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1969 Deville convertible is my frame worth fixing

3K views 16 replies 7 participants last post by  HoosierCaddy 
#1 ·
should I get another frame or try to have this repaired it’s only on the passenger side.
 

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#11 ·
From a lifelong northeasterner, It looks like the old Caddy has taken a pretty good salt bath the past 50 years. The frame rust is as bad as it gets, I would doubt that is an isolated spot, you may not have found them yet, but they are there. The sheet metal has got to have spots that are pretty rusted also. To have rust fixed properly, it would cost you a fortune. Just guessing, but I bet those rear fenders have been patched and loaded with bondo.

I know this is probably you dream to fix the old girl up, but it may not be a good candidate. Rather than go broke with this one, I think I would make this a parts car and look for one with a better body. I would look a little further down south, than what you are, that way no salt.

My 2 cents

Good Luck

Tom
 
#12 ·
From a lifelong northeasterner, It looks like the old Caddy has taken a pretty good salt bath the past 50 years. The frame rust is as bad as it gets, I would doubt that is an isolated spot, you may not have found them yet, but they are there. The sheet metal has got to have spots that are pretty rusted also. To have rust fixed properly, it would cost you a fortune. Just guessing, but I bet those rear fenders have been patched and loaded with bondo.

I know this is probably you dream to fix the old girl up, but it may not be a good candidate. Rather than go broke with this one, I think I would make this a parts car and look for one with a better body. I would look a little further down south, than what you are, that way no salt.

My 2 cents

Good Luck

Tom
[/QUOTE

thank man will do
 
#14 ·
Wow she’s a Beauty!!! I’ve recently done some research and called a couple junkyards. I’ve located a new frame and I found front fender patch panels but my only problem is the rear quarter panels.It’s completely rusted where you connect the skirt to the wheel well. Hopefully I can find a body shop that can repair the damage the previous owner who had it had a shop who used a lot of Bondo for what reason I don’t know.
 

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#15 ·
My mom bought this car brand new and I restored it completely original except the motor. It's got a 1970 eldorado 500 bored out .060 over.
Had the motor dynoed 540 horsepower 714 lb-ft of torque. Also Holley sniper fuel injected. Car rides like a dream and it's quiet but is a beast.
It took me close to 15 years to build the car. I wish you good luck with yours and I'm sure you'll be satisfied with it.

George
 
#17 ·
As a rust belt denizen who's fairly good with a welder, I've repaired worse. So it is do-able, but unless you got a buddy who welds, you'll likely have to do it yourself. Clean off as much rust as you can using whatever you have handy. You can blast it, wire wheel it, use those biscuits that fit in your drill. Get off as much as possible than soak the crap out of it with X-tend rust converter. Get it up into the frame as far as you can. Not an ideal fix maybe, but it will solve the problem at least for a few years.

I'd make a template out of cardboard and cut a patch that will extend well out onto the good metal. When done, grind down your welds, a little mud, if you end up making a sharp corner, blunt it a bit with a hammer. Once done it won't be that noticeable unless somebody is under the car looking for it.

For those of you who live in mild climates, certain areas of our cars take a beating and it's not that unusual for the frame rails in back to be completely shot, while the rest of the frame is relatively solid. Sometimes you just got to do what you got to do to keep these old classics on the road. Parts and shops willing to do resto projects are many times hard to come by.

Just my 2 cents. Hope it helps.
 
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