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1957 Eldorado Brougham restoration

Started by 57cadillac, August 18, 2010, 10:56:35 AM

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57cadillac

I bought myself a '57 eldorado brougham over a year ago, and have yet to start doing anything on the car. As of now, i am gathering the chrome parts to get re-plated and some of the chrome parts polished. My plan on the restoration is to restore all of the parts for the car which should last me over this winter, and by then i will decide whether or not i will get the body repainted the original color. I have lots of research and questions to get answered, like what color were certain parts painted(engine components, seat frame and springs, etc), since there are a few members here that have already restored or own a brougham.

The first three pictures were from when i picked up the car.





Here the car was already packed up for shipping out, and gives a better view of the back end. I like to call the grill "the holy grill" since it would be expensive and hard to find a replacement for it.

Nik
1957 Eldorado Brougham #184
1963 Daimler 2.5 v8

CRAIG LEWIS

Beautiful car. Looks to be in fairly good shape but you never know what lurks under paint till it is stripped off. Wish you luck but I think thats a tall order to recondition and locate parts in one winter. How far do you need to tear it down? By the way how did you get your pics to post? I keep getting bumped with too large a file. now I can't even get one pic posted.

57cadillac

That's the good part about this car, aside from the engine, trans and possibly the rear fender script missing, all the parts are there that i need. Also, as far as i can tell, the previous owner had already stripped down the body and frame and repainted both, so i'll have to wait till next year to see what it is like underneath. As long as i get a sandblaster, the reconditioning should be fairly quick, although i probably have to do it piece by piece so i know what came off of it and how each piece goes in place. As the parts are already in boxes, the assembling and piecing parts together will probably have to wait until i'm ready to start assembling the car eventuallly. One of the benefits of restoring an all original old car is that you can document where each part belongs and how it is put on, not so much luck in my case.  As for the pictures, they might be slightly on the large side, but i found the easiest and one universal way to successfully post images is by uploading them to a photobucket account, then copy and pasting the image url code for the picture to post the image on a forum.
Nik
1957 Eldorado Brougham #184
1963 Daimler 2.5 v8

kelly

Not to be a butt-inski, but you mentioned a "sand blaster". Hopefully you are aware that sand blasting exterior sheetmetal can have a really detrimental effect. The body sheetmetal tends to distort under the pressure used in most sand blasting operations, and leave undulations in the metal. Using chemical strippers or sandpaper to remove old paint is a lot easier on the sheetmetal. In the alternative, hire a specialist to "media" blast or-dip strip the body. Any distortion you create in stripping has to be corrected with MANY layers of high-build primer and sandpaper blocking. Can be very expensive and time consuming. Best luck with this very cool car.
Kelly
Kelly Martin
1957 Fleetwood 75
2008 DTS

CRAIG LEWIS

I will second this prior comment about sandbalsting. Anyone who actually uses sand is causing a rediculous amount of damage and work for themselves. I invested a very hefty sum into media blast equipment for my project with the intent to do some for other folks on the side as a way to pay for the equipment. I spent about $8000 on equipment and formed a small business. I spent alot of time learning the standoffs and medias to use and then began with some of my own projects. It didn't take long for me to find customers and soon I was specializing in full frame and body jobs. I  was making good money and realized between my real job and this I was not getting anything done for myself. I slowed it down and only do stuff for others occassionally now, I didn't need another carreer.  I have been media blasting for over 6 years. Anyway my point is you cant just go to harbor freight buy a blast pot and whatever media they sell you and expect good results. There are also alot of folks who do this proffessionally and are not so skilled either it's crap shoot. My first paying job was a 71 chevelle another company screwed this guy on. My advise research it a bit and find a good company to handle it for you it will be worth it. You should be able to media strip the  whole body and frame  inside and out for under $1800.  Have it done using either plastic beads or my preference is crushed windshield glass. The glass is very fine and does not heat up the surface but will leave a nice profile to primer on without going back over with a DA. Nothing is better to work on the clean fresh metal.

57cadillac

Well it never crossed my mind to sandblast the body and frame, i was thinking more along the lines of smaller metal parts. But at least now i know what sandblasting does on body panels.
Nik
1957 Eldorado Brougham #184
1963 Daimler 2.5 v8

CRAIG LEWIS

looking at ypur picturees I wopuld think that if the body is that nice looks very straight in the reflections and the paint quality is excellent thatn someone already invested a great deal in the bodywork. If the frame is that nice you probably don't need to work on any of the suspension. looks like you purchased a project from someone who either lost interest of funds. 57 eldo's are pretty expensive restos. Eldo Broughams are rare. like to see your engine bay and interior.

veesixteen

Always on the lookout out for "new found" Eldo Broughams.  Is yours on my list of survivors? Cn you provide the VIN or body number as well as any prior vehicle history.  Thanks.  Yann (keeper of the Cadillac Database: http://cadillacdb.planeteldorado.com/Dbas_txt/Brg13a1a.htm )
Yann Saunders, CLC #12588
Compiler and former keeper of "The Cadillac Database"
aka "MrCadillac", aka "Veesixteen"

57cadillac

My car's body number is 184, the vin# i will get to you when i get back home, i will also try to take some pictures of all the parts and the interior and engine bay. This car in specific is on the list of brougham survivors, although there doesn't appear to be an extensive history, and unfortunately the only person who could have helped me find out more about the car and helped me track down some missing parts passed away a few years ago. Only history i know is the previous owner i bought the car from, bought the car from an older man in B.C. who had this brougham sitting in his shops yard as a parts car, so it was in bad condition and all the parts had to be tracked down and much of the lower section of the body had to be rebuilt, including the floorpan. From what i was told, the owner of the automotive shop may have bought the car from somebody in the U.S.
Nik
1957 Eldorado Brougham #184
1963 Daimler 2.5 v8

David King (kz78hy)

David King
CLC 22014  (life)
1958 Eldorado Brougham 615
1959 Eldorado Brougham 56- sold
1960 Eldorado Brougham 83- sold
1998 Deville d'Elegance
1955 Eldorado #277
1964 Studebaker Commander
2012 Volt
CLCMRC benefactor 197

Director and Founder, Eldorado Brougham Chapter
Past President, Motor City Region

Rare Parts brand suspension parts Retailer via Keep'em Running Automotive

veesixteen

Eldorado Brougham #184 was added to the roster of survivors more than nine years ago by "Fred" (?), a visitor to the "Cadillac Database".  Fred said "Hello! I like your web page and database for the 1957-58 Broughams; you might add two more to it if you like; I have #184 (this one is a parts car)".  Fred had also #701, which he sold in 2003."

In October, 2005, I got an eMail from a Mr. Elliot Imeson, who apparently had acquired #184 from Fred in March of 2004. He worked on restoring it. He said the sheet metal in the body was in good condition except for the floors. He had replaced all of the floors and trunk floors, restored the air suspension and was in the process of re-assembling the frame (that was 5 years ago). He added that "With a lot of work I hope to have the body back on the frame some time in the spring of 2006." At that time I elevated #184 from "parts car" to full "survivor" status.

I heard no more about the car until the recent posts about it, here, on the Club "Forum".
Yann Saunders, CLC #12588
Compiler and former keeper of "The Cadillac Database"
aka "MrCadillac", aka "Veesixteen"

57cadillac

Well, Elliot did get the body work all finished and put the body back on the frame as you can see in the pictures, along with that, he started to finish some of the wiring and partiallly re-upholstered the interior. Since he couldn't find the original drivetrain, there is now a newer 350 and automatic transmission in place.
Nik
1957 Eldorado Brougham #184
1963 Daimler 2.5 v8

35-709

Hope that is a Cadillac 390 and not a Chevy 350!
:)  Geoff N.
1935 Cadillac Sedan resto-mod "Big Red"
1973 Cadillac Caribou - Sold - but still in the family
1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon resto-mod - Sold
1942 Cadillac 6269 - Sold
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible - Sold
1950 Packard 2dr. Club Sedan
1935 Glenn Pray - Auburn Boattail Speedster, Gen. 2

57cadillac

I'm kind of a "keep it original" guy, so i will eventually track down a 365 and original caddy transmission to put in if i ever sell it. But as of now it'll at least get the car going under it's own power. Seeing as how the original engine and transmission are long gone, it doesn't really matter to me what goes in there for the time being, although a 500 cubic inch caddy engine would be neat but unethical in such a car.
Nik
1957 Eldorado Brougham #184
1963 Daimler 2.5 v8

Otto Skorzeny

So which engine is  in the car, a 390 or a 350?
fward

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for YOURSELF

HUGE VENDOR LIST CLICK HERE

57cadillac

#15
Sorry i didn't clarify that earlier, it's a 350 out of a 70's oldsmobile or some similar gm car that the previous owner had siitting around. The engine was repainted so it fits right in in a restored car. Sorry to ruin your hopes of it being a cadillac 390. At least on the bright side it isn't a mopar or ford engine in there.
Nik
1957 Eldorado Brougham #184
1963 Daimler 2.5 v8

Otto Skorzeny

Aye carumba!

It shouldn't be too difficult to find a 365 or 390 engine for that car. Someone on the forum recently was getting rid of an entire 365 / hydramatic drivetrain for like $800.

Keep your eyes peeled.
fward

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for YOURSELF

HUGE VENDOR LIST CLICK HERE

57cadillac

My hope is to at least find a date coded 365 engine and possibly trans too, even though it wouldn't be "correct" to a brougham as they had specially marked drivetrain parts, but it will at least be better for originality and value than leaving a 350 in there.
Nik
1957 Eldorado Brougham #184
1963 Daimler 2.5 v8

57cadillac

Just to keep everybody current on what's happening, after the Cadillac sat for about 4-5 months in one spot and getting a decent layer of dust, i decided that i would never have the time to work on it for many years.
And with that, i sent it off to a restoration shop to get the job done the right way. It should be done sometime in the coming spring or summer, just in time to take it out for a drive and an occasional show or two.
Nik
1957 Eldorado Brougham #184
1963 Daimler 2.5 v8

David King (kz78hy)

Glad to hear progress is being made. :D

David
David King
CLC 22014  (life)
1958 Eldorado Brougham 615
1959 