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1968 Eldorado Restoration

Started by Davidinhartford, August 29, 2011, 07:25:52 PM

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DeVille68

Wow - these "small" changes really make a difference.
I already checked the SEM website, but they do not have a dark green color. It seems that I would need to mix the dark green by myself.
1968 Cadillac DeVille Convertible (silver pine green)

Smedly

Wow, the veneer looks awesome. I wonder if it would work on my dash? ???
Sheldon Hay
When a Doctor "saves a Life" it does not necessarily mean that that life will ever be the same as it was, but he still saved it. My 46 may not be as it was but it is still alive.
Sheldon Hay

Ralph Messina CLC 4937

Dave,

I recently had the same rear seat removal /installation problems. It had new padding and upholstery so we expected it to be a hard fit.  Two of us struggled with all our weight and strength trying to install the rear cushion. We went as far as trying a pry bar to get the seat loop over the floor hook. Nothing worked.

I drove back to the upholstery shop and learned a trick. Sit in the door jamb facing rearward. Put a clean towel on the cushion. Place appropriate right or left foot on the cushion riser so your heel is on the lower frame bar and top of foot is up near the top of the cushion. With the front of the cushion slightly raised, push backward with your leg â€" it will go in quite far â€" while having a helper push the cushion down. The cushion will slide into place easily.
1966 Fleetwood Brougham-with a new caretaker http://bit.ly/1GCn8I4
1966 Eldorado-with a new caretaker  http://bit.ly/1OrxLoY
2018 GMC Yukon

Lucas Feininger #15674

Great tip on seat removal/installation. That's what I love about this Forum -- you learn something new every time you visit.
Lucas Feininger
1965 Sedan de Ville
1965 Eldorado
2014 SRX
CLC #15674

"The only way to travel is Cadillac style"

Coupe Deville

Quote from: David Smith on October 18, 2014, 03:59:25 PM
What I need is a time machine to go back and buy some parts.   LOL

You......me........and everyone els on the forum.
-Gavin Myers CLC Member #27431
"The 59' Cadillac says more about America than a whole trunk full of history books, It was the American Dream"

mgbeda

Hi David,

If you don't mind me asking, how much was deducted for the non-original hood ornament?  I'm debating whether I want to leave mine off, as it came from the factory, or mount the wreath and crest, as it was when my Dad bought it two years old.  I sure liked seeing that as I drove down the road.  Of course it'll be a long time before I have to decide. 

You did a beautiful job with the hood ornament retrofit, by the way.  Maybe Cadillac didn't build them that way but they should have.

Judging must be pretty tough if a car as gorgeous as yours only rates a B+.

-mB
-Mike Beda
CLC #24610
1976 Sedan DeVille (Bessie)

mgbeda

That's a shame.  You'd think they would tell you the specific problems so you could address them and have a better chance next time.  Oh well, as far as I'm concerned that's a pretty small part of the joy of owning of of our cars.

-mB
-Mike Beda
CLC #24610
1976 Sedan DeVille (Bessie)

Coupe Deville

Hello David. I have a question for you about the 68. I know that the 68' Eldorado's came standard with air suspension. Is the air suspension just ride leveling or is it actually adjustable? I know that the late 50s and early 60s Eldorado's you could actually adjust the ride height inside the car via the use of a lever. Is the 68 the same? Nothing pressing, just curios.

Thanks

-Gavin
-Gavin Myers CLC Member #27431
"The 59' Cadillac says more about America than a whole trunk full of history books, It was the American Dream"

Rob Troxel

In addition to Dave's well written explanation, I can add some real world experience:  The  67 thru 1970 Eldorado rear springs are single leaf.  Over time these springs begin to loose their temper and will start to sag ever so slightly.  As this issue progresses the air pump works harder to maintain a level position on the rear of the car.  Ultimately the air pump fails.  This can be exacerbated if the owners happened to pull a trailer.  My car, a 68 Eldorado  (recently sold) had these issues and I replaced the original rear single leaf springs with a heavier 3 leaf set up being careful to not raise the rear body higher that a stock stance.  The original under hood air pump has replaced with a rebuilt unit along with an NOS air tank reservoir. The trick is to have the pump working only to restore the ride height as needed for a trunk load or extra passengers.  The ride is now fantastic .  Most folks won't go thru this drill and often opt for new airshocks along with a manual fill Schrader valve usually mounted in the trunk.  This approach adds extra stress to the shocks since they have to compensate for the weak original springs and the extra deflection in getting the rear level.

tudor_47

beutiful pictures of beutiful cars and great scenerie

Glen

Great pictures

The headlight doors use the vacuum tank mounted behind the left headlight.  The two vacuum tanks that look like juice cans are for other accessories such as power door locks.  I cant remember which one goes with what accessories. 
Glen Houlton CLC #727 
CLCMRC benefactor #104

Glen

I have to disagree.  See the attached from the shop manual.  Note the figures across the top, labeled “Option Equipment With Twilight Sentinel” and shows two juice cans.  “Option Equipment Without Twilight Sentinel” and also shows two juice cans. And “Twilight Sentinel only” (the “yellow” is a printing error) and shows no juice cans. 

