96DXCivic wrote: What you need to do is bag it, put massive box flares on it, paint it satin black and put side pipes on it.
Oh and flamethrowers.
96DXCivic wrote: What you need to do is bag it, put massive box flares on it, paint it satin black and put side pipes on it.
Oh and flamethrowers.
novaderrik wrote: ... being fwd, there isn't a tunnel of any kind in the car and you will have more leg room than you know what to do with while you sin on the most comfortable leather couch you have ever experienced.
I assume it was a typo, but I agree 100%...
-Rob
rob_lewis wrote:novaderrik wrote: ... being fwd, there isn't a tunnel of any kind in the car and you will have more leg room than you know what to do with while you sin on the most comfortable leather couch you have ever experienced.I assume it was a typo, but I agree 100%... -Rob
yeah, a typo- but one that could easily come true..
That typo made the whole post! 
This weekend can't come fast enough. I can't wait to get my paws on this beast! Here's the challenge for me: we are going to keep it as original as possible. It's a family heirloom, and it means a lot to my mom that it stays in nice, original shape. I am so used to buying cars and changing everything to my liking, but I really can't do that with this. That said, it is a really cool car as it is, so I'm alright with keeping it in its original condition. And yes, I'll be bringing the camera to take pics to hotlink all over the place.
Because of this thread I was cruising CL and Ebay for old Caddies last night. You're a lucky guy if you get this car.
Oh, I almost forgot: this same great uncle of mine had a number of other cool vehicles, but I think they are all sold. 
He had a yellow VW Thing that was all customized, and he had an ex-military Jeep from the 40's that was converted to backwoods-hunting use with a built in gun rack. I guess he also had a really nice early 90's Town Car that's still up there, but I'll pass on that. I'm hoping he has some old tin signs and stuff like that still up there from when he had his dealership. Now that would be really cool. 
My dad had a 75 convertable and like everyone else said they are great cruisers. We did the front axles once and that was about it. It held the five of us and a weeks worth of luggage and you could still put the top down.
Wally wrote: My dad had a 75 convertable and like everyone else said they are great cruisers. We did the front axles once and that was about it. It held the five of us and a weeks worth of luggage and you could still put the top down.
I remember when the 75s came out and the prices were jacked way up because they were going to be the "last convertibles". Ha. Several years later you could buy a fairly nice one for $3000. I always had the hots for one.
and now I'm off to craigslist to look at old caddys...
30 minutes...it was going to be very close...
Big Cadillacs are the sort of car where one guy gets in the trunk and someone else starts passing him things to load in there.
I run mine with both a Pertronix Ignitor and an MSD ignition. The MSD may not have been necessary :)
My suggestion for those looking for an old Caddy - get a '65 or '66. They're cheap, big and cool. They do have the 429 which is a bit more expensive to repair but the interior is much cooler than the '67 and later cars in my opinion. They also get mid-teens for fuel economy. The fun thing is the sheer complexity of the car, pre-electronics. Vacuum lines everywhere!
And they're awesome highway cruisers. 75 mph is comfortable, but you feel like you're driving fast. And that classic ride!
I assume that they have the same switch pitch convertor as the early Toro's? If so, a manual switch is easy to hook up... but in the Toro community a guy in IL markets a magic little black box that automatically switches the pitch based on timing, etc... a sweet little mod that is inexpensive, reliable, and makes the car feel like it has 100 more ft-lbs of torque.
These beasts don't handle "well" in the big picture, but they are head and shoulders above their RWD siblings. You can hustle these around, but it's some work... and they go great in the snow.
A buddy in WI was ice racing a '66 Toro, lost control, left the course, left the lake (lot of mass in motion...), and hit a boat in somebody's back yard. Can you imagine that (January) call to the insurance agent?
Good luck! Bill
Well, I've had quite an interesting weekend.
I went yesterday with my parents to look at the car. Man, my memory sucks! The car is gold with a black vinyl top! It's also in a lot worse condition than I expected. Here are some hotlinked pics, because everyone loves those:
More hotlinked pics:
Here's the rundown of what it needs:
-needs some 1/4 panel repairs, especially on the passenger side
-needs some fender repair, not too bad
-has some rust bubbling around the rear window and windshield frame, not too bad though
-big dent in the trunklid needs to be fixed
-needs tires, tune-up, etc.
