Cadillac Owners Forum banner

69 Sedan de Ville official restoration thread

52K views 278 replies 28 participants last post by  CADforce69 
#1 · (Edited)
It´s time to open an “official restoration thread” for my ‘69 SDV, as someday it may help to someone who have similar car / similar problems. First I´m gathering up most pictures posted in different threads along the forum.

I bought the car from a man who seemed to be a compulsive collector of classic cars. He had a piece of land and a warehouse where he stored about 20 classics, Mercedes, Bentley, Cadillac, Lamborghini, Ford, Lincoln… In the past he had about 100 vehicles in this land, some inside and others outside the building. Now he needed some money and had to sell some of the cars. This one started easily, engine run very well, transmission worked apparently well (afterwords I discovered relevant trans fluid leakage) and brakes were apparently well, just some humming in transmission that did not worried me at first. The price was cheap and we made a deal. The car title was not very clear as he confessed but he bound himself to get everything solved so I was inscribed as the car´s owner and the car was ready to run legally. I advanced part of the money and the rest would be paid when I picked up the car. Doing the paperwork would take 1-2 months (Finally it turned to be 3 so I had to wait what it seemed to be an eternity for me).

Finally, on December 29 2010 I went to pick up the caddy, that was about 280 miles from home, with some paper still not ready but which I received some days later. The travel was a hell as I could check steering was very loose and front tires about 40 years old (and warped). The result was a horrendous trembling every time the car speed was over 25 mph and the road had any slight unevenness. Then I discovered that if I drove at more than 45 mph such effect did not take place. Later on, when I changed front tires the problem disappeared. I also changed tie rod ends, idler arm and drag link and since then, the car drove like heaven. Distributor timing was too advanced so when engine was hot at idle the car stalled when I turned the wheels to top right or left. Apart from that there was no incident (except for the red brakes light on but braking was good enough) and I managed to park it in my underground parking space not without some effort. It stick out near one meter, what aroused some complain.
A pic of the night travel:


image hosting

Some weeks later I took it to mi girl´s mum country house. It has no garage but I bought a good exterior car cover that is preserving it perfectly. Before that 55 mile travel I changed engine oil, oil filter, gas filter, air filter, sparks, spark wires, distributor cap and rotor. We tried to change points but with new points the car wouldn´t start. When I took the car to an experienced mechanic, he realized that there was not a good ground contact with new points installed. He solved the problem just with a file touch.
First pics of the engine: Dirt everywhere


wordpress image upload

Distributor cap off and very worn tie rod ends:


wordpress image upload

hosting images

hosting images

This plate is the original one. Registered in Madrid (Spain) on july 31 1969




I know: What are those lights doing in the rear bumper? Requirements to adapt the car to the european car light regulations. I´m planning taking that out, changing back up lights for turn lights (just an orange bulb and wire change) and looking for the original moldings (not very easy to find)



Rear view is spectacular. I love it! Original trunk lock emblem and "V" were broken. They were changed thanks to the help of Sven914



Rear fenders "Sedan de Ville" and trunk "Cadillac" badges were missing but later I got them back to its place.





There was a lot of work to do with chrome but I´m making it shine... These headlights were not OEM but an adaptation that former owner screwed on the headlight frame. New OEM type headlights would be installed later on. Left turn light would be also changed for another one in better condition the seller gave me with the car… Cracked but not broken.
 
See less See more
11
#139 · (Edited)
We wait 24 hours to be sure paint is totally dry and then we stick the vinyl. I cut a small section of the protecting paper and fit the vinyl rim in the correct position. Then I took out paper progressively as I stick it slightly on the rim trying to keep it centered. I had no problem in unsticking the vinyl when necessary. At first I was afraid some paint remained stuck to vinyl but no problem. Finally, when I was finishing the process I found a wrinkle where I started the process. That´s due to finally the vinyl rim had a slightly bigger diameter than original and I was trying to keep it following the original position. No problem: I cut the vinyl in the wrinkle and stick one end on the other. You can not notice it unless you know. ;) Finally, you can stick all the vinyl surface on the rim. These images are dedicated to outsider ;) :







...And finally you will have a wheel like new. (You can compare with the first images). People will not realize it´s restored unless they look it very close. If you have a 70 caddy, you will have to look for a walnut veneer vinyl. I used this kind, as is practically the same than the one used for 69.

