1946 Cadillac Convertible - The Resurrection

Sweet. Shortened the rear bow, chopped the windshield frame. What other mods to the top frame?

 

Thanks for the VIN info. I'm in the process of sandblasting my 47 Caddy and have been searching for a VIN tag all over on the body with no such luck. Only place I could figure was a spot on the driver's side cowl that looks like a square tag might have been there at one time and now missing. My Cadillac literally come in boxes from three locations as the previous owner started a restoration but only got as far as dis***embling the car. Figure the VIN tag was either in one of the boxes, or missing. Now I know there wasn't one on the body. Original motor was sold by the previous owner, but I did find the VIN # on the frame.

I'll be watching to see what you do with your hood hinge situation as I don't have hinges either! My Cadillac had a hood accident, which is what prompted the previous owner into starting to restore it. The hinges and hood support are bent up pretty bad and the hood latch mechanism is missing. Figure I will have to fabricate something new when the time comes.

Very interesting build, please keep us posted on your progress with pics!

 

Palle, that's a beautiful Cadillac! Got more pics, I like to see more of it!

 

The 47 serial number is in more than one place on the frame, good thing because it is easy to lose with the front clip swap.
On my 47 I found it on the p***enger side frame rail about in the middle of the car. Also on top of the rail same as the stamping up by the engine but in the middle of the car. Nobody had ever mentioned it to me, probably not common knowledge since you dont see it unless the body is off the frame. You can see it with a mirror once you know where to look. I have a ton of build pics of my 47 but I wont post them here.

 

dont wanna highjack this thread..i will bring more later in another one!
but heres a couple..its a padded top, done by David Martinez.
and there will be more tricks done later.

-palle

 

Indy47Caddy: if you take a closer look at the attached photo, I'm using the Cadillac hood hinges. The Buick body has to be drilled to match the Cadillac holes due to the fact the Buick hood opened side to side, not from the from. If you need original hood hinges for the 47 Cadillac, I have two spare setups. If I remember right, you have a series 62 also?

drptop70ss: did you car have more than one hidden VIN or just the one on the p***enger side? I'll take a look.

palle: don't worry on hijacking the thread, I need all the ideas I can get and you have a beautiful car. I can only hope mine ends up as nice as yours.

 

Mmmm eerrr ruhhh look like a nice short yo gots there Andy..

 

yes 2nd number was on the p***enger side top frame rail, pretty much lined up right at the center of the "X" in the frame. It is between two body mount holes.

 

Well, a little more progress. Can't say its alive, but its getting closer.

 

Nice to see that you have the doghouse on the car. Did it bolt right onto the buick body or did you have to make some adjustments to get it to fit? You are moving along quickly.

As for my car it is a 61 series. I still have some boxes store at my father's garage that I need to sort through first. The hinges are up there, but I remember they were thrashed pretty good. The cross hood brace is bent like a twizzler! Need to look at them and see what can be salvaged or fab. I also have a lead on a salvage yard in Ohio that has a few 47's. Been waiting on the weather to get better and go see what I could possibly get from them. Will definitely keep you in mind on the hinges...

A couple other things I believe I'm still missing on the car... Let me know if you can help me on any of these items! Just send me a PM if you can.

1. The "L" shape brackets that bolt the top of the front fenders to the firewall. Not too concern about these as it seems to be something I could fabricate easily. Are these part of the hinges/mount to the hinges?
2. The chrome tips on the ends of the hood trim (mount on the fenders). Have the center section, but missing the ends. At one time I bought a 46 center hood trim at a swap meet, as it does not extend into the fenders, but it didn't fit on the 47's grill and hood.
3. I prefer to have the round style of turn signals over the square style turn/fog lights that I have. See pic for example...

There will be some items that I will not use on my build, let me know what any of your missing/needed items are, maybe I can help...
Thanks, keep up the good work on your Cad.
Jason

 

drptop70ss: Thanks for the pic. Found it.

Jason: I'll check to see what I have and PM you. Be careful on purchases on the 47. Cadillac had two basic styles in 42, 46 and 47. There were variations on the 62 series and the 61 series. I think the 75 series limo was actually a third style which was similar to the 41. As to the Series 61/62, your 61 was the smaller body, sharing with the Buick Special, Olds 88, Pontiac Torpedo and I think the Chevy also. The 62 series was the larger body and shared with the Buick Roadmaster/Super and the Olds 98. Although I have had a Torpedo before, I don't know if the firewall width is the the same between the small and large bodies. I can measure mine and compare with yours. My understanding is that many of the parts don't interchange between the Series 61 and Series 62. It's sort of a hit and miss and any measurements should be verified prior to purchase or shipment.

