1946 Cadillac Convertible - The Resurrection

Bought a rusty 1946 Cadillac Convertible off Evil-Bay about 4 years. Due to the fact the seller listed with no reserve, got it for about what the convertible specific parts were worth, but have been stubbornly hanging on to it and buying parts as opposed to parting it out like I probably should of.

Found a '47 convertible shell that doesn't have a lot of rust, but quite a few bullet holes, (was a Roadmaster or Super, but will work with a Cadillac), a '47 Series 60 for the front clip that turned out to have a Camaro Sub-frame, (need to shorten the frame due to the wheel base differences between the Series 62 and Series 60, and found the missing convertible stainless, rear windows and a NOS rear top frame wooden obow.

Recently hit the point of put up or shut up. Nothing more to buy, so might as well get going on it and stop storing stuff at my friend's places and hearing about it. It's a scary looking project, but I plan to treat it as a large jigsaw puzzle whose individual parts need refinishing prior to re***embly. Figure that broken down into smaller projects, it can be managed over time.

It's going to get a 390 tri power with a 4l80e. Haven't determined what rear-end yet.

So, hope that a build thread will get me going and keep me going.

 

I'm tuned in. Those are gogeous cars when they are done right. Sounds like a good solid plan on the build. Wh***up wit dat front end? Looks like '59 cadillac rear bumper ends.

 

Mandinga that is a lot of rust. That car is worth it though. Can't wait to see this one come together. Your going to take the rear end off of the front end right?

 

Throw three cars in the pot, stir well and come out with one nice car in the end, sounds like a good plan to me. Pretty close to my current rebuild for my 48.

Now keep us posted on the progress.

 

Remember -They are only original once - Now let the fun begin...

What is with the screen on the headlamp and the backup lights on the front???

 

Cant wait to see it done.

 

It had been made into a pimpmobile "Rolls Royce" up in the Detroit area back in the '60's. When I got it, it had a Rolls Royce grille shell along with those bumper ends. The front bumper had been extended forward to allow for the grill. The rear bumper was set up with a spare tire holder. Even before it rusted, all I can say is it must have been ugly but quite noticeable.

 

There are a couple caddy 4 doors of that era in a local junkyard up here in the Dayton Ohio area if you are ever in the area.

 

VERY cool project!

Brian

 

Great start. Please keep posting pic's !!!!!

 

What are your plans? I'm trying to envision it's 60s look, but the '59 bumper parts are a neat touch. An all Caddy custom could be quite cool.

 

Looks like fun, in a masochistic kind of way.


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Them big fat Caddys like yours are so very kool when they are done correctly (not like putting '59 Caddy rear bumpers on the front...!!!). Hope you stick with it...

R-

 

Can't really see redoing the car the way it had been done. When I got it, it had a Rolls Royce grille. I tend to lean towards a basically stock appearance with modern handling and accelleration. First things first though, need to get the frame set up and working. It's supposed to warm up here in the high desert over the next week or so, so hopefully will get something done with the frame.

 

If you have a pic of the car from the RR grill days, it would be fun to see.

 

Worth saving. I knew a fellow who had a rusty '55 Caddy convertible and a good solid coupe. I showed him how to do a body swap onto the convertible frame and turn the coupe into a convertible using all the OEM parts off the rusty donor car. A lot of work however when finished it was done properly and you couldn't pick it.

 

Subscribe cause I like those big old Caddys.

 

Found a picture of how it looked before I started taking it apart. Have a few more, but this gives the idea.

 

Oh wow - that was... speshull alright!

Great save though. Should be very cool when re done.

 

Cool build! I am building a 47 Cad 60 Series 2 door fastback. Pics in an album in my profile if you like to see.

Just a precaution, even though the 47 and 46 look the same, I have found that some of the parts will not interchange. Especially in the front grill area. I know that the hood, grill and hood trim will not interchange. Example, the trim that fits to the hood and forms the top of the grill on a 46 will not fit the 47 (47 hood has a slightly different contour to the front peek of it).

The entire doghouse from the 47 may fit the 46, I'm not sure if there is any difference in the body where the front end matchs up with the cowl and doors.

Looking forward to seeing your progress!

 

Hey Indy47...how 'bout posting up some pix of your project (or starting a build thread of your own) ...I love seeing Caddys built...