Now, I hope the horn buttons on the center pad work as they should... Anyone knows how they work, and how to make the connections?






jpg image hosting
 
#141 ·
The plug with the spring goes into a receptor inside the wheel. When you mount the wheel to the steering column, insert the spring plug in its hole and twist clockwise IIRC to lock it in, then screw on the horn pad. The horns should work, assuming the horns themselves are good and the horn ring inside the steering wheel pad is intact. When I first got my 69, I didn't know about the rim blow feature, so I was pressing on the center pad and thinking the horns were dead. Once I figured out the missing horn ring was the culprit, I grabbed a 70 wheel (just like yours) out of a junkyard, swapped it on, and the horns worked perfectly. Unlike you, I just put a leather wrap over the very fractured 70 wheel, since it's only temporary until I have the 69 wheel professionally restored, rim blow and all. Your's came out looking really good! :)
 
#147 · (Edited)
Some update: During the last 2 weeks the caddy was parked on my "short" parking space near home (4,77 m. long -0,94 m. of the car out of its space- :LOL: ) there was a noticeable tranny oil leak in spite all seals and gaskets were changed, but I have checked oil level and was 0.4 inches above maximum so it´s not so strange oil excess is getting out. There is an oil puddle at the left of the filling tube. I´ll have to wait until level is under Max. mark and see if there is still some leak. Damage noticed by the mechanic was in the torque converter, the place where the seal is housed. Let´s hope there is practically no leak after oil excess disappears.

New gas cap is installed and in the last ride I didn´t notice any gas smell :) Engine keeps running smooth. Wiper motor bought from Rockauto stopped working. The wiper control is not responsible for the breakdown as it´s sending electric power, so I had to claim a new one under warranty. Neutral-reverse switch (to make back-up lights and automatic parking brake release work) and restored steering wheel are ready to install, as soon as new wiper motor is with me. I need these things working to pass annual Safety Inspection (ITV) for December, 10.

Good news: I found a big parking space for Rex in a storing company building just 8 miles from home for just 59 € / month. It´s a bargain for that price in Madrid. Every time I went to my girlfriend´s mum country house to bring it I was spending 70 € in fuel (my daily driver + the caddy). The big advantage is that my caddy will be closer to me and I´ll be able to drive and look after it. :) The car seems small in that huge place :D :


image hosting jpg


jpeg image hosting


png image hosting


image hosting png

I was invited to a Classic car meeting that will take place next Sunday at a town 160 miles from home. I´m planning to take Rex there. I´m taking a ride this week and put it to the test before. It has been raining for the last weeks but now it seems the weather is clearing up.
 
#149 ·
The trans leak is likely from the dipstick tube seal.
I think it should have been changed too but I´ll ask the mechanic. I forgot to say the puddle is on the engine, just behind the intake manifold... And more or less the same place on the floor too.

That new parking spot is big enough for a workbench and toolbox!
I wish I was allowed to do that! but the renting contract does not allow me to do any maintenance work in the car... Anyway, when I have to do some serious work I can always go back to the country house for some days.
 
#150 · (Edited)
... And finally the steering wheel was changed. My mechanic had to restore original wiring of the horn so that it could be played from the center of the wheel pad. Contacts were too rusted so it can not be played from the buttons. To fix that, the pad rubber should be torn off and most probably it could not be fitted back again, so he could sand the part under the center of the pad. Now it works when you push firmly crest rim... Better than before. Now, I don´t have to look away from the road when I want to play the horn, and the look is better too :) :


image host

free image hosting

image host
Now, some additional cleaning and it will look like new ;)

Defective wiper/washer motor was changed again and wiper control too. Now it seems to work ok except high speed, that is the same than med. but at some moment, it seemed not to receive current from control. Then it worked again. We´ll have to check wiring.

