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My New Project: 1956 Cadillac Sedan Deville Resurrection Thread

25K views 140 replies 17 participants last post by  harascho 
#1 ·
Check out my new project!!
 
#115 ·
Another great episode and milestone in the project!

You seemed to be reading my mind because just as I was thinking "I wonder if that 1/2 ton lift is up to the job?" you subtitled the engine and trans weight! :lol:

Always great fun and inspiration to see your up-dates, and bonus points for passing on the hobby to Noah.
Much hand wringing in the auto hobby about the future generations. With young guys like Noah, and might I say you, the worry seems to be over nothing!
 
#118 ·
Hey guys, I am needing a little information on the dual carb set up I have on my 1956 Cadillac, especially with the dual choke system. As you can see in the picture below, there is a tube that runs from one choke housing to the other.

That tube is missing from the carbs that I have. What I am wondering is how do the chokes operate? I am used to heated ones, and cannot see on the above pic how those cold possibly get enough heat without the end of the tube connecting to something. Is there a piece missing that connects to the exhaust manifold somewhere? I am assuming that this part is super hard to find, and I should go about figuring out a way to fab up one of my own. Any help would be appreciated!
 
#130 ·
sawyer said:
Intake warped? Checked the mating surfaces with a straight edge?
How thick were the original head gaskets vs new ones? Maybe that with the combination of machining the heads changed the height of the heads enough that the angle of the intake to head mating area is creating enough gap at the bottom of the intake runners for it not to seal properly. If that's the case double gaskets should take care of it.
 
#132 ·
Ben,

You should have a machinist check the "straightness" of the intake port face of the manifold. Either the cylinder head is not straight, or the manifold face isn't. Let's hope it's the latter, as that will be easy to machine.
It is also possible that the faces of the cylinder head AND the manifold are not parallel. They may have been machined at different angles so that they're tight at the top and apart at the bottom.

Regards from Down Under.

aussiejohn
 
#134 ·
Alright guys, a small update on the caddy. So I have decided that I am tired of NOT driving this car. I have spent the last few months or so fighting the intake vacuum leak, and trying to get these dual carbs to work correctly. Even with dual thick intake gaskets I still have a vacuum leak when I spray carb cleaner on the bottom of the intake. Cylinder one is 100% dead. I have decided to take off the 2x4 carbs, intake and air cleaner, and go with something more modern and simple. The main issue is that the 2x4 carb setup is very temper mental; it has no traditional idle screw, but has an idle air screw, and then two fuel mixture screws. You set the idle by adjusting these three screws on both carbs. I’m sure that some of you will say I shouldn’t go this route, because the car will no longer be original. I’m at the point not I’d rather have it set up like this and drive it, then wait around till someone can come over that knows how to tune them.
Anyways, with that being said, I am in need of a few parts:
• Single carburetor intake for a 1956 Cadillac 365 motor, preferably not cracked or warped.
• Linkages and rods for that same carb setup.
• Single Carb Cadillac correct air cleaner.

For the carb itself, I am planning on running a rebuilt Edelbrock or Carter AFB carb on that intake, or possibly my friend’s Carter WCFB. The only hang up that I can see along the way is getting the carbs to also run the transmission TV rod that comes off that linkage. Any helps or tips would be appreciated.
 
#135 ·
Have you tried posting your problems on the Cadillac LaSalle Club website?

I hate to send you somewhere else, but there are many more guys owning your vintage of Cadillac over there.
They have regional chapters everywhere and you might even find a member in your area to come help you with it.

I don't worry much about there originality.
What you are proposing could easily and cheaply be undone.
But if you could find an old dude who knew how to tune these beasts in a coupe hours you could be all set.
Would save a lot of extra expense, and reward you with a really cool and valuable feature from the period.:noidea:

By the way, absolutely love following you on Youtube.
You are an exceptional young enthusiast and it is a joy to have you sharing with us and inspiring us old dudes to be more fearless in our endeavors.:duck:

Just as you would gladly (probably, based on your videos and the little I have gotten to know you through them)
go and help a 16 year old with a puzzler on a Vette, there are lots of guys my age who would love sharing an afternoon with a young gun teaching them the ins and outs of the 56 Cadillac.
 
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