my opinion, it turned out really well.



With the washer fluid jar in place, it's nearly impossible to see the brake booster.



This is how the vacuum tee looks—hidden behind the right cylinder head, under the battery tray.

I bled the brakes with my son, then took the car out for a test drive. Let me just say — I really would need ABS now. :-)
At a light pedal press, the car stops dead in its tracks, and if I really push the pedal at 5 mph or faster, all four wheels lock up.

Regardless of what people say, drum brakes with a proper booster can be extremely effective. Their main downside compared to disc brakes is a more complex design, with more components, greater mass and inertia, plus the need for either precise manual adjustment (0.4mm between the shoe and a drum) or a fairly intricate auto-adjusting mechanism for the clearance between the shoes and the drums.

Agreed re drum brakes.

[Cadman-iac]

  Nice job, looks great and sounds like it works just as well as it looks.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Nice booster's addition! I'm surprised that you are using millimeters and not inches (which is an archaic system)!

[James Landi]

"Regardless of what people say, drum brakes with a proper booster can be extremely effective. Their main downside compared to disc brakes is a more complex design, with more components, greater mass and inertia, plus the need for either precise manual adjustment (0.4mm between the shoe and a drum) or a fairly intricate auto-adjusting mechanism for the clearance between the shoes and the drums."

You validated my suspicions. I owned perhaps a dozen fully depreciated 50's and 60's Cadillacs with drum brakes up through the mid 1980's, and I'm now convinced that brake replacement parts on my old cars were likely not well installed and bleeding was likely not properly performed.  FOr example, my '67 Eldorado had drums, and had weak brakes, even though parts were replaced several times over my 12 years of ownership. 

[kudims]

Nice booster's addition! I'm surprised that you are using millimeters and not inches (which is an archaic system)!

I use both (have to), but as I am from Russia originally, then mm for at least small sizes are more exact and convenient than inches. Like 0.4mm for brakes is better than the same dimension in inches

[kudims]

Deep Polishing

It all started, as it often does, with something small and insignificant: there was a shallow scratch on the roof that I wanted to polish out. That scratch led to polishing the entire roof, and from there, well... the rest of the car followed.

Here's what I used for polishing:

3M sandpaper, 1500- and 2000-grit
A set of 3M compounds (4 types, from coarse to wax)
Separate polishing pads for each compound
Separate cloths for each compound
A polisher with a feature that maintains RPM regardless of load



The compounds



Cloths and polishing pads



The polisher

For a proper polishing job, you really need to remove all the trim, which can reveal various surprises (though I got lucky this time and avoided any).



Removed hood emblems. The crest will be replaced (around $800), and the "bird" emblem, now faded, will be re-plated in gold.





Hood and fender are done



Removing the trunk's A/C intake scoops from inside. They were stuck pretty well—old rubber bonding everything together. I scuffed the surface that was never really polished at the factory.



Couldn't fully remove the rubber marks, but hopefully the new seal will cover it.



Polished and reassembled intake



New rubber seals, good quality



All the moldings came off without a hitch. The hardened, factory-painted clips (red primer) were in perfect shape, and there was no dirt under the trim.



After washing



Reinstalled in place. Stainless hardware on the lower sections



Same process on the other side



Removed all badges and the lock from the trunk. The lock's rubber seal had disintegrated—time to replace it too.



Trunk finished

Now I'm moving on to the sides. The door handles come off from the end (I'll show how below), and the moldings are mounted via studs... so the doors must be partially disassembled.



Mounting for the vertical trim on the rear door. The old, dried-out rubber gaskets were replaced with butyl sealant.



Interior condition of the door



Here and the next one



On the left side, I added a small access cover similar to the right side's setup. It had been overlooked previously, especially after some repainting on that door.



Soundproofing pads



Door hardware



To remove the door handle, you slide the retaining clip from the door's edge. Then you tap it back in when you reassemble.



Right rear fender after my work



Right door in progress. Under the vertical "gills" (lower portion of the door), some paint had flaked off down to the red primer. I left it for now, just brushing on some wax-based preservative.



After polishing



Condition inside the molding before reinstallation. Sealed against moisture and wind with butyl.



Door reassembled



A couple more shots



Cleaning up the vertical rear-door molding



Reassembled, ready for installation



The bulging section of the rear door has been repainted. The paint line is along the molding and recess. It was done without disassembly—typical for local shortcuts.



