Projects The Best 1955 Cadillac build

Awesome work on the Caddy, hate to hear of the motor problems. Let us know what the cause of the burned rod bearing.

Nice find!
Another kustom project or?

 

Yes, we did, take a look...

Thanx for the comments Art. No, no kustom project...we'll just put it back to "stock", or close to it and prolly peddle it...

R-

 

40StudeDude, thats is one bitchin Caddy you have & the best Caddillac build for sure.

 

I am glad I got to see the car before you took it apart. But from the way it sounds it won't be long till it's rolling again in one piece. Good luck Roger.

 

Glad to hear that the engine is being fixed. the last little stuff is the worse. keep the faith . You are almost done. Mine has been running good but doesnt like stop and go traffic. I just moved so I havent built a shroud for the fan yet. I added some timing to the motor and she liked it alot. Pretty angry motor now.

Your car is looking gorgous.

Todd

 

Aw man, Roger, I feel so bad for you, but hey, it's an engine, it can be rebuilt, over and over, there's always next year, all the best.

Now I'm worried about my remote oil filter on my 54 Chevy, but it's been there for eleven years, I reckon it should be OK.

 

Hi Roger

Long time, no see!
Just "went thrue" your thread. You have come a long way since we met in Denver.
Wonderful work, just pity that the engine gave up.
But as they say, what doesn't kill ya, strengthens ya, or something...!

Keep on posting and say hello to Dan.

Rod on
Toni

 

Roger, I bet you took the picture because Dan was smiling to big to take the shot.
Very kool! I love the angle of the Caddy, had to throw it in my photo library.

Happy Trails,

Mick

 

TONI,

How ya doin'...??? Good to see you on the HAMB... How's the truk coming along...??? You going to post the build on the HAMB...???

Yeah - "long time no see," when you coming back to Denver...??? The Cadillac plak/gift you gave me still hangs on the garage wall.

Thanx for the compliments...the old Caddy will see the road soon enuff...

E St Nene, DoubleC, Nads, Mick...many thanx for the compliments...I didn't nick any paint removing body parts...putting it back together is going to be the tuff part tho...

R-

 

Hi Roger

The ol truk now have its own thread here at H.A.M.B. Search for "Worlds fastest Commer".
Will post the old pic´s first(!) and will eventually catch up with todays situation.

Looking thru that pile of pic's makes you realize how many parts there is in a car... especially if you have to fabricate most of them by yourself!
And I'm only halfway done (as I also said one year ago...)!

Have fun
Toni

 

The picture of Dan's car by the sign is really cool. I was waiting to see it. Hope you get your engine all figured out here soon. Let me know if you ever need any parts or help.

 

Johnny,

Here's part of a PM I sent to Bill, in Stratford, Ontario this morn. So let's just call this a

Minor Update...!!!

Yep Bill, the engine came out this past weekend.

After I got the front clip off, without chipping any paint I mite add...and before I pulled the engine completely, I got in my ol' "study-it" mode...pulled up my stool and looked...without any radiator, side panels or anything else in the way, I got to studying the mounts I'd built a couple of years ago...wondered if I could raise the engine enuff so that the oil filter itself would miss the tie rod ends (and that was the whole reason for using a remote -the filter hit the tie rod steering knuckle). Once I studied it enuff in my mind and figuring it "should work"...decided to find out, so unbolted the motor mounts, exhaust from the headers and shift linkage and placed a hydraulic jack under the crank pulley. I raised the whole thing up one inch...and it cleared. That puts the bottom of the oil filter 1/4" above the knuckle. Asked my brother why I didn't do that a couple of years ago, instead of using a remote...he didn't have an answer...I didn't either.

I guess it was one of those - "Hey, we'll use a remote here" moments instead of thinking it all the way thru. Ever do that? Besides, challenges I like, and I'd never attempted to use a remote, or build mounts for it, run the lines or figure out how to use one...that's the only thing I can think of at this time. Hindsight is always 1000% better than foresight...!!!

I really don't think the remote caused the problem...but to pacify the engine builder, now I'm going to use a "blueprinted" Caddy oil pump in its stock location...at least he's standing behind the engine and it's not costing me any money. It just sucks I have lots of extra work to do when I should be driving to Gunnison this weekend and showing off my handiwork.

I've had a few other HAMB friends PM me and tell me their Caddys have been running remotes for years and never had problems...so...take it all with a grain of salt.

