Restoring a Cadillac - need help from someone in the US.

[Dazaa]

Long story short I'm restoring a 1975 Eldorado I found here in London. She had been abandoned in a condemned building for 20 years and was headed to the crusher. The issue I'm having is the windshield surround is totally rotted out, and ebay sellers want 500 bucks for the sheet metal from another car, which is nuts. Anyone on here who lives near a junk yard that could source me the frame from one? Would obviously pay for your help + cost of parts. The surround is the same on all the full sized 1975 GM cars like the Pontiac catalina. Welding is no problem over here, but fabricating the frame is, hence why I'd rather buy one. Pictures show the damage across the top of the frame, the side supports we can patch, but the top is curved to support the glass and difficult to make since the original has fallen apart.

 

[62caddy]

I suggest joining the Cadillac & La Salle Club forum and posting your questions there. A very knowledgeable and helpful group for all things Cadillac-related.

Good luck with the project.

http://forums.cadillaclasalleclub.org/index.php

 

[quaddriver]

are you sure they are the same? is the same part for the windshield specced ? the catbird and eldo are different body platforms, and while its possible, its not generally likely so verify.

note: just checked with my supplier and they are the same glass for some models, not sure of the whys, but the convertible, 2 door and 4 door all spec a different number. Its likely because of the bubble shape to flow each body as the pillars move.

join www.cadillacforums.com (Im a member because of my deville) and they have a section on each body style

do some other legwork as well cuz 1976 is the magic year in the US....last year for the very large B/C bodies and in 77 the B/C bodies started riding modified frames for the previous A bodies...I know..confusing.

if you can get a hit, try classic oldsmobile.com. the larger olds tended to be more preserved or hoarded in this country, and I know where a 75/76 98 wagon sits...(and the same year toro might be a drop in)

a lot of our stuff got smooshed out when chinese steel demand peaked. if the car is in such shape that the glass is gone, the whole thing rots quickly so into the shredder they went.

 

[BobbyBluz]

You need the A pillars from a 1974, 75 or 76 GM E-body ragtop.

 

[nhvfxs]

My car
I had one on those.

Welcome to the $300 fill up club!

My was a 501 cubic inch chicago pimpmobile

With that car. You need to check the boots on the fwd
every six months.
The boots constantly give out. You need to learn that one repair.
.

 

[olson_jr]

My car
I had one on those.

Welcome to the $300 fill up club!

My was a 501 cubic inch chicago pimpmobile

With that car. You need to check the boots on the fwd
every six months.
The boots constantly give out. You need to learn that one repair.
.

You were paying $11/gallon if it cost you $300 to fill the 27-gallon tank?

When I was a mechanic in an independent shop we had three customers that had the 472 & 500 engines in Eldorados and I never remember the axle boots being an issue. I believe they used the same axle for like 10 years.

Now if you had raised or lowered the car I could see the boots being an issue.

 

[62caddy]

You were paying $11/gallon if it cost you $300 to fill the 27-gallon tank?

When I was a mechanic in an independent shop we had three customers that had the 472 & 500 engines in Devilles and I never remember the axle boots being an issue. I believe they used the same axle for like 10 years.

Now if you had raised or lowered the car I could see the boots being an issue.

Axle boots common failure in Eldorado which is FWD.

DeVille is RWD so it does not have this problem.

 

[olson_jr]

Axle boots common failure in Eldorado which is FWD.

DeVille is RWD so it does not have this problem.

Sorry, the FWD Eldorado is what I meant.

Common is that they fail after 40 years, or common in that they fail every 6 months?

I seem to remember swapping the shafts from left to right for one customer so the joint would only make the ticking noise while turning in reverse?

 

[62caddy]

Sorry, the FWD Eldorado is what I meant.

Common is that they fail after 40 years, or common in that they fail every 6 months?

I seem to remember swapping the shafts from left to right for one customer so the joint would only make the ticking noise while turning in reverse?

Back in the day clicking CV joints in 71-78 Eldorados was extremely common as the boots failed with abandon - at least in these parts. How often I can't say - it would depend on any number of factors but it was virtually assumed whenever one was being traded in.

Even in the movie Casino, the memories came flooding back as I heard the CVs clicking in a yellow '78 Eldorado as Robert DeNiro was moving the car in a parking lot with the front wheels turned (L or R)?

 

[nhvfxs]

You are. -_SO- wrong.

Not even close.

I actially owned the car.
My dad ownedonr too.

So dont even pretend you know more than me

Not even close.
But hey.

That is a real beautiful car. Lol

 

[nhvfxs]

It takes about a hour for a ecpetienced mecjanic to remove the boots.

Go ahead and show me the condotipn of your boots.

Show them or be quiet

 

[quaddriver]

with the windshield frame in that condition, and being over 2000 miles away from the nearest shot at a boneyard, the boots are his least concern.

just sayin....

 

[Pioneered]

I owned a beautiful 76 Eldorado with factory moon roof and 500 cu. in., it was a great car that left everything behind and rode like a dream.
Although in the 10-15 years I owned it I had to replace the CV joints twice and when I finally let it go it needed them again, and NO I didn't hot rod it.
It was my luxury car that drove me home from a hard week or two in a Freightliner. Here's the only photo of it I have left. Good luck sir finding reasonably priced parts for these, the price has gone wayyyy up on these since I bought mine from a friend for $700. Last one I seen like it went for around $20,000 I believe. Wish I had it back.

 

[nhvfxs]

The larger american tank was replaced to fit in the ragtop gear.
That must be the discrepency.

 

[usedto]

As bad as that windshield frame looks, , I personally would be more concerned about what the rest of the metal on the car looks like.

 

[nhvfxs]

My dad had about 500K. Miles on his before he decided to park it and buy another caddy

 

[62caddy]

I got this 1975 Eldorado Coupe back in 1983 when I was 19. It was absolutely mint with 58,000 miles. (Pic flaws not on car.) My father was in the car business and he picked it up at the Cadillac dealer where he used to buy a lot of trades. He got it for $1,500 which is what he let me have it for.

Will never forget the smell of that leather.

*RE CV joints: My recollection once clicking had begun, the joints were ruined. Thankfully I never had that problem with either 1975 Eldo I owned. (The other was white, black 1/2 roof w/ b&w hound's tooth cloth interior).

 

[Pioneered]

Beautiful! And same red interior as mine and yes, I remember the smell of the leather and the feel, like sitting on your home sofa.
I use to say it drove me home because it was so easy and smooth to drive. It was my last Cadillac having owned
previously a 65 Sedan De Ville and a 69 Sedan De Ville.

 

[62caddy]

@Pioneered...your interior probably claret or red. Mine dark brown. (I would have MUCH preferred the color combo on your car!)

*Here's my latest Cadillac acquisition. Not show quality by any stretch but a mostly original driver.

 

[Shadowdog]

I have an 81 Eldo. with 115K KM and a nice running 368 CI V8 and worn out front end as the new Moog parts failed in less than 6K (yes I greased them) back in 2007-2008. I too like the smell of the perfect leather and the way it rides and handles.