Chuck

 

for 1947 dont forget the model 60 fleetwood, I found this beauty that had been parked for a few months or rather decades. Ended up as a donor for my model 61. Originally the plan was to save it but it was just too far gone. Your convertible has the same dash as the 60 and the trunk looks the same as well.

 

I want the RR grill...

I never knew you could go all out pimp on a 46 Caddy.

 

Didn't really forget about the 60. Sort of was thinking about it as a variation on the Series 62, basically a longer Series 62. I'm using the front clip, dash, etc from the 60. It was also the car that donated the frame with the camaro subframe. Haven't tried the trunklid because I have a convertible trunk lid from a Buick. There's not going to be a lot left over of the 60 after this build.

Yep, someone went all out pimp on the old Caddy. The car was modified up in the Detroit area. Last owner was an Odell Nails who was apparently a drummer in a English punk rock band in that area in the 80's. I tried to track him down for some history, think I found his son, but got no response. I still have the RR grille, seemed like it would make interesting wall art in the shop someday.

 

very great topic! keep it going!!!

 

Plan to keep it going until I'm done. Boomosby, as you found in your 59 conversion thread, these threads are great for ideas and input. Hey, if you haven't sold the 390 and would be willing to pallet and ship, PM me, I'm looking for another. The 390 in this build had been intended for a different project.

 

Mock up of seat and steering column. Thinking about the second picture as the theme for the interior. Seat is out a 1995 Buick Regal, but should look good recovered with the headrest eliminated.

 

A little more incentive. It looks like the ladies have always loved these old Caddy's too.

 

Your steering column looks just like the one I pick up for mine. Not sure what year mine is as we got it at a salvage yard already remove form the vehicle, thinking it is a 63 telescopic-tilt cadillac column. Center section rotates to adjust telescopic. Guessing on 63 based on one I found that was similar on Ebay. Did they change each year? What to look for to determine the year?

 

Mine is a 65/66. I've seen 63/64 tilt columns, but don't know if telescopic was availble in those years. The 67 went to the style that stayed pretty much the same through 76 or so. See below. I think the ignition switch went from the dashboard to the column in 68.

 

Getting closer and lots of room.

 

Loving this project, and enjoying all the progress pics. However, I really hope you reconsider the choice of seats. Even with the headrests off and different upholstery, that is a really unattractive, modern plasticy looking seat. Lots of much better options out there that aren't expensive at all for a seat/seats.

 

Would love to skip the platicy looking sides of the seats, but at 6'3" and 295 on a good day, many of the older seats are simply uncomfortable on high mileage trips. Built a '64 GTO back in the mid 90's with original style buckets and upholstery. Ran it 50,000 miles and never found the low back buckets to be really comfortable. Open to throughts though.

 

Starting to look like a car again.

 

Outstanding.

 

60's and early 70's Mercedes cars (even the four door sedans) had individual seats that are square and look much more period, but they're comfortable, they have built in springs in the bottom for extra suspension. Plus the hardware is all chromed. A set of those with some period upholstery would look nice and might be much more comfortable.

I personally think the modern molded buckets like you have are rock hard and much less comfortable, they give me bleacher-*** after an hour and they look like ****.

The car is coming together really nicely though, well done.

 

Hadn't thought of the Mercedes. I'll do some looking. I do like the chrome hardware look. Thanks. Guess the 61 - 64 full size buick/cadillac/pontiac buckets might work also, particularly those that angle inside when folded forward.

 

I like those too, similar in size to the M-B seats. Corvair used the same ones and seem to be easier/cheaper to find. A lot of early 60's Ramblers had a real square looking bucket seat in them (even the 4 doors) and the back folds flat backwards as well as tilting forwards, could be useful and another low-cost but still period looking option.

The Caddy is a great looking car and you're doing a great job on it, well worth the effort for a better seat.

 

Ditto on the Rambler seats. 1963 Amb***ador had some comfy ones, square with chrome trim.


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Located a set of '64 full size Pontiac buckets. Now have to figure out rear seat/armrest covers. Have the original, but really rusty just like the rest of the car.