1950s 1950 Cadillac Coupe Deville questions

[Cadillac Jack 82]

Okay, so if all goes well "Doris" should be here sometime next week or maybe by next weekend.  I do have a few technical questions.  They are:

1. No oil filter canister- From my research it appears that 1950 didn't have these?  If so why?

2. Hydro-electric system- What maintenance items should I address immediately?  Car works as it should but my friend mentioned that when he tried to roll the windows up, they were slow.

3. Any other generalized items that I should look out for that's 50 specific?

Thanks!

[tluke]

1. There is definitely an oil filter. It's located  in a "tower" cannister that sits on the top of the engine, i.e. between the front of the driver's side valve cover and the radiator. You screw the lid off and replace the filter inside. Power steering became available in 1951 but some '50s were retrofitted. The power steering unit and belt needed to be in that location so the filter canister was moved to another location (back over the valve cover, on the passenger side over the generator, or somewhere in between).

2. My '55 has electric windows so I can't troubleshoot the hydro-lectric system so much, but taking off the door panel, cleaning and lubricating the rollers in the track and moving parts of the regulator (scissors) made my windows go up much faster. Sometimes the channels need to be adjusted/aligned to prevent binding. If the problem is in the hydro-lectric pump on the firewall, that's a much trickier and complicated matter.

[Joe Jensen]

I believe an oil filter was a dealer installed option in 1950. 

From what I understand the windows are powered up hydraulically but lowering is simply a valve releasing allowing fluid back to tank (not powered) and there is a spring to assist in retracting the cylinder.  I have not owned or used a hydro-electric system.  Hopefully, someone who does have one will assist with some advice.

Congratulations on your 1950 Cadillac, thank you for sharing a picture.

Good luck,
Joe

[Warren Rauch #4286]

  from Serviceman Feb 1954. Page 6
     One of the changes was that all 1954 Cadillacs had a factory oil filter. It should be changed every 6000 miles under normal driving.

  There were kits for the older cars in the parts book group 8.2952. In the 1952 master parts book it says that on 1949-51 engines it should be installed on right side of engine.

  Filters were clearly not something that was thought very important in days gone bye. For my 1931 they were standard,but only changed at 12,000 miles. Or when plugged so bad that oil didn't flow through them.
 
For 1938 oil filters were no longer standard equipment (Serviceman Oct 1937 page 38).

By June 1938 ,the Serviceman ran a column on how to install them for customers that asked.Some comments in the column may explain why they dropped them. Be sure the by passing oil is enough for the engine. Don't hook into one of the oil galleys it could make the valve lifters noisy (This was how the 1937 filter was set up).

Warren

[Cadillac Jack 82]

from Serviceman Feb 1954. Page 6
     One of the changes was that all 1954 Cadillacs had a factory oil filter. It should be changed every 6000 miles under normal driving.

  There were kits for the older cars in the parts book group 8.2952. In the 1952 master parts book it says that on 1949-51 engines it should be installed on right side of engine.

  Filters were clearly not something that was thought very important in days gone bye. For my 1931 they were standard,but only changed at 12,000 miles. Or when plugged so bad that oil didn't flow through them.
 
For 1938 oil filters were no longer standard equipment (Serviceman Oct 1937 page 38).

By June 1938 ,the Serviceman ran a column on how to install them for customers that asked.Some comments in the column may explain why they dropped them. Be sure the by passing oil is enough for the engine. Don't hook into one of the oil galleys it could make the valve lifters noisy (This was how the 1937 filter was set up).

Warren

Interesting, good to know.  It appears this one is very very original then.  The seller states 47k miles and it looks every bit to be right.

[Cadillac Jack 82]

Also pardon my ignorance here but what does an AACA Senior Award mean for a vehicle?  That its unrestored and all original?

[dn010]

At one point in time, someone removed the oil filter on the engine in my 57. The filter and lines were gone and there were pipe plugs in the block where the lines should be. I bought a used filter housing on ebay and installed it after engine was rebuilt. The filters are not like those on cars today where it is direct, these old filters are bypass type not filtering all the oil. Not only that, if you're missing the metal spacer that goes in the canister to raise the filter up, nothing is really getting filtered at all.