The engine builder told me if I wanted to use a remote, I should buy an accumulator, but I simply don't want to spend more money and try to find a place to mount it...so at this time, it's "easier" to build some new motor mounts...and at this point it's only time (I've got that) ...besides, it'll take time to rebuild the engine anyway...he's coming out to pick it up this coming weekend.

R-

 

Which rod bearing?

I've run remotes with no problems, seems they do drop the O.P. a little. Do you have a oil pressure gauge?

 

Don't know which bearing yet...but yes, I do run an oil gauge. It was holding 50 pounds at 70mph and the pressure dropped to 40 when it started knocking...

R-

 

Or is it the case where turning the wheel one direction or the other will allow the filter to drop down?

Good to know that the new mounts are in process. I sure am looking forward to seeing her back together and all dolled up. Your stories have connected my to this car. I really look forward to the fastback build in the future!

Tom

 

Yes, Claymore, I took that small 'detail' into consideration...fortunately, the filter, in the stock location, is angled down and toward the front of the car so when unscrewing, it unscrews away from the tie rod knuckle, allowing plenty of room to remove and replace...but thanx for "thinking ahead" with me.

And Tom, we even looked at that but decided that raising the engine higher would eliminate having to do that...six months from now, when I'm changing the oil for the third time...would I remember to turn the wheels BEFORE unscrewing the oil filter...??? I'm old and getting older...I'm beginning to suffer from CRS...!!! Best to make it work corrrectly so I don't have to remember the simple things...!!!

R-

 

Absolutely a great build. Unfortunately some lessons are learned the hard way. Hope you get it back on the road soon. Good luck.

 

I certainly did enjoy your Cadillac build thread,........THANKS for sharing !

firstnomad
www.angelfire.com/jazz/flatlandstudio

 

Cool stuff.

great build thread

 

Any new developments?

 

Wow, I noticed some of the major custom touches, but now I am going to have to start looking for all the minor details. I'm not sure if I'll be in town for Greybeard, but I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the car. I wondered why it was MIA this summer. I just hope that my car is ready come spring, but knowing Murphy it will be summer or fall. Guess we will find out. I'm just going for a driver, I could only dream up something this nice, unless I get a very well paying job.

 

I am looking forward to more updates.

 

I would also like to see some updates on this awesome car.

 

Some times you got to get worried when it gets quiet......what is he planning now???? Some new custom touches maybe????? Big lumpy cam for a 600hp Cad mota......one never can tell

Bill

 

Sweet Caddy!

 

Thanx Bill (Bill & Lori)...and John (Ghost28), for the compliment. HotRod60F100, Ibanez616, an update is coming...thanx for kicking this back up for me...

FWIW, Ghost28 is just wanting to get back at me for the "comment" I posted on his thread last nite...Bill already knows what's going on with the Caddy...he's just playing a wild card for me...

Oh hell, why not a tease photo or two...here's a couple of "small" updated pics for you, shot last nite as I was finishing up...

I'll do a minor update on the weekend...promise...!!!

R-





Man, photobucket is S-L-O-W today...!!!

 

Amazing work Rodger - I've just spent nearly three hours reading this thread from the start!

Looking forward to seeing the glamour shots when she's all buttoned up.

BK

 

Thanx BK...it's kinda like reading a book, isn't it...??? However, I don't think any of my published books takes 3 hours to read tho...

R-

 

Very impressive build thread. Could you please post any pictures of the motor mounts that you built, I have the same engine and clip in the 49 Buick sedanette that I am building, and would like to see how the pro's do it. Thanks Brian

 

Brian, sorry, I didn't shoot any pix of the mounts...suffice to say I took the stock U-shaped motor mounts, stripped them of rubber and drilled a hole in the bottom of each. I then used two 3" wide X 2" deep pieces of channel, cut it to the length I needed, welded a nut inside of each, flipped 'em upside down (U-shape down), and welded 'em to the frame under the engine mount and lowered the engine into place. I used a stock square body mount piece of rubber (1/2" thick) to absorb engine vibration and a couple of Grade 5 bolts.

I do have some pix of the engine in place, I'll check them to see if the mounts can be seen...if so, I'll post them and you can enlarge them...cool...???

FWIW, I AM NOT a "pro"...I'm simply a back yard garage builder. I build things simply and in the way it works for me, but thank you for the compliment on the build.

R-