Neutral safety reverse light switch was changed for another working used one. Now, back-up lights work, as well as automatic parking brake release :) and... ¡Surprise! Now I can start the car just by using the key... No start button needed anymore. It was installed due to the broken neutral safety switch, that should be in a position different to "P", preventing starter to be turned on as it should be. Now the buttons and lever collection in the under-dash is gone; just the temperature gauge stays there.

Some pics of the "new" neutral safety switch and the wiper control:





and the engine compartment with the new wiper motor and blower relay:



Someday, I´ll go on cleaning and detailing this.

Recently I noticed an engine oil leak, a constant drip when engine is warm. It comes from the puddle behind the intake manifold. As the mechanic pointed out, it comes from the oil pressure sender. He´ll get a new one to replace it and let´s see if leak is over. Transmission oil leak seems to be less as level is getting closer to the max. (after the overfill).

When oil leak is solved the car will have to pass the yearly safety and environmental inspection (Let´s cross our fingers :p)

Forgot uploading pics of the new e-brake I got from the Phonix junkyard after a good wire brushing:


image hosting gif

image hosting jpeg
 
#152 · (Edited)
Thanks! :)

For 2012 I have more projects: New front suspension coils, fix rotten low front fenders, new radio with external appearance close to original... And taking out definitely rear truck tail lights. They were added long ago just because European regulations made compulsory yellow turning lights in 1970. I have bought a set of '70 rear bumper moldings I have restored too, including back-up lights. I´m planning transform these lights into turning lights, connecting the turning light wires and changing white bulb for an orange one, and this way the hole made to house those horrible truck tail lights will be covered. I have made a Photoshop image of the results I want:

Before:


upload images

... And after:


image hosting jpeg click on the pic for a larger image

I know they are not intended for a 69 but this way I will solve the yellow lights problem decently and I won´t have to buy a new rear bumper... And after all, the center section of 69 bumper is the same than the 70 model... It could well be a solution Cadillac would have provided if required. The other option was using the 69 back-up lights as turning lights, changing the wire and the white bulb for an orange one... But the car would not have any back-up lights and I don´t think a Cadillac without this element is a correct solution. Moving a car of this size in reverse requires a strong white warning light.
 
#154 ·
Thanx! I´ll post the real "after" pic but that will be for February at least, when weather begins to be better. The most critical point is that I´ll have to remove the rear bumper as there is no room behind to play with the wires and the bolts I´ll use to hold the moldings.
 
#157 ·
Oil pressure sender changed :) The plastic (or bakelite) part was cracked. Engine oil leak seems to be solved. In addition Starter drive was changed as in cold starts it slipped at first try, -used to work at second- so it´s better not taking the risk to be left stranded. The bad news is that transmission is still leaking. Finally it reached minimum mark, so I will have to change torque converter, that is damaged apparently by old seal. :( The mechanic told me he could order one using the transport from U.S. he uses for him and his friends so at least I will save a good amount on shipping. This Friday I will take Rex to his first yearly inspection since it´s mine. Wish me good luck :D
 
#161 ·
Thanks, man:),

there are some moments the wipers don´t work; Last time I moved a bit the wires and connections and it worked again. On the other hand, the previous owner made the official data sheet (original papers were missing) with 205/75r15 front tires and L78r15 (original bias ply tires more than 40 years old) rear. As the 205/75r15 were new I thought the most logical and economical option was substituting the dangerously old ply tires for another 205/75 pair, although equivalence with radial tires is 235/75r15, to have all tires with the same measure. If the inspector is strict at this point I can have troubles. Another critical point is CO emissions but in the end we can play with the mixture screws to get a lean mix if necessary.

Tomorrow I will tell you the results.
 