-front seat needs to be re-covered
The good thing is that all the trim is straight and in good shape, the engine is all there down to the original Quadrajet, and the interior (even the carpet!!!) is nice aside from that front seat. That said, I think we are going to get the car.
Oh, and as an added bonus...I am also getting this thing:
It's a 1978 Dodge Ramcharger. It's one of the really old ones with the removable top, and it has a factory Meyers plow package. I found the original window sticker, owner's manual, and broadcast sheet in the glovebox! My great uncle paid over $9,000 for this beast back then. 
It's pretty rusty, and has Flintstones floors, but I just can't say no to a free vehicle. Also, these old Ramchargers and Traildusters have all returned to the earth up here, so saving this one will be a fun project. 
that caddy needs nothing but a tuneup, fluids changed, and a quick cleaning. drive it as is and enjoy the hell out of it without worrying about wrecking all the stuff you just fixed.
novaderrik wrote: that caddy needs nothing but a tuneup, fluids changed, and a quick cleaning. drive it as is and enjoy the hell out of it without worrying about wrecking all the stuff you just fixed.
The pics of the rust on the quarters don't do it justice: they are really bad, especially the passenger side. It's all deformed and tumor-like. Pretty gross actually, looks kinda like it has elephantitis! I definitely don't want to be driving around with it like that.
Honestly, I'm more excited about the Ramcharger! I've been pricing out sheetmetal, and it's really cheap for this thing.
yeah I agree...that Caddy is too far gone to save. Just email me your address and I'll haul if off for ya for a very minor fee. I might even do it for free if I'm in the mood...
a401cj wrote: yeah I agree...that Caddy is too far gone to save. Just email me your address and I'll haul if off for ya for a very minor fee. I might even do it for free if I'm in the mood...
Yeah, nice try!
I wouldn't drive it as it sits, but my family's still getting it to restore it. It should be a cool ride when it's all said and done.
That 67 Caddy is in better condition than the 90 Miata I'm reviving 
Hey, PM me and I will take the caddy! Forget the reverse psychology of those other guys. Give Me the Car!
A friend in highschool had one of those. IIRC, the procedure for taking a turn quickly consisted of jerking the wheel hard at turn in to initiate rotation, locking up all four wheels to keep it rotating (it would violently hit the suspension stops with body roll at this point) and get the car down to exit speed, allowing the car to rotate ~30deg past the intended direction of travel then flooring it to break the front tires loose which would straighten the car out. Not really a car meant for cornering quickly, but he always tried anyway. He ended up blowing the motor in such an epic manner as to burn the whole car to the ground. We were all aspiring stunt car drivers at 16 lolz.
Yours looks to be not too far gone. A little rust repair and bodywork and it'll be a killer highway cruiser.
That ramcharger is wicked awesome too!
SilverFleet wrote: The pics of the rust on the quarters don't do it justice: they are really bad, especially the passenger side. It's all deformed and tumor-like. Pretty gross actually, looks kinda like it has elephantitis! I definitely don't want to be driving around with it like that. Honestly, I'm more excited about the Ramcharger! I've been pricing out sheetmetal, and it's really cheap for this thing.
i don't know what part of the world you call home, but here in Minnesota, that thing would be considered mint. wash it, tune it up, and drive it. fix the mechanical stuff that crops up before doing the pretty work.
novaderrik wrote:SilverFleet wrote: The pics of the rust on the quarters don't do it justice: they are really bad, especially the passenger side. It's all deformed and tumor-like. Pretty gross actually, looks kinda like it has elephantitis! I definitely don't want to be driving around with it like that. Honestly, I'm more excited about the Ramcharger! I've been pricing out sheetmetal, and it's really cheap for this thing.i don't know what part of the world you call home, but here in Minnesota, that thing would be considered mint. wash it, tune it up, and drive it. fix the mechanical stuff that crops up before doing the pretty work.
I'm from MA, so yeah, I'm in the same boat. The car lived its life in NH, so that's even worse!
I just want to make the car really nice, it was my great uncle's ride, and probably his favorite possession. I can probably drive it around after getting tires, freeing up the brakes, and a tune-up, and I probably will a little, just to see what it's like. Other than the rusty parts, the car is really solid. The motor is cruddy looking, but as long as it runs nice, I'm not touching it.
Oh, and after some more research, the Ramcharger has the Sno-Commander package, which sounds really cool. It has heavy duty everything to compensate for the plow setup. I've already started pricing sheet metal and other parts for it, and I can't believe how cheap everything is!!!
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