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project 81Brownie lives!

7K views 57 replies 11 participants last post by  Brownie81 
#1 ·
Hello to all. my name is Noé. the Cadillacs name is The Brownie. a while back i posted about my car and ideas/plans. well, to make this short, I'm basically restoring this 81 Fleetwood brougham d elegance. Ive bought bearings, bushings, steering box, shocks , pads etc for front suspension. ill move on to tie rods and related items once i bust out with more funds. the air ride system is going to be manually operated and that will work with air shocks...i can picture it. anyway, yesterday i found a complete 500 out of a Fleetwood and now it too will live in a new frame. I'm keeping this Cadillac all Cadillac by all means possible !!! Ill see if i can add pictures here since I'm using my ancient phone. please check in to see my work, read my questions and add your advice !!
Cheers
 
#3 ·
A little about the car.....
I stalked this Cadillac for at least 3 years. It was just sitting there with its sad fillers crumbling down. $350 brought it home, had to be towed. a large gauge charge wire from alt to battery was replaced and a new starter bolted on and the engine lived for about 25k miles. Tck developed on lower engine and it was parked for 2 years. Its been quite difficult to find anything in junkyards or the CL ads. anyway , i upgraded to an all black almost perfect leather pillow interior . I can't seem to get pictures off my phone on here. car was not taken care of in its life. all steering and suspension is really worn out. its now unsafe to drive.
the 500 is going to get its first clean-up of its life today. ill be leaving basically a long block and adding intake, oil pan and valve cover gaskets, new water pump, and a really nice paint job..
Ill write up a list of what the lac needs, and ill work it out old-school by crossing out accomplishments . in the end of this trip, ill have a brown (ill get vin and paint codes/options list in a bit) 1981 Fleetwood, black vinyl top, and a 500 ci under the hood. after that, drive it forever.
Here we go!
 
#4 ·
Awesome!
Most people use a Photobucket acct to post to the site. It avoids the re-sizing and the photo galley limits of the forum. I use a desktop app from Postimage. It not only easily gives me links to my photo file in my computer, but easily does screen grabs from any site.

The brown black sounds like it will be a beautiful and classy look for a big old Cadillac!
 
#11 ·
The interior has a story of its own. i also scored those mint hubcaps for $50. anyway, my wife and i went on a trip to the pullnsave. out of nowhere and in between dodges, a perfect 85 silver FWBD was there. like magic. it was rolled and was maybe a day old at the yard. we took the entire interior, everything minus headliner and plastic piece that goes under the column . now, picture that interioir stuffed inside a 93 sedan deville! Just like that. what was cool is that my wife found the GOLD KEYS. we actually went back a month later and found a spare key on the trunk lid, so i brought both home along with all lock cylinders. i did forget the passenger power mirror, dimming rearrview mirror, and the front bumper. car was just perfect but rolled over. it had maybe 65k on it. sad.
off to buy oil and filter. i want to fire up the 500. Comprression was great, but there was no way to get it to run before purchase.
 
#12 ·
The interior has a story of its own. i also scored those mint hubcaps for $50. anyway, my wife and i went on a trip to the pullnsave. out of nowhere and in between dodges, a perfect 85 silver FWBD was there. like magic. it was rolled and was maybe a day old at the yard. we took the entire interior, everything minus headliner and plastic piece that goes under the column . now, picture that interioir stuffed inside a 93 sedan deville! Just like that. what was cool is that my wife found the GOLD KEYS. we actually went back a month later and found a spare key on the trunk lid, so i brought both home along with all lock cylinders. i did forget the passenger power mirror, dimming rearrview mirror, and the front bumper. car was just perfect but rolled over. it had maybe 65k on it.
off to buy oil and filter. i want to fire up the 500. Comprression was great, but there was no way to get it to run before purchase.
Cool.

Shame to hear the fate of the donor, but look at it as keeping yours out of the scrappers!
 
#14 ·
Well, anyone who has done a front suspension restoration ? My only concern is damaging the control arms while replacing the bushings. all else looks straightforward and easy. now that the 368 is out,access to problems are easier. Tomorrow i hope to fire up the 500. It looks like ill have to install it with the th400, as i doubt the motor mounts alone will hold it in the frame .
i need lots of degreaser......
 
#17 ·
Bad news for the Brownie....
crank in block has about 1/8" play. I'm in the dilemma of possibly having a 472 instead of the 500. Anything to rebuild it is awkwardly expnsive. with machine work(it will be hard to trust a shop with my caddy) and a kit we are talkin $2500+. that's just my estimate. if the cylinders look ok, a quick cut with a hone, news rings and all bearings and I'm in business. ill pop the pan soon. i wouldn't mind earning the experience to rebuild a Cadillac engine though ....

we will see.

peace
 
#19 ·
The *500* looks a lot better than before! Upon cleaning, passenger exhaust manifold is cracked and the same one on the 368 is cracked, too. Missing choke puller on carb.
Will the 368 ac compressor work on the 500? I converted to 134 and ac was nice.
 
#20 ·
The A/C compressor can work when using the stock 368 bracket in front. But the rear bracket will have to be modified.. What I have done is on the right side exhaust manifold is cut the upper A frame bolt to give clearance .. I have also done is where the first bolt is, I have milled it down so to use a shorter bolt and give clearance so not to hit.
 
#22 ·
Thanks to all who have dropped a few lines of wisdom and encouragement .


On the 368, it had problems keeping enough tension on the AC belt. The brackets were bent and in terrible shape. i notice that the 500 has the front AC bracket bolted to the block. the 368s bracket tucked under the compressor and sort of suspended it. kind of weak in my opinion. It almost looks like it'll drop right on but i will have to make or modify the rear bracket. also, the 500 has a small alternator. i want to use the 368s 100amp beefier alternator.


*>>Thanks for the tip Dr.! Ill do that before i drop in the engine .


No, those are not old photos of the brownie. IT Wil be painted in its original shade.

Cheers
 
#23 ·
Looks great! But I'm a little confused. In the same day, you've posted photos that look like before and after shots.

Is it already repainted, new tires, polished chrome, polished or replaced light lenses, etc, etc, etc...?
It looks like it's done.

Or perhaps you are a photoshop whiz?
 
#24 ·
Those are pictures of an 81 that's the same paint color as mine. here are some current ones i just took.
it is very very very far from being finished. Front amber lenses are cracked, all fillers are crap. there's also rust on A pillar as shown in picture. i wish to find an original Astro Roof and add it to my Cadillac , since I'm keeping it all Cadillac . Once there, ill take care of that rust. its crunchy under the vinyl. shots taken are of my progresses.


Otherwise , project Brownie is in full motion!
 
#26 ·
The Brownie.... i miss driving the car!
Since last posts:
Cleaned and scrubbed for about 3 days. It was a mission to get stuff prepped up for paint. i replaced all bushings and ball joints. painted springs, calipers, spindles, water pump, motor mount shells, pulleys and intake.
I need exhaust mainfolds I'm stuck with cracked ones.
i also took apart the 500! Thrust bearings were out, check out pictures .
it IS a 500 after all. I was looking for a better engine stand to hold it safer this entire time
cylinders look nice. mains ok. rods good. I decided to rebuild the 500. everything off and in the motor looks really good....
this weekend i hope to have my new rotors delivered so i can install the front suspension and brakes .

Well, ill post pictures in a bit...

peace
 
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