Cadillac Owners Forum banner
19K views 36 replies 18 participants last post by  pbmass 
#1 ·
I am purchasing this Cadillac within the next week. Its a 1968 with just under 42,000 miles. I've had it inspected and know what I'm getting into- there is some rust in the rockers that has been cosmetically covered up, but otherwise its a beautiful car.

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Motor vehicle Full-size car


Land vehicle Vehicle Car Motor vehicle Full-size car


Land vehicle Vehicle Car Full-size car Classic car


Please point me to this post if it already exists, but I'm looking for the list of 'everything I should know, the major things I should pay attention to right away, etc.'

My previous restoration experience is Range Rover where I replaced 5 body panels, fixed a rusty floor board, restored the interior, and did various off-road modifications. I also re-veneered all of the wood work. Apart from that I have rebuilt a GM smalblock. So I have some practical hands on experience, and overall think I'm ready for this, and also know where i'm going to enlist experts.

If you could please also recommend the best manuals (CD or paper): Haynes, Chilton GM/Cadillac shop manuals, etc and where to get any that are uncommon.

Thanks in advance, and I look forward to tapping into the considerable experience on this board.

Pat Herman
 
See less See more
3
#3 ·
Well, you've already found the major rust issues on these cars, so no surprises there. 472 and THM400 are bullet-proof. The only hard part will be tracking down any missing trim, as no one reproduces it.

Looks like you'll have a real beauty when you're done. Congrats!

Craig
 
#7 ·
Creeker, its a Tennessee car. I guess that puts it in ambiguous territory for salt exposure. All, Are the rocker panels the same piece as the rear fenders? I'd like to be able to get patch panels from a parts car - Sven, do your 68's have good rocker panels or is that going to be impossible to find?
 
#9 ·
The two crushed ones are mostly rust free, but they're both sedans. The un-crushed one is a Coupe de Ville and has a little body rot, plus it's been knocked around a little. I haven't paid attention to the rockers on any of them, but next time I'm there I'll check.
 
#10 ·
thanks... once i get the car i'll get out a magnet and see how much filler I'm talking about. this might be the kind of thing where I ask you to be on the lookout for when something comes in. and then i'll drive the car for the spring and summer as is (it cosmetically looks fine), and do the repairs over the winter...

great meeting you guys, and thanks for the welcomes and the congratulations.
 
#11 ·
Herman,
If your new ride still has its original top switch, you may want to bypass it to a heavier capacity switch mounted somewhere inconspicuous (mine's at the bottom of the lower dash panel and is not really visible). If the '68 is anywhere like the '69 and '70 (which have the same top system), the top switches have a tendency to burn up when they wear, and you don't need a dash fire. Top switches that still work regularly command upwards of $150 on e-bay. The factory shop manual is the one to get, but also consider the separate Fisher body manual. It contains info on the top assembly, instructions on how to replace the top, power seat diagnostics, detailed trim removal instructions, and additional chassis electrical circuit diagrams among other things.
 
#12 ·
great stuff.

Does anyone have opinion on the quality of the 1968 Cadillac Shop Manual available on CD? It is supposed to be the very same manual, just converted. I have been very pleased in the past with the quality of the Land Rover shop and overhaul manuals on CD, and find it very conducive to search, find the right page and print it if necessary. Please let me know if anyone has an opinion. I will buy the Fisher body manual as well - I have a known issue with one of the wing windows. Thanks for the great advice.

What is the general opinion on wiring in these cars? Other than the obvious fact its 40 years old, and I'll probably rewire it eventually as I upgrade it, am I in imminent danger of a wiring related fire? I come from the world of British Leyland/Rover/Lucas wiring harnesses which we believe were designed by the devil himself ... so that comment about the top switch makes me paranoid. :)
 
#14 ·
I finally have the car! It arrived while I was in Manila for 2 weeks. My wife took delivery and out went my old rover, in went the 19 foot beast. I got home this morning at 5 AM, and after a reunion with my wife, went to see her. There are a few more rust problems, the paint job looks better in pics than it does in real life, the dashboard is in rougher shape than i could see from pics (veneer, chromed plastic trim that is painted black and is peeling off, radio glass is broken...) but I'm just to be honest so thrilled with the car.

Battery was dead, would not crank at all. Could not get the hood open - found the alignment is off. Had to tug the hood a little toward the left while pulling the 1st hood release. then got it open. pulled the battery - yikes rusted out battery tray. no problem. headed to autozone. battery was a bit under powered and pretty old, core traded it on a new 750 CCA Duralast Gold battery. Have a Duralast in my rover I'm really pleased with... anyway, new battery, battery hold downs, and some rust converter, head back home.

wire brush and shop vac'ed the old tray, pliered out some really bad metal. Had a roughly 7 inch by 6 inch sheet of steel lying around the garage, so while the rust converter was brushed on the existing remaining battery tray, i made a new piece of tray, folded up some edges... primed and painted that and set it down in the tray. it aint perfect, and i will replace with a more correct job later, but it did the trick. got the batter in next, sized the hold downs, cut then down with my hacksaw, wired up the battery... and...