#162 · (Edited)
BTW, today I remembered to take a pic of my caddy´s body name plate, looking for the VIN plate to show tomorrow to inspector:


adult image hosting

Sorry for the poor quality due to bad light and bad phone camera, but you can appreciate the codes that shows what I supposed:

BODY STYLE: 69 68349 Hardtop Sedan Deville

TR: 344 Gold Delphine Cloth with Leather. (Here I have a doubt:I thought it was Dardanelle gold but according to automotive mileposts there was no Gold Dardanelle) No seat type so I think it´s the standard one.

BODY: No letters indicating assembly plant; just sequence number of the body: 37231

PAINT: 44 (Shalimar Gold Metallic) K (Black vinyl top). Now it´s something like Athenian blue metallic and vinyl disappeared, but I like the car this way; it seems more impressive to me :).

Has anyone any more information about assembly plant and seat type?
 
#163 ·
All 1969 Cadillacs were assembled at the Clark St. plant in Detroit. Not until the mid-1970s did Cadillacs begin to be assembled in other plants, like Linden, NJ, and South Gate, CA.

Your VIN plate should be clearly visible through the windshield, on the driver's side of the car at the base of the windshield. Rex's VIN should start with 9 B, followed by the six digit build sequence number.


Trim 344 is the standard front bench seat with Gold Dardanelle cloth with Gold Antique leather bolsters (per the 1969 salesman's data book).
 
#164 ·
the vin plate on my 69 is badly rusted and I had a very hard time to read it. I had to get a small wire brush down in there and scrape some rust off, then blow it off with air before I could read. It didn't look like the usual vin tags you see today, it was just a little metal plate in the same spot the vin plate usually is. because of this, I didn't think it was the vin plate. For a long time I thought the vin plate was missing.

HOpe this helps
 
#165 ·
Thanks, 77CDV and outsider for your information :). I had already found the VIN plate but, like outsider´s car it´s difficult to read due to rust; it´s easier with a torch, crossing the light beam in different directions. It begins by B 9 and matches with the official data sheet.

Rex passed inspection, so we have another year to enjoy running free :D A friend told me that a friend of him worked at an inspection station, so he came with me and some issues were solved friendly. Wipers were working 1 hour before but just for inspection failed to work :mad: Playing with the wires, I discovered that when I pushed the wiper wire socket (not the pump) to the car exterior it worked, so I think I have located the intermittent failure. Another issue was VIN number. According to present Spanish regulations about vehicle identification, this number must be engraved on the car body; the plate did not convince him so I explained that the other place where they could check VIN was at the back of engine, behind intake manifold, but that did not serve either... For this time, he let it pass but next time I will have to engrave VIN on some part of the car body, maybe near body name plate. The owner of a '65 Polara, living in Spain too, told me that he had to rivet a plate on the inside of the driver door opening for a similar reason.

This friend, who is also a mechanic, knows another old mechanic. He worked for many years at a Renault workshop but the owner had always cadillacs and he was in charge of the maintenance and repair of the boss caddy. He said that he could take a look at the problem with the A/C heater blower speeds that don´t work, as the mechanic that has helped me with the caddy so far told me this is a difficult issue for him, as cadillac A/C & heating electrical is not his strongest point. I´ll call him next week.

To celebrate Rex´s first inspection pass I went with the caddy to pick up my girl when she came out of work and have a drink with her. Maybe next Sunday we´ll go at a classic car meeting we have never went to before 20 miles from home.
 
#167 ·
Oddly, prior to 1969 I believe, the VIN was on a plate on the driver's door. There is one other place on the car to find the VIN: the front frame horn on the passenger side. For your purpose, though, I'd just have the VIN engraved on the cowl tag that you posted earlier.
 
#168 ·
There is one other place on the car to find the VIN: the front frame horn on the passenger side. For your purpose, though, I'd just have the VIN engraved on the cowl tag that you posted earlier.
That´s a good info; I didn´t know that, as the FSM don´t mention it but that place must be difficult to check. I also think that the best option will be engraving the VIN on the cowl tag. In fact, there was a moment when the inspector thought the VIN was there but I explained to him that he could find all the info about the car there except for the VIN.

