Went to a friends place for a road test after doing some engine and transmission work on my 57 and he snapped some pictures. This is a project that I've worked a little every year on since 1996. I'm done with as much as I'm going to do untill I find a good local stainless steel restorer that's local.
That's a beaut - If you want contact info to a local to me stainless polisher extraordinaire that's not so local to you - But just across state lines in Tacoma, Washington, send me a PM. Got a quote for my Dart wagon to straighten and polish all 40+ pieces, $1,700 and the guarantee that if I tweak any on install, he will fix them for free. He does some work for high end customers.
A couple of weeks ago, melted down some now, every thing is still frozen to the ground here after that cold snap where it dropped below zero a few days in a row.
Another excellent stainless restorer is Harold Wallace, Camas,Wa, about 25-30 miles east of Portland. His phone # is 360-834-7336.
Wow!! Beautiful car, have you given any thought to polishing the stainless yourself? Our 57 Buick I polished all the stainless except one piece on the quarter that was damaged, the chrome plater that restored the taillight housings also repaired stainless J R Custom plating Forest Lake MN. did a great job on all. I bought some supplies off eastwood garage a polisher from harbor freight and a book and I'm very happy with the results and yes it takes time. Good Luck and keep the progress photos coming!
Thanks for the tips and comments, if I have to I will polish it my self. I've watched Eastwood's videos and have some equipment but good trim for these is hard to come by and I would be very disappointed in my self if I screwed it up.
I owned a '57 Coupe DeVille from 1984-1992, sold it to a good friend. I loved that car. Nothing sounds like an early Cad with 4 speed hydramatic. And they float like a cloud going down the highway. Yours looks great!
That Caddy just reeks of CLASS !! Love that style .. Good for you. And thanks for sharing with us....
Thanks for the kind words, I found a local metal polisher in Bend that actually has a business with a shop so I'll take the stuff to him Monday and start looking for the hardware to install it. I'm a little excited to get this project back on track and finish the car for this next summer, it's been 14 years in the works.
Dropped the stainless trim off at the polisher's yesterday and he got back to me with a price this mourning, seemed reasonable so I told him it was a go.
Got my trim back from the polisher and he did a great job. Most of it is wrapped up but here's the wheel opening and front fender trim.
Pulled my parts car in to the shop to pull the instrument panel and try to salvage some of the trim clips for samples.Had to drop a bug bomb in it and let it sit for a day to evict some unwelcome creatures.
Been a long time since I posted on this thread. Working on the old girl getting it ready for a road trip I want to take, to Chicago on US 30 and back to the west coast on 66. I cheeped out on the front trans seal and got a case of guilty conscience so I pulled it back out and put the expensive one in. Everything on her was new 16 years age but time in the barn takes it's toll on even new stuff, so new hoses and belts, brake cylinders are getting replaced for insurance and peace of mind. Things left to fix are the speedo cable, and instrument panel. The tires look good but are 20 years old, so off they come, besides I want a set of wire wheels. The stainless trim is all done and I have a re-chromed front bumper an grill to put on it, then off to the AC guy.
The transmission is all sealed up and working like it's supposed to but now I have a leaky engine oil pan, so back up on the hoist and off with the pan. sure be glad when I can get out from under it.
Got all the oil leaks fixed so now on to the bling. Unwrapped and****embled the new chrome I've had on a shelf for 16 years and started rounding up the other trim I've been saving up. Found enough parts to put together a nice set of side scoops.
Had to use my transmission jack and a cherry picker to hoist it up in place, but here it is all bolted in.
Then pulled the back bumper to get rid of the hitch and install the proper piece that holds the license plate and light.
Front wheel cylenders and master cylenders wern't available back when I started this project but now to my suprise some one is reproducing them. Mine were margional when I rebuilt them back in around 2000 and the time stored in the barn wasn't kind to them. Last time I rods tedted the car the brakes didn't seem right so time for a look and some repairs.
The Jalopy Journal