IT's Alive! 472 Cubic Inches of madness. Got state inspection - safety only is required in TX for a car of this vintage. thank goodness bc i dont think she'll pass an emissions test any time soon. Ran back to autozone for engine flush, oil fiter, 5 quarts of oil. checked transmission - no burnt smell in the ATF fluid. Air filter is new. belts look pretty much as new. completely out of PS Fluid. Topped that off.

So... the list (after a couple hours)
-obviously PS leak somewhere
-she leeks oil. quickly. so i'm going to need to find that pretty fast.
-really all of the rubber gaskets - doors, windows, vent windows, hood, trunk, top.. they all need replacing. will post some pics...
-engine runs a little rough esp at idle. going to edumacate myself on timing. would appreciate opinions on benefit of converting to a pertronix or msd electronic igniton and coil.
-will be checking the spark plugs as well.
-fuel leak somewhere
-vacuum supply and return for the heater core vacuum valve under the hood is missing
-ps pump is a little wobbly - pulley seems not to spin uniformly on axis. am going to investigate if bracket or literally the pump is to blame
-hood hinge alignment is going to be in the near future - will search this forum but anyone who has learned the tricks here please let me know what you already know
-comments on whether i should use ZDDP at time of oil change?
-steering wheel is toast. i'd like to replace it with original or upgrade to keep the center /horn pad but replace the wheel itself with a wooden one. right now i have a pimp-ish steering wheel cover on it. any recommendations?
-radio has power but is a lost cause - the glass is broken, the station identifier wire is gone, it wont tune, the antenna is stuck up. so anyone who has a working antenna they'd like to sell or knows an appropriate OEM replacement please advise. as for radio i'm going to be looking to put in some kind of classic radio look alike that will interface with ipod. not going for huge sounds and i dont want amplifiers visible in the trunk... i just want to replace the speakers in the dash and footwells, in the rear and have a working radio. so anyone with good recommendation which after market radio to get please advise - i definitely want to preserve the function of the two separate side by side radio control knobs
-missing passenger side speaker for the kick panel - anyone got one to sell?
-clock is not working - looks like i will be digging into the dash. i have restored an old car clock before, my first suspicion is it may not be getting power. are these notorious for breaking?
-dont seem to have any dashboard lighting, so again... thinking theres a problem with power to the dash in general
-missing trip odometer reset pin/button - assuming one from any GM car of the period would probably work, please advise if mistaken
-cruise control - missing the selector lever. if anyone has one to sell
-fuse block was just hanging under dash. can anyone take a pic how this is supposed to be mounted and post here? i have tucked it up in the dash now but it not screwed into anything
-speedometer surrounding trim is black painted. looks like chromed metal underneath. trim ring around the wood veneer is also painted black and the paint is peeling off revealing chromed surface undneath. which is original/correct? chromed? black painted?
- im going to eventually re-veneer this panel, but if anyone knows where i can get the veneer pre-cut with adhesive, that saves hours, please advise
-rust in rear right quarter, looks like i will need a patch panel there. trunk lid and other areas show obvious bondo... i'll save the body work list for another time.


Most of that above is just an awesome list of little projects. Not really concerned - its all consistent with what Carchex found when they went to check the car out for me. Got my Shop Manual and Body by Fisher manuals on CD... one step at a time, and with your help (all you experts out there) this will be fun!

BTW: drives like a magic carpet on steroids. Brakes supprisingly well in a hurry. :)
 
#15 ·
Whew! First, congrats on your new arrival! Can't answer all your questions, but for a few. ZDDP additive is highly advisable for these cars, especially if you plan to drive it any distance at any speed. Steering wheels can be restored, and there are many people who do it. Usually costs a few hundred, or you can do a little research and try to do it yourself (in which case you're a braver man than I). I highly recommend ditching the old-style distributor and going HEI. The car starts much easier and mileage improves, plus it's one less thing to maintain. The clocks tend to burn out quite easily. Given the amount of electrical gremlins you seem to have noted, you'd have to remove and inspect the clock to see what's what. If it's getting power, odds are the electromagnet is fried. Replacing that (and a thorough cleaning and lubrication) usually brings them back to life (or you could always do a quartz conversion).
 
#16 ·
Congratulations!