----------

Glad to hear of Rex's clean bill of motoring health. :)
Thanks :), after a year, I think Rex is fixed and running ok regarding all fundamental issues so he could go wherever I wanted to (as long as I have enough funds to pay the gas:D), but now I remember the Beatles song "With a little help of my friends" :LOL:
 
#172 ·
Some update on the last improvements made on "Rex" :) Santa brought me a modern radio adapted to a long list of classic cars -among them, the '69 caddy- It arrived with some delay but once here, it´s worth the wait:



When it´s off, the screen is like an old radio dial; when it´s on, it shows the letters/numbers describing the station or song played... A CD Charger can be added (not planned by the moment), it has a USB and AUX input, so you can plug a Walkman, discman, MP3 or USB pen drive. Both inputs are located at the end of a wire that can be hidden. In this case, they´ve been attached to the temp. gauge. Everything needed -even a wiring diagram stuck on the radio- for the installation is included and the wires are perfectly labeled. Instructions are very easy to follow and a flash drive USB memory is included with some music recorded to test the player.


I took it to my friend the mechanic, who had to solve two problems: Front speakers (Rear ones were new, installed when the car was reupholstered) were literally disintegrating; the system should work with 4 speakers to avoid some circuit can be burned out, as that´s the way the radio was designed. On the other hand, the new radio had a wire for the automatic antenna (supposed to go up or down when it´s turned on or off) but the original radio had a button to raise the antenna and another one to lower it, so this wire could not be adapted to the existing relay. I bought a pair of 3.5" speakers (original diameter) with more than enough power and he got a 2 position control lever for the antenna. Some additional struggle, as the new speaker is taller than the original one; no problem with the right one but the left speaker had not enough bottom space due to the air outlets, so it had to be moved 0.5" to the left-back. No problem as 80% of its surface matches with the original grid, so there are no practical consequences on the look or the sound.

These are the front speakers, very damaged by sun and dampness suffered by the car for a number of years in the open, and the original radio:



It´s huge and weights a lot compared with the new one. An autosound technician checked it but he says it could not be repaired. It turned on but no sound could be heard after the initial crack. You couldn´t change AM to FM. Too bad as it should have been a good equipment when the car was made (It´s a Delco/Wonderbar), with an amplifier included, stereo with a tunning light... But the new radio sounds awesome. Tunes very well; it´s wonderful hearing your favorite music you can take in a flash memory. I had prepared a recopilation of '60s songs. :D

... And that´s the look once installed: You can see it with dial off and on:



The antenna control is at the right of the additional temp. gauge and the USB/AUX wire ends tied to the gauge, though they can be freed to get more length for plugging some bigger device. I´ve added 2 wood veneer discs on the buttons, same stuff than the one I used to renew the dash and the steering wheel insert, to give it a closer appearance than the original radio. Not exact but very similar. When it´s off very few could notice it´s not the original one :D

... And once the mechanic had to open the dash top (very easily unscrewing some screws, he fixed the high beam telltale light. He had to instal a new socket, taking feed from the switch on the floor as the circuit was broken at some point. Some burned out bulb behind the climate control panel was also changed.

After this was fixed, I took Rex to a good electrician some friend recommended me. He´s about 60 years and repaired many American cars 30-40 years ago so he´s familiar with these climate controls. Finally he made the blower work at all speeds; the relay I bought on Ebay supposedly for this car was not appropriate for this system so he adapted a modern relay and ¡It works!. In addition he fixed and cleaned 2 vacuum valves as warm air could not be delivered through the lower outlets. Now everything works. :D

But now the problem is A/C compressor pulley seizes from time to time making the belt to squeal even when the clutch wire unplugged. As the mechanic adviced me to buy a remanufactured one, I did so. It´s on the way together with a expansion valve and an accumulator... And 2 front coil springs as he let me bring this stuff in a container he has hired leaving Miami in one month to save a good amount. Supposedly the new torque converter is coming in this container.:cool:
 
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