Are there any other options for a parade boot other than the hard shell boot? When I bought my 74, there was no boot with the car, I looked at the hard shell fiberglass boot offered by OPGI, $600 unpainted with install kit. I actually prefer the vinyl soft boot but have not seen an application for a 1974.....any ideas?
Not sure about '74, but there is no reason why one cannot fit a soft boot in place.
If your car has the fittings for the soft boot, the press studs that is, I don't think it is possible to safely fit a Hard Boot without removing them. The same translates to the Hard Boot. To fit a Soft Boot, you have to install the press stud receivers, but you don't have to remove the two attacking brackets for the Hard Boot.
My book shows the Convertible Top Boot as an option costing $40.00, so if that was for the Hard Boot, then the Soft Boot would have been standard.
From what I can gather, the Soft Boot was the only cover for 1971, and in 1972, the Hard Boot became a no cost option.
Bruce. >:D
There are currently no provision for attach studs for a soft boot. Presumably this car left Detroit with a hard shell boot, there are latching receiver mounts in the sidewall of each rear passenger side. The cover was probably cracked and discarded at some time
In that case, you need to get a replacement Hard Boot, especially with the original attached Deuz fasteners.
The Hard Boots can be a bit tricky to install, but definitely a lot easier than the soft cousins. A lot of pulling and stretching to get it to fit.
BUT, the Hard Boots in themselves are a pain to store in the trunk as they take up so much room.
I wish GM had designed them to take up less room.
Bruce. >:D
PS. The other thing to be wary of is when installing the Hard Boots, take care not to destroy the Fibre Optic mount that is attached to the back of the seat back.
The little light in the rear is fiber optic? I had no idea fiber optics were even available in 1974
Yes, Fibre Optics to show the driver that the rear lights are working.
The same as those at the front on the Fenders.
Cadillac was ahead of its' day.
Not sure when it started, but my '72 has them, front and back.
Bruce. >:D
STOP!
Do not drill your belt molding and put studs on it.
You can contact Hydro Electric in Florida or Convertible Top Specialists in Florida for a repro soft boot.
The boots have nylon tabs that slip under the belt molding from the painted surface of the car and your car should have some Velcro running on the top of the back seat upright. You should also have two or three snap receivers on the wood grain metal parts of your rear quarter upholstered side pieces.
Don't mutillate the molding with ugly snaps.
Brian
Bruce, you’re right! Top specialists in Florida makes soft boot, just visited their website. I prefer a soft to hard food. The hard boot just doesn’t look right to me, the soft boot this ultimate signature of a convertible.
G'day Brian,
I hope it didn't come out that I was advocating installing studs in the belt moulding. That would never do.
Only cheap convertibles have those hideous things ruining chrome and stainless parts.
Bruce. >:D
Quote from: 76eldo on January 12, 2018, 07:43:44 AM
STOP!
Do not drill your belt molding and put studs on it.
You can contact Hydro Electric in Florida or Convertible Top Specialists in Florida for a repro soft boot.
The boots have nylon tabs that slip under the belt molding from the painted surface of the car and your car should have some Velcro running on the top of the back seat upright. You should also have two or three snap receivers on the wood grain metal parts of your rear quarter upholstered side pieces.
Don't mutillate the molding with ugly snaps.
Brian
Ditto. Good advice.
I think the 68 Corvette had fiber optic light monitors in the center console. I'm thinking that was the first.
Brian
Ah ha. Yes, I converted a '68 'Vette to RHD, and thankfully, didn't have to modify these.
Bruce. >:D
Quote from: The Tassie Devil(le) on January 12, 2018, 06:10:33 PM
G'day Brian,
I hope it didn't come out that I was advocating installing studs in the belt moulding. That would never do.
Only cheap convertibles have those hideous things ruining chrome and stainless parts.
Bruce. >:D
I can't verify it. I think there were times when Cadillac or their dealers offered simulated convertible tops, and did everything possible to make them look like a real life convertible, including adding the snaps around the rear belt line. They had a fiberglass piece that fit over the roof before the top was applied, to give the appearance of convertible bows. The phaetons had that piece on the roof across the rear, on top of the rear window,
Eric,
These were factory offerings. They were beautiful cars in my opinion.