Reassembling the rear fender skirt after polishing



With moldings installed



When removing the A/C intake scoops, the rubber bellows crumbled. I ordered new ones, 3 inches in diameter.



New bellows and a new drain tube secured with butyl sealant ("sticky stuff"). Specifically, the rubber tube isn't just any tube; it has a little "mushroom" on one end (factory design), which I stuck in place from inside the duct. Silicone or glue won't hold it, so butyl was the best solution. Replacing these bellows required fully removing the fans—quite a job.



Trunk nearly reassembled and vacuumed. The lower mat is being washed.



Freshly washed mat... well, sort of. I soaked it in a cleaning solution on the concrete floor and started scrubbing with a brush. The old material began to disintegrate, so I just rinsed off the detergent with a shower hose and hung it over a fence to drip-dry, no wringing. This is temporary, because eventually I'll replace it with original-spec material, matching both texture and color.



Rolled the car out to check for any leaks in the air-intake drains.



The test is simple: direct a water hose into the intake scoops. The water should drain out through the tubes above the rear axle (one on each side), leaving the trunk dry. Test passed!

[kudims]

And here are some pictures of the car after it was polished

[cadman59]

You did a great job, with an eye for every detail. Black is a grateful color to polish. Hats off!

[James Landi]

Superb restoration... and with AC!!!! Absolute perfection.

[Cadman-iac]

  Beautiful car!! If I didn't know better, I'd say it was new.
 Great job on your restoration work, it's paid off, you can sit back now and enjoy it, (preferably in the driver's seat)!!

 Thanks for sharing your experience here.

 Rick

[Cadman-iac]

  Interesting history on the car and former family. I'm amazed that you can get all this information.
 Well documented vehicle, which will help in a future sale.

 Rick

[James Landi]

Generally the case that inheritors of family cars, homes,and contents want nothing to do with dying or dead relatives' possessions.  They simply want to "cash out" as expeditiously as possible. Grandma and grandpa's well maintained Cadillac is now subject for quick cash sale.  The 3 cars we own are such examples--- pennies on the dollar, low mileage, well maintained, comfortable, reliable, and suiting our purposes just fine.

[kudims]

After the list of main issues was fixed (here is a short reminder):

1. The power steering barely provided any assistance—practically none at all.
2. The automatic high beam-to-low beam switch (Autronic eye) wasn't functioning.
3. The Carter carburetor needed an overhaul and adjustment. The idle speed compensator for the air conditioner wasn't working, nor was the cold-start system. And there were other minor issues.
4. The air conditioning system was barely cooling.
5. All the seals in the automatic climate control system's air ducts had dried out and crumbled, causing hot air to blow onto the legroom.
6. The heater thermostat wasn't working.
7. The windshield wipers operated weakly and ineffectively.
8. The windshield washer wasn't working.
9. The clock wasn't functional.
10. The trip odometer didn't work.
11. The fuel pump wasn't performing properly, with frequent vapor lock issues.
12. The vacuum pump, integrated into the fuel pump, was also not functioning.
13. Braking was nearly impossible without the vacuum booster.
14. The hydraulic cylinder for the left rear door window was leaking, leaving the window stuck in the down position.
15. On the last stretch of the 2,200-mile journey home, the right brake cylinder began leaking.
16. Various electrical problems, including frayed wiring in some areas.
17. The driveshaft universal joints required replacement; the grease had dried out over 70 years, causing wear that became noticeable near home.
18. The starter only engaged on the third attempt, due to an issue with the solenoid.
19. Vacuum spark advance was not working
20. Vacuum antenna was not working
21. A/C compressor was making a knocking sound during operation

I decided to start more deep dive.

Universal joints on the propeller shaft had to be replaced, and as I pull out the shaft, the rear hydramatic seal also had to be replaced.



Propeller shaft sanded to bare metal



And coated with satin black using the roller. No spray paints for these types of job, as the layer will be too thin.



Rear seal in the process of pulling out



Neither of these were helpful



But this helped with the 146% of success



Pry bar that was used to pull the seal



Original guy from 1953



New guy from 2024



Reference #



Installation was also a challenge



Used this type of hardware to push the seal back



... and this fork from the bearing separator tool



This is how it goes into transmission



Delivered...



Now removing universal joints





Front spline yoke



Surface is perfect



New joints



This is front



Rear



Pressing in...