[Cadillac Jack 82]

I'd like to try and make sure if this was either 1. factory or 2. an option.  Based on additional data this car is close to being 400 points based on the AACA scale.  My other concern is oil flow.

[35-709]

Also pardon my ignorance here but what does an AACA Senior Award mean for a vehicle?  That its unrestored and all original?

Not an expert, but Restored/all original, could be either one.  There is also a Preservation Class for unrestored vehicles.  Suggest consulting the AACA website.

AACA awards - from the AACA forums ---

 "When you enter your first AACA National Meet, your vehicle would be in the running for a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Junior.  If you win a 1st Junior, your vehicle would then try for the Senior Award at the next AACA National Meet you attend.  If however, it earned a 2nd or 3rd Junior, it would have to try again for the 1st Junior.  Once it wins the 1st Junior, it competes for the Senior Award.  When it wins a Senior Award, it then qualifies for the Grand National.  At the first Grand National you attend, your vehicle can win a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Grand National.  When it wins the 1st Grand National Award, it would then be in the running for the Senior Grand National Award at the next Grand National you attend."

[Cadillac Jack 82]

Thank you.  Seems like she's well sorted then.  Should arrive this upcoming Monday or Tuesday from Maryland.

[Warren Rauch #4286]

      I did a little more digging.An oil filter was an option in 1950.
From 1950 Cadillac owners manual page 24.

Oil Filter

"If an oil filter has been installed in your car as an
accessory it is recommended that the oil filter
element be replaced every 6,000 miles."

The filter is also NOT on the lube diagram in the Shop manual.

Marketing was pushing filters that year. AC had a national advertising campaign the fall of 1949. In a letter dated Oct 13,1949 to its dealers Cadillac was helping too. They sent a poster with the letter urging it be displayed. Any one have a copy of the "Dirt Proof Your Engine Oil " poster?

Warren

[Cadillac Jack 82]

I did a little more digging.An oil filter was an option in 1950.
From 1950 Cadillac owners manual page 24.

Oil Filter

"If an oil filter has been installed in your car as an
accessory it is recommended that the oil filter
element be replaced every 6,000 miles."

The filter is also NOT on the lube diagram in the Shop manual.

Marketing was pushing filters that year. AC had a national advertising campaign the fall of 1949. In a letter dated Oct 13,1949 to its dealers Cadillac was helping too. They sent a poster with the letter urging it be displayed. Any one have a copy of the "Dirt Proof Your Engine Oil " poster?

Warren

Good to know shes very stock then.  She arrives Monday.  Seller also is putting me in touch with the son of the original owner for more history.  Nerding out right now.

[Lexi]

Nerding out right now.

LOL! I can relate to that. Clay/Lexi

[Cadillac Jack 82]

Confirming they only made 4500 CDVs for 50?  Why so low?  Korea?

[jwwseville60]

On a side note, does anyone know how effective those early canister filters were? In my local group, the consensus is that the oil should be changed every 2000 miles (or once per year regardless) and the 1949-1958 filters were more of a "peace of mind" effort by GM. Or at worst, a semi-useless gimmick.

BTW, that yellow CDV is to die for!
If it goes missing one late night, you now know who took it for a spin.

Here is an AACA comment:

By Pass filters are effective but full flow filters are more effective. The change over to full flow oil filters I believe coincided with advances in oil technology and the addition of detergents and modifiers. I've modified my 1929 Chrysler to a full flow oil filter and I use Castrol GTX oil. Now I know some of you have just rolled over in your grave, but the car has been on the road (the second time)for thirty years with no measurable wear in the engine.
Back in the late 1970s during my uni days I did some testing on the bypass filter and found that after 60 minutes of running time less than 50% of the oil had passed through the filter. That's why I changed over. Plus zero detergent oils were getting harder to obtain and more expensive. But that aside an engine doing 2000rpm goes through 60 000 revolutions in 30 minutes and that's a lot of chances for that little piece of contaminant to do some damage or get caught in the wrong place.
The other interesting point that gets brought up is "How do you know if oil is actually going through the by pass filter?"
The answer " You don't"
You could potentially drive your car for years with a blocked filter and have absolutely no idea.