Dealers used to load up Eldo's and Sevilles in the 80's with a RR Grill and the Roadster tops which looked like converts.
Good times!
Brian
As others have said, the soft boot slips under the chrome molding at the rear, and attached two snaps to passenger pads and velcro along the back. I like the soft look too, i have white vinyl soft boot and my car is Apollo yellow so its a nice complement.
I have however picked up a hard parade boot recently that i need to get refinished (currently metallic green!).. The quandry is - do i make this body-color yellow or do i make it a nice white?
I was thinking of roughly refinishing the parade boot in white primer and offering it up on the vehicle to judge the look before taking it to a shop to be properly painted.
Every parade boot i see online is body color, would i be an outcast for straying from this formula?
Actually, if I go with the hard boot. I was considering painting it red, same color of the interior. My car is black with red leather interior. Just a thought
How about a picture of your '80 Seville? Especially if it's a neat color.
I’m sorry to report that I sold the 80 Seville some time ago. It was a yellow ish color with matching leather! Bought a set of true-spoke wheels but the offset was wrong and I never could get them balanced. Ended up reinstalling the factory wheels. Loved that car. It’s been my experience that the general public either loved, or hated the Seville in the early 80’s! I loved it!!!
Looked too much like the back of a Rolls Royce/ Bentley/Daimler to me.
Cadillac was going backwards in trying to copy something that was old and outdated.
Bruce. >:D
The way Cadillac did it was the correct way.
Soft boot was interior color but the hard was body color.
It will just look like you have the wrong color boot if you paint a hard boot to match your interior. The hard boot is meant to be an extension of the body not the interior flowing out from the car.
The soft boot can actually go either way. My 76 Eldo is black with a red interior.
It came from the factory with a black hard boot and a black soft boot.
If the hard boot was red it just wouldn't look correct.
You’re probably right, I will likely buy a hard boot because it appears tha is what it had when new. I’ve seen them at OPGI for about $600 or so unpainted. Looks like a soft boot is $250or so but I agree, in either case, Black is the color
Quote from: The Tassie Devil(le) on February 02, 2018, 11:28:12 PM
Looked too much like the back of a Rolls Royce/ Bentley/Daimler to me.
Cadillac was going backwards in trying to copy something that was old and outdated.
Bruce. >:D
They were Sevilles you either loved or hated. I personally loved them. They were really a bold styling move for Cadillac. The bustle back was quickly copied by Lincoln and Chrysler. Yes they looked like RR's of old, but dealers were already installing RR grilles, which I personally did not like.
You can generally find decent used ones for about $350-500. If your car does not have the receiver hardware for the locking pins on the hard boot you will need that kit. Hydro Electric in Florida has the kits. If you buy a used one make sure that it has the locking pins and all of the rubber parts on the underside of the boot.
If you are not familiar with what's needed to fit this to your car, let me know and I will post some pics of what I am referring to.
Good Luck,
Brian
On the 71-76 range i've not seen many soft boots, but what i have seen have only been white or black vinyl. I have a white vinyl soft boot with Apollo yellow body, tan interior. I like the white soft boot as it matches what the white roof would have done to split up the color palette betwee interior and body. This is why my parade boot might look good in white :)
Hello,
No need to drill any holes! :-o The Eldorado came with a factory soft boot, it would snap onto the woodgrain quarter pad, and had flat nylon tabs that slid under the stainless molding around the rear of the well opening. The parade boot was optional....
If you want the original GM vinyl soft boot, I have a few in stock in various colors (including white). Or you can buy them at most convertible specialist places online.....it's the same dimensions/pattern as any 1971-75 GM full sized convertible (Impala, Caprice, LeSabre, etc). Trim shops make customized ones if you prefer.
A note on "new" parade boots. They are NOT reproductions. "GM authorized" and "reproduction" are not one in the same. The new boots are lighter in weight and possibly not as strong (less fiberglass or ?), and the parts kits are usable but are not identical to the originals. In fact the Hydro-L-ectric replacement/conversion part for the quarter trim pad is downright embarrassing...a bare piece of stamped metal. The original was a shiny stainless steel part. Bare metal does not suit an Eldorado well, my friends! LOL....That is why good used originals will always cost more than the aftermarket "replacement".
Regards
James