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74 Eldorado engine bay support braces

Started by danjarrett1, January 27, 2018, 07:42:03 PM

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danjarrett1

While perusing numerous online pictures of early 70’s Eldorado’s, I have noticed that some of them have, what appear to be, structural support tubular braces that run diagonally from the top of the wheel well to center of the firewall in the engine bay. My 74 Eldorado's convertible does not have them, neither are there provisions, that I can detect, for them. I’m curious if mine were removed and never reinstalled? Or, were the braces optional?
1974 Cadillac Eldorado convertible
2007 Cadillac Escalade
1980 Cadillac Seville “Bustleback”
1985 Cadillac Eldorado

chrisntam

I had heard the convertibles did not get them but closed cars did.  Don't know the logic on that one, you'd figure it'd be the other around.

See if that's the case on the one's you look at and let us know what you find.
1970 Deville Convertible 
Dallas, Texas

Mike Josephic CLC #3877

My 1973 Eldorado coupe has them.  They were not an
option and I believe your car should have them also. 
Check the tops of the wheel wells under the hood for
screw holes -- those should be easy to spot.

Mike
1955 Cadillac Eldorado
1973 Cadillac Eldorado
1995 Cadillac Seville
2004 Escalade
1997 GMC Suburban 4X4, 454 engine, 3/4 ton
custom built by Santa Fe in Evansville, IN
2011 Buick Lucerne CX
-------------------------------------
CLCMRC Museum Benefactor #38
Past: VP International Affiliates, Museum Board Director, President / Director Pittsburgh Region

danjarrett1

Mike, as I mentioned, there are no provisions for braces, no empty holes on the top of the wheel wells, no empty receptacles on the firewall..it is as if they never were there! That’s why it’s a mystery. Can’t imagine that the convertibles were exempt but I can find no evidence that my car was ever equipped with them.
1974 Cadillac Eldorado convertible
2007 Cadillac Escalade
1980 Cadillac Seville “Bustleback”
1985 Cadillac Eldorado

danjarrett1

Did a Google Image search on 74eldorado engines, none of the 74models depicted had the braces or struts! I saw the braces  In 71-73 models, but no braces the on 74’s, assume they quit using them after 73 becuase a subsequent search on 75-77 models showed the engine bay sans braces! Guess GM firgurered they didn’t need them any more
1974 Cadillac Eldorado convertible
2007 Cadillac Escalade
1980 Cadillac Seville “Bustleback”
1985 Cadillac Eldorado

The Tassie Devil(le)

Maybe the braces made the front ends too stiff, which in turn could have been a compromise with regards to the crash collapsing ability of the front end?

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

76eldo

As puzzling as it is, the closed cars have these braces and the convertibles do not.  Same on my 60 convertible and 70 convertible. Not there on my 76 either. 

Seems backwards but GM didn't spend a nickel on anything that wasn't needed but this never made sense to me.

Brian
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

The Tassie Devil(le)

My '60 CDV didn't have the braces, but a friends' '60 Convertible does.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

DeVille68

My 68 DeVille Convertible did not have those braces, but had all the holes and brackets. So if you drove over a bumpy road you could see the car flex by the amount the fenders would move and shake.
I then installed the two braces and the car or at least the body was much stiffer.
I doubt that it drives better or corners flatter, the fender just moves more in sync with the rest of the body.
1968 Cadillac DeVille Convertible (silver pine green)

Roger Zimmermann

#9
Have a look in that attached listing....There must be a reason why convertibles had no struts or different ones while closed cars had them...
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

DanishEldoradoFan

My 72 Eldorado Convertible has these braces, and is "born" with them.
Niels, Denmark

Roger Zimmermann

Your convertible should have them, according to the listing above. These struts are the same as closed coupes with radial tires while closed coupes with bias ply tires have different struts.
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

andysarcade

My '74 Eldo convertible does not have them, no mounts for them either. None of the 74 Eldo's I've been looking at online recently have them...
1974 Eldorado Convertible

danjarrett1

Thanks for confirming that!!  Don’t know why they discontinued it but I’m sure the engineers figured it out
1974 Cadillac Eldorado convertible
2007 Cadillac Escalade
1980 Cadillac Seville “Bustleback”
1985 Cadillac Eldorado

cadillacmike68

It was probably a chassis change underneath that eliminated the need for them. My 1968 DVC didn't have them, but it has the holes and the studs sticking up from the fenders, so I added a pair. Now I need to paint them because they look ratty compared to the rest of the engine bay.

If your 60s convertible the optional Level Control, you Had to have them to hold the ridiculous vacuum driven pump for the rear shocks!
Regards,
"Cadillac" Mike