Low Compression Heads - Ebay Auction

[W.Y. Lamb]

A recent auction post on Ebay Motors shows a 60 Seville with low compression heads.  Was this an option offered by Cadillac? The reason listed was the car went out of the US and needed to run low octane gasoline. Does anyone know about this particular car and its history?

Thanks, W.Y. Lamb - 16995

See http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1960-cadillac-eldorado-show-car-W-W-nos_W0QQitemZ4652450829QQihZ002QQcategoryZ6151QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem TARGET=_blank>http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1960-cadillac-eldorado-show-car-W-W-nos_W0QQitemZ4652450829QQihZ002QQcateg

[Richard Goulden]

I believe this was an option for export cars, I have seen it listed somewhere, either in the workshop manual, or the Data book . If I remember it says " if you intend to travel abroad with your Cadillac, be sure to check fuel otane beforehand, special low compression heads my be ordered from the factory" unquote.

[Jack]

I am the original owner of a 64 Series 62 Coupe that was bought in Hawaii in Nov. of 63. This car was built with a "Low Compression" (LC) engine with a CR of 9.5 versus the conventional engine of 10.5.

LC cars were were very popular in Hawaii because premium gas was so very expensive in contrast to regular gas.

We were told that the LC engine used  special LC pistons and that the heads were all the same.

I tend to think that is what was done with all Cadillac engines since 1949 with the "new" Kettering OHV introduction.

I recently had my 429  "remanufactured" and was told by Jasper that the LC pistons were not available so they used the original heads but installed the 10.5 pistons.

BTW, I can notice the extra snappy performance with this "new" 10.5 engine.

Jack

[dale jackson]

  W. Y. ,

 That car belongs Cosmos an guy I talked to serval times about his old cadillac and trading parts with.

 His car one of best in usa and he spent years buying up tons of nos back in early 1990 something. He is very Fuzzey and wants everything to be nos parts on his car. He even installed Nos Vaccuem lines. Everything he could buy . He starting buying nos parts before he bought his car.

 In 2004 he sold lots of extra nos parts off on ebay.

 His car an export model that never lefht the usa. If look at owners manuel he has its not like the usa models. His car is rust free since it stayed in nevada for years.

 On the low compresion heads the cadillac factory made shims and they are listed in cadillc master books. They are rare parts . The heads were same is what the master book says. I wish I had those shims for my car where I could run cheap gas.

 When He ran auction last week I called him and we talked for few minutes. I told him thats best eldo I ever seen after looking at tons of them. I told him he should run at Barret Jackson at maybe get an world record on an 1960 serville. Like I said his eldo is one of top 20 cars in usa. Its been at Palmona Californa show before .

 I looked for 3 years for nos parts to use on my car since I want to install all nos parts on my eldo just like comos car with no rechromed parts or anything. Nothing Beter than New old stock parts.

 He did It without any rechrome parts or cheap reproduction parts since he hated those rechrome  parts or repro. All I say his car cant remade again since nos parts are not around.

 His car is one of best in usa and I dont ever see car like his being built out nos parts like his.

 Dale

 

[Paul Z]

I have a friend in New Zealand who is currently restoring a 1959 Biarritz in all NOS parts. He is very fussy. No doubt this will be one of, if not, the finest 59 Biarritz on the globe. Not a repro part will touch that car. I believe its been well over 10 years so far, with most of that time looking for the rare NOS parts. If you think its hard to do from the USA, imagine doing it from NZ, where these cars and parts just didnt exist. Everything is imported, with added costs for freight and import taxes. Looking forward to seeing it finished. Another good reason to go to NZ!!! Paul.

[dale jackson]

 Hi,

 I know nos parts is the best out there. I look all time on ebay but very rarely they come up for sale. When they do they very expensive . Last week. I saw an nos map light lenses that sold over 220 on ebay. The air ride T fiting go for 735.

  There is always an biding war on them. I tryed to win an Nos headlight switch that was 59 thru 60. They bid over 350 for that switch. I lost that auction. First one I ever saw in 3 years of looking.

 I have never seen  an nos grille before but maybe someday I will someday. Those parts are like gold when they come up for sale.


 Dale

[Richard Goulden]

Thank you for your flattering comments Paul, yes it has become  quite an obsesion, about 200 nos parts so far. Im glad I bought a lot of things when I did, prices are getting sillier and sillier. I think E bay is one of the greatest things ever, esp for people outside the US.
However I am not against repro parts and my car will have a few, for example, there is no way that pitted oringinal interior door handles can ever be made to look new, same with the beautifull repro interior courtesy lights, and where are you going to get a perfect original set of floor mats, even nos ones will be ruined by the sheer age of them.
Also from what I have seen, McVeys lenses seem very good, Im happy to use them, if nos ones are not available.
The way I see it, these cars were not made to be restored 40 plus years later, their lifespan was 5 to 7 years, and some of the materials used ( dia casts etc), just will not last forever.
I will always consider my car a "work in progress", I replace parts if I get better ones, and repro stuff if I can find nos.
Keep looking everyone, always intersted in nos 59 parts.
Richard

[W.Y. Lamb]

Thanks to all of you who responded.  Does anyone know if the car sold?  It was indeed a very good specimen and one which should bring the money!

Later,

Will

[dale jackson]

  Will,

 It never sold and was relisted again on ebay. I think auction ends at tuesday. One first time it hit 39k and today its 39k with 12 hours on auction.

 Will, If you have the extra money I would buy that car If was you . Its one best cars in usa since its all nos parts.

 If I could afford it. I would buy to use as parts car on my eldo or guide on how restore back factory. Pull the nos parts from his car and replace them with my good used parts where my eldo convertible would be full of nos parts becides repro or restored old parts.

 That would an dream to have all new stock grilles, tailights, cruise control system, lenses the works on my eldo where my convertible would one of the best in usa.

 I know  it sounds nuts to do that to fine car but I cant find stuff nos grilles,  lights, or whatever to the build the perfect car. I would need an time machice to go back to 1968 to the cadillac dealer to do it.

 If you bought that car Will you could upgrade your 1960 eldo convertible from good used parts to brand new. in flash. Your eldo would be king of the convertibles or best in usa.
 
Dale