Hey all! I have been lurking around here for a while, just kinda waiting for my time to come. I have been around cars all my life, was born and bred on muscle, but it wasn't until about 6 months ago that I truly found my desire lied in traditional rods and kustoms. I was going to a car show with my friend and his dad. My friend has a '69 Olds Cutl*** Supreme (fully restored, gorgeous car). My friend's dad, however, has a '55 Olds Rocket 88 that he let me drive for a good portion of the cruise from the show. In all my life since owning the Elky (bought when I was 14) and helping restore my friends Cutl***, I never felt joy and happiness like I did behind the wheel of that '55. That all being said, I have a friend who has had a '654 Cadillac Series 62 that has been literally sitting in a barn for years that he acquired after someone they knew who owned a funeral service left the business and disbanded the fleet of funeral cars. It has sat since. This is a Michiagn car, and it is unreal how solid it is, with only 70600 original miles. The only way I was able to get this car was by selling a '74 Javelin I had waiting for resto that I clearly lost interest in. OK - on with what you clicked here for - pictures! I am in Chicago, and the car is in Michigan, so this is all I have for now. The space is real tight where it is stored, so I did what I could. Can't wait to start!! Super solid underneath, but leaking a little.
I'm not sure what a " '654 Cadillac" is...and I thot I knew most of the models...but that's a decent car...good luck with it... Oh, and watch out for those Black Widows that build those ugly webs under the car... R-
Also, any advice on chopping coils on these is much appreciated as that is going to be one of the first things to do. Thanks!
Yes, indeed! that would be a '64 Cadillac. Oops! Didn't see any actual spiders, but was surely keeping my eyes out for them!
Pretty easy to cut the coils on these cars...just did it on a 64 Cadillac a few weeks ago. Remove the shocks, use a fork to break loose the ballstud, carefully lower the control arm with a floor jack underneath, remove spring, cut 1/2 coil, re-install, check ride height, repeat process until you're satisfied. The rear springs are not as rigid and are a little easier to deal with but it's generally the same process. Tools needed: floor jack, cut off wheel (be extremely saftey oriented when using), vise, tie rod fork. Good Luck!
I definitely will! Like I mentioned, I am in Chicago, and it is in Michigan. I just don't have space nor a heated garage to work on it here in Chicago, so it will be every few weeks that I get to Michigan. As soon as I have more progress, I will post it!
I would add w****** a chain thru the coil and control arm for safety. In case the springs decides to shoot out of the pockets.
So, she is home. Now time to get to work. Initial plans are to simply clean it up and start cruising. Over the winter (long here in the Midwest, most years) are to get a few dents/dings cleaned up, new water pump (other than that, runs AWESOME) some fresh paint, lowered a touch, WWWs, 61 polished 'caps to get cruisin in the Spring! Seeing the light of day again! Love these front ends...
thats a relaly great car and find! if i were you i woudl start with two turns out of the spirngs. you can drop really far really fast if you are not careful. doing the rears will be way easy because there are no control arms locking the spirngs in place...but rememeber also about your cross member and pan....dont want either to low......so s****in is coool, but causes issues. one way or another coool cadi!!!!
Nice find.I had a lot of '60's Caddys over the years. Best of luck with it. You may not be far from me.
Thanks guys! A little more progress. Got the wheel covers off (never did dig those from 64 - gives a little more at***ude. Anyways, pictures! First wash! My 2 yr old niece already loves getting behind the wheel! Watch out! Cruisin' downtown Holland, MI... Some of the paint bubbling and flaking. Also, where the D pillar meets the rear quarter, you can see some bubbling Under the paint. Is this where the original lead filler was used when these were joined? I am fairly certain this is the original condition of the car - is this a common issue? A few dents here and there as well, mostly on the hood. A little while later I realized that the door edging just pops off. Hate how it kills the flow of the body lines... Anyways, more to come next weekend - looking to make it a little louder (single outlet for now...), freshen the paint on the wheels, and maybe some white on the roof/pillars to two tone it. Still considering the drop as well...
I wouldn't lower it too much, it just naturally looks pretty low now. I'd get some kind of hubcaps on it. Most of all when the snow flies & they salt the roads I wouldn't take it anywhere near them....
Heck no! This thing will be no where near the salt in the winter! As far as the lowering, I am going back and forth on it. I have seen so many pictures and a little lower makes it look so sweet, and have asked plenty of people about the ride quality, and they say it won't change much. We'll see!
I always wanted to find the 6 window 64, awesome four door. The drop sounds like a good plan. The rear might need some driveshaft clearancing in the ch***is, you will see it when you get under there. I like them in stock form with all the Chrome but also they look great shaved. I had a coupe with all the side trim, fender tops, badges, handles and even the entire super fowl and the trim around the beltline. under the rear window shaved. It looked sleek. The lead spots only run in the beltline behind the trim and a strip from beltline to the radius of the trunk edge. I do.not.recall lead where you show pics of the rust bubbling.
Alright guys, gonna claim some ignorance here. On this application, when I break the ballstuds, do I need to replace them, or are they reusable? Sorry again for the ignorance...
Cool ride. What I like best, it's a hardtop! Wide whites, cool set of 'caps and lowered and ur done. Enjoy my friend.
I am pretty stoked about it as well! Still when I get in and go for a drive, I feel like I took my friend (who I bought it from) for highway robbery. $1500. Are you kidding me!?!
Yeah, in his opinion, it was just taking up good storage space, and a LOT of storage you can fit where this ****er was sitting!!
Yeah I got "lucky" with my 56 too. I'm stuck waiting on spring time myself.Good luck with that beauty .
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