• The first thing I would do is get a factory shop manual or one converted on cd. EBay is the best place to get one.
• I have Pertronix installed on my ’68 for years and it has worked flawlessly, plus it keeps the look of the factory distributor.
• Castrol makes “classic car” motor oil with ZDDP already added.
• Custom Auto Sound makes a modern radio that will fit the dash without mods. IPod and USB connections. I have one and it works great. They sell speakers too!
• Look in Hemmings to find a repair shop for your antenna. BTW, do you know how to operate it?
• Speakers were not originally in the kick panels. Only on the dash and in the back in the center of the rear seats, or if stereo, located in the well for the convertible top.
• I would first check the dash board dimming ring on the headlight switch as being the culprit for your dash lights not working.
• Remove the panel directly below the steering column. Under the dash and to the left you should see a bracket that the fuse panel slides up from the bottom into it. It should snap into position.
• Caddydaddy.com sells repo veneer for the dash.

Good luck and have fun with your new project. Welcome to the family.
 

Attachments

#17 ·
Thanks! Got the factory manual and Fisher body manual on CD. Going to put in Petronix distribution, thanks you are second person to have made that recommendation with a good experience with it. I will look into Castrol for my next oil change - just did one this weekend and did not know. I used STP oil treatment. Custom Auto Sound! thanks i'm checnig i out. Yep know how to operate antenna - got New Old Stock owners manual. Cool push/pull on the knob. My car had mono AM/FM. the kick panels later had some crappy speaker enclosures installed. Passenger side one is missing. Going to pull out drivers side. Any recommendations for best place to mount stereo speakers in a car that was mono radio? Have a copy of Hemmings sitting here, will look into antenna fix..

I did get the dash to light up intermittently. the Sentinel system light rheostat on the headlight pull. I find the rheostat must have some burnt out spots along the range. Will take it out and see if cleaning will work. I cleaned on on an 86 mercedes and got it working again. otherwise guess i'll be looking.. hopefully a lighting rheostat is fairly common gm part. thanks for tip on the fuse panel bracket. will check out caddy daddy on the veneer

THanks for ton of help!
 
#18 ·
For the front, Custom Auto Sound makes a dual speaker setup that fits in the center speaker of the dash. It sounds good, just not a lot of bass. For the rear, if your convertible has the speaker cut outs (I don't know if the mono cars do) in the well for the top, I would put them there. I have seen where people have cut holes in the back, below the rear arm rests, and to me it looks ugly.

I also had a fuel leak on mine a few years ago. I recommend changing all the rubber fuel lines as if one is bad, they are probably all pretty suspect. Other than the lines coming from the fuel tank, it is pretty easy, just a lot of crawling around under the car. As for the wiring, if it has not been tampered with, it is probably still good.
.
 
#20 ·
Going slowly but well. I have the front sheet metal and suspension out, engine out, trans out, driveshaft, exhaust, fuel lines, brake lines, rear axle, trunk lid, interior completely out, firewall stripped, wiring harnesses out, windshield out. I have just dropped a load on an Art Morrison engineered Ford 9 inch rear end with Strange Engineering HD axle shafts, air bags, 4 bar and panhard bar. Also included is custom Art Morrison front end. Basically splicing in their widest front bikini clip from just in front of the firewall. This will give me tubular control arms, heavy duty sway bar, air bag suspension in front as well. Also 4 wheel disc brakes. I will be separating the body off the frame by building a stand undneath the center of the body then lowering the frame off of it. this will make it easier to put in new rear cross member for 4 bar and do front end frame splice. then i'll sand blast the whole frame and paint it with dupont kevlar truck bed liner before raising it back up and reconnecting the body with new mounting hardware. That's the major program for about the next 6 months.

The next major investment will be the engine and having the original trans rebuit to support 600+ HP. Since I'm going to drop that load, I'm going to basically spend the next year on patching the rust holes and getting the body up to basica primer stage. I just noticed OPGI is carrying the front and rear floor pans as well as trunk pan, and they are cheap, so that will save me some time. Major body work i need to still fix is lower half of front quarters, rear quarters, trunk drip rail, door bottoms and some in the door sills.

Year after that will be all the under hood ancillaries, stereo, interior

year after that will be paint and re-assembly

that's the plan... :)
 
#24 ·
The Range Rover seems to have been your school. Now you are prepared to face a greater challenge. You´ll find a lot of difficulties but you´ll overcome them and in the end you´ll be proud of your work.

I started with a '73 Dodge in relative good condition but that needed some fixings and I ended up taking out engine to be repaired (most works done by a shop). Now that this car is ok, I found what today is my 69 SDV that needs more attentions and is a more complex car. I´m doing easy things by myself and a good mechanic is doing the difficult ones. It would be very difficult for me doing all the tasks you´re going to undertake and it would take me many years. I´d like to follow your restoration, but I can not see your facebook albums; just your general profile. Maybe it´s necessary being facebook friends to see your photos.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top