Front is ready



Rear



Old joints



Failure reason is obvious: the grease has dried inside during 70 years, and the joint died



But even with these issues there was no any type of vibrations, etc.



Installed and tested. No vibrations, no leaks from rear end of transmission



In next episode we will work with brakes, rear axle, and front suspension

[kudims]

Generally the case that inheritors of family cars, homes,and contents want nothing to do with dying or dead relatives' possessions.  They simply want to "cash out" as expeditiously as possible. Grandma and grandpa's well maintained Cadillac is now subject for quick cash sale.  The 3 cars we own are such examples--- pennies on the dollar, low mileage, well maintained, comfortable, reliable, and suiting our purposes just fine.

Agree. And btw this is the reason why I managed to buy this car at ~3 times less price than the car with such story, milage, options, and condition would be sold at Mecum.

[Tom Boehm]

I wonder why the sale price of the original owners home fluctuated up and down so much over the years? I would expect a gradual increase due to inflation even in a lesser neighborhood.

This turned out to be a great thread. Good presentation of the mechanical restoration and the story of the original owner.

[kudims]

I wonder why the sale price of the original owners home fluctuated up and down so much over the years? I would expect a gradual increase due to inflation even in a lesser neighborhood.

This turned out to be a great thread. Good presentation of the mechanical restoration and the story of the original owner.

The house built in 1912 needed maintenance and remodeling, even in 1990, when it was first sold after Roberta passed.
This was not done. And the city of Muskogee was decaying, not letting even middle class people to buy houses there.

As an outcome, the house was purchased by those, who was not carrying about the structure, etc.

The porch with columns was removed ~10 years ago not for the sake of a beauty, but because it was completely rot.

I think the only reason why the house is still in place is that it's not a frame construction, but a pure brick walls.

May be this explanation helps.
Thank you for the engagement and comments.

[kudims]

Brakes, Brake Plates, and Rear Axle Seals

Brakes certainly been serviced before I got the car—maybe 30 years ago—because the hoses don't appear to be from 1953. But the shoes, wheel cylinders, hold-down pins, and springs definitely date back to '53.

I started with the left rear wheel. After flushing out and drying the wheel cylinder, it was clear it belonged straight in the scrap pile.


Wheel cylinder with corrosion


Further inspection revealed that the axle seals also need replacing. So I'm tearing it all down to the housing.


Delco Moraine stamped on the shoe


Front brake components removed and cleaned


Used a slide hammer to pull the axle shaft out


Removing the old seal using the same method as above


A handy puller with a tapered expander


Picked up a special tool to adjust the shoes more easily than using a regular pry bar or a screw driver


And this multi-tool for disassembling and reassembling the brake hardware


Hook for the smaller spring


It works a bit like pliers, but you all know about it without my explanation :-)


"Spring installer" for the bigger springs


It works like this—very convenient and safe, considering how strong these springs are


And finally, a remover for the larger springs


You rotate it to release. I never realized drum brake service could be made this straightforward.


The backing plates go to the sandblasting and a matte black powder coating.


The same - sandblasting + powder coating



Meanwhile, I will make new brake lines



Professional flaring tool



Steel lines, copper-coated inside and zinc-plated outside. I use a Ridgid tube bender for shaping.



Ready for installation



Brand-new wheel cylinders



New brake hardware



And here are the freshly coated parts



I didn't released those pins in order not to screw-up the brake shoes alignment within the drums





More metal goodies—coming up in future updates



Getting ready for reassembly. New gasket between the backing plate and the axle housing



New axle seal





Putting the hardware back together



Adjusting the shoe-to-drum clearance. The spec is about 0.4 mm. I'll explain the method in another post.



This is a "floating shoe" setup, so both shoes have a self-tightening effect whether moving forward or backward. That's the main difference compared to the Ford design with a fixed lower pivot. Overall, floating shoes contact the drum more evenly, resulting in more effective braking and more uniform wear.



New lines



Front wheel cylinders and new hoses



Assembled front mechanism, which follows the rear design except it has a bigger cylinder bore and no parking brake linkage



Another view



Final look



Wrapping up with an overhaul of the master cylinder. Its bore is flawless, so a rebuild kit sufficed. Why not buy new? They're no longer manufactured. You could find NOS for around $150, but you'd still want to rebuild it (old rubber is suspect), and depending on how it was stored, you might find pitting or cratering in the bore.



Reassembled, ready to go back in.