R-

 

Hello Roger, Your Caddy is great! I've been dig'n through your old build thread for awhile... Congratulations on the recent contest win, you had my vote!

There are pics in an album in my profile... not gonna steal this man's thread with my ride. I might do a build thread on mine after I get past the sandblasting stage, it wouldn't make interesting updates at this stage.

 

Not a lot of progress, but the Cadillac doors do fit the Buick shell. If weather permits, the frame will be shortened next week and hopefully work will start on setting up the front clip.

 

It fits. Now on to front clip and engine/transmission mounts. Been spending a lot of time here trying to figure out the end look. The Caddy's look pretty good stock, especially when slightly lowered. Plan to lower it a few inches. I'm also going to dress up the 390 that's going in it. Probably go with wire wheels and 2 1/2 inch wide whites. Still have plenty of time to think about it though.

 

Marked... Always liked the 46' Caddy convertible and want to do a late 40's custom out of one someday

 

I misunderstood, thought you had a 47 caddy convt. body that you were putting your 46 parts on, instead you have a 47 Buick body...

I knew that many of the Buick, Pontiac, Cadillac, etc. use the GM C & B bodies. Always wondered if the doors, fenders, trunk, etc. would interchanged. (at least without much modifying) Seems your car is matching up real nice.

Do you have another 46-47 Cadillac doghouse? Or are you converting your modified 46 back to original? Seems like it is a lot to change it back...

Also, just curious... You have 46 Cadillac ***le, are you just moving the vin tag from the Cadillac to the Buick body? Creating a new vin tag to match your 46 ***le? –This is how my father did a 40 sedan here in IN as it was missing the tags on the body. Which did create an issue when it was sold at a Goodguys show in CA. CA issued the car a new vin number. Yours is a different body, different frame (sub framed?) with the appearance of a 46 Cadillac... just wonder how this works in AZ?

Glad to see you saving the Caddy! Keep up the good work.

 

Yep, the body is a Buick Roadmaster or Super shell. Probably should have named this thread "Bride of Frankenstein" as opposed to "the Resurrection." Probably more fitting as the car will be a combination of the best of two Cadillacs with a Buick convertible shell thrown in for good measure.


Only mounting issues so far involve the fact that the Caddy uses a hood hinge setup and the Buick hood lifts from either side and had no hood hinges. Couple of brackets on the cowl at the rear of the front fenders to mount the front fenders on a Caddy, none on the Buick. Tailpan on Buick body will have to have the taillight holes filled. Windshield frame will have to be modified slightly to match the Caddy. Holes in the dashboard are wrong, but I'm not going to worry about that. Smoothing the dash in the long run anyway.


The donor '47 Cadillac Series 60 had a pretty good doghouse with just a couple of rust spots, I'm using that as opposed to the modified '46 doghouse.


***ling may end up being somewhat of an adventure. Cadillac did not have body VIN's until sometime after 1960. Rather the VIN was stamped on the motor and the right side of the frame behind the motor support. Using a later model motor with a subframe ends up losing both numbers. While Buick had body VIN tags in the 40's, the Buick shell appears to have donated its VIN tag to something else earlier in its history. (The convertible shell I'm using was thrown away years ago, but only after being stripped of everything but the rear fenders.) An ***igned VIN will be in order. However, in order to get an ***igned VIN, the car has to look like it is a car, not just a pile of parts. I've done it here in AZ before, it can be done, but can be a little frustrating. Guess its the price one pays for building a ride with a luxury look on a beer budget.


The comment "with the appearance of a 46 Cadillac" is correct in this case, but I haven't been able to bring myself to modify a restorable original on several occasions and end up selling them to restorers rather than building what I wanted. On this one, I can do what I like without the guilt.


Engine and transmission are going to be mounted next week. Then comes the brake setup, column setup and front clip. Found a set of the early 40's Cadillac dog dish hubcaps, so going with steelies and beauty rings. I'll post more pics when I get them.

 

Engine and transmission are now mounted. Now on to steering column, brake booster and front clip.

 

**** that 'Custom' was ugly!...and a RR theme..glad you saved it!

i love 42-47 cads..and have no guilt in cutting one up!


heres mine!

-Palle

 

Palle-your custom Cadillac is awesome!

Good starting material, and your work really paid of in those flowing lines!