I’ll see if I can find what makes the difference between the one or two cans.  My 68 ELDO did not come with Twilight Sentinel or trunk release but did come with two cans.  I think the big can is for the A/C.  Not sure. 
Glen Houlton CLC #727 
CLCMRC benefactor #104

Glen

#232
Keep in mind the yellow hose is the vacuum source so it connects a lot of things.  It’s the second hose on each juice can that is not shown in that picture that goes to the systems being supplied. 

In my research on these headlight doors I have made simplified (I hope) diagrams which follow.  The hose colors in the drawings match the color markers on the hoses. 

Glen Houlton CLC #727 
CLCMRC benefactor #104

Bill Young

I Love the 1968 Eldorado , I have since they were new. I well remember back in the seventies seeing one in San Mateo Red with a white vinyl top with white seats and Red Dash and Carpet with Red seat belts on the white seats. Thankfully I have never seen one for sale since as I would be almost unable to resist buying it. You see I have ( OCD ) Old Cadillac Disorder. OK , It's time for a meeting. Hi , My name is Bill , Hi Bill. I resisted buying another Old Cadillac this week. Good Bill ( clapping is herd ) , OK I admit I have owned 30 Old Cadillac's in My life. yatta , yatta , yatta.

Bill Young

I owned a 1967 Eldorado Coupe I bought in 1982. It was Pinecrest Green with White Leather seats and white headliner with medium green dash and carpet with bucket seats and console, It was an end of production Car and It had the 1968 Lamps in the front fender ends instead of the blanks as well as the 1967 turn indicators in the lower front bumper. At the time I thought a previous Owner had had them installed to make the Car look more like a '68 however I have in years since owning the Car learned that some of the '67 Eldorado's built just prior to the end of production had '68 lights in the front fenders from the factory. I thought you might find this interesting.

Glen

Quote from: David Smith on November 27, 2014, 08:21:31 AM
Very interesting Glenn!     I didn't know that the 67 and 68 systems were that different!

I knew the headlamp switch was different, but I assumed that was due to the fact the front (and now side) parking lamps were made to stay on with the headlamps on, unlike in 67 they went off in head lamp mode.

So on 1968 Twilight Sentinel equipped cars the headlamp switch has the vacuum lines not used?   Very interesting indeed!

Not exactly.  It seems the engineers were afraid of the electrical solenoid valve not working.   In 67 if the solenoid valve fails you can pull the headlight switch all the way out and the vacuum to the close door side of the actuator is released and you can manually open the doors. 

On the 68 if you pull the headlight switch all the way out the vacuum to the Electro-Pneumatic Relay piston is released and a spring moves the relay valve to the open position.  The unfortunate side effect is when the vacuum tank becomes depleted the last bit of vacuum is routed to the open actuators and the doors open a couple of inches   
Glen Houlton CLC #727 
CLCMRC benefactor #104

Bill Young

Hello, The statement I made regarding the statement about the 1968 fender lights being placed on final '67 Eldorado's at the Factory. The book " Cadillac's of the sixties " By the noted Cadillac expert Roy A. Schneider on page 184 states quote ( There is evidence that the caps were replaced with '68- type light assemblies in advance of the '68 model change over. ) I give credence to this author as he states elsewhere in His book that he made repeated trips to Clark final assembly during this period and personally interviewed Bill Mitchell. By the way David where did you locate that Red '68 Eldorado?

Bill Young

Thanks, If You want to talk 60's Cadillacs E-Mail me your number. mercguy1@aol.com
Sincerely , Bill Young

joeinbcs

Very interesting...I wish my car was a "no shoulder belt car".
Now I hope I can remove them without a trace...
Joe Northrop
9633 Whispering Ridge
College Station, TX  77845
joenorthrop@yahoo.com
979-324-6432

1967 Eldorado, Atlantis Blue Firemist (slick top), Blue leather.

joeinbcs

Sure, but, the look would be better by far if they were just gone!
Joe Northrop
9633 Whispering Ridge
College Station, TX  77845
joenorthrop@yahoo.com
979-324-6432

1967 Eldorado, Atlantis Blue Firemist (slick top), Blue leather.