[Warren Rauch #4286]

  In Hendrys' The Complete Cadillac History ,the appendix compiled by William Tite it does say 4507 for the 1950 Coupe De Ville.Read a little further and some reported numbers are production and some Sales. calendar year and model year vary a lot.Just when in the model year they were made, could mean most were made in 1949 and it took till June to make some more.  Chevrolet built very few 6Cyl 1955 Corvettes,because they over made 1954's.
  The 1950 Coupe de Ville was just a better trimmed out 61 Coupe.If we assume numbers are model year production, see  below.

      1949 Cadillac 61 Coupe              6409
                    62 Coupe              7515
                    62 Coupe de Ville    2150
                                total    16074

      1950 Cadillac 61 Coupe            11,839
                    62 Coupe            6,434  without/ with Power windows
                    62 Coupe de Ville    4,507 Power Windows STD.
                              total    22780

      1951 Cadillac  61 coupe            2400
                    62 coupe            10132
                    62 Coupe de Ville  10241
                              total    22773

Production of coupes comparing 1949 is unfair,since most were old style.But,only using the hardtop (de Ville) is wrong too. The numbers look good. The deVille was gaining popularity. I wish I could answer the question. Just provide evidence,it likely is true.

Warren

[Cadillac Jack 82]

Well she'll be here Monday.  Heres the data plate.  Looks as if shes a Dec 49 production?

[Cadillac Jack 82]

On a side note, does anyone know how effective those early canister filters were? In my local group, the consensus is that the oil should be changed every 2000 miles (or once per year regardless) and the 1949-1958 filters were more of a "peace of mind" effort by GM. Or at worst, a semi-useless gimmick.

BTW, that yellow CDV is to die for!
If it goes missing one late night, you now know who took it for a spin.

Here is an AACA comment:

By Pass filters are effective but full flow filters are more effective. The change over to full flow oil filters I believe coincided with advances in oil technology and the addition of detergents and modifiers. I've modified my 1929 Chrysler to a full flow oil filter and I use Castrol GTX oil. Now I know some of you have just rolled over in your grave, but the car has been on the road (the second time)for thirty years with no measurable wear in the engine.
Back in the late 1970s during my uni days I did some testing on the bypass filter and found that after 60 minutes of running time less than 50% of the oil had passed through the filter. That's why I changed over. Plus zero detergent oils were getting harder to obtain and more expensive. But that aside an engine doing 2000rpm goes through 60 000 revolutions in 30 minutes and that's a lot of chances for that little piece of contaminant to do some damage or get caught in the wrong place.
The other interesting point that gets brought up is "How do you know if oil is actually going through the by pass filter?"
The answer " You don't"
You could potentially drive your car for years with a blocked filter and have absolutely no idea.

My 48 Buick has a hidden Fram filter dressed up as the original canister.  Sorta like that mod.

[59-in-pieces]

Jack,

That is a fine example of a classic Cad in what appears to be in a great starting condition for your restoration, or tooling around the town.

For those who have or are thinking of using or adding a filter canister, I thought I would post some pics that might be helpful.
The pics are from a 1959 set-up, but are similar to other earlier models, in function and design.

Have fun,
Steve B.

PS
I have seen oil filter canisters on 1953's with a roll of toilet paper used as a filter in lieu of an element.

[Cadillac Jack 82]

Jack,

That is a fine example of a classic Cad in what appears to be in a great starting condition for your restoration, or tooling around the town.

For those who have or are thinking of using or adding a filter canister, I thought I would post some pics that might be helpful.
The pics are from a 1959 set-up, but are similar to other earlier models, in function and design.

Have fun,
Steve B.

PS
I have seen oil filter canisters on 1953's with a roll of toilet paper used as a filter in lieu of an element.

If she wasnt equipped with it I'll leave it be.  Both my others have em so I was concerned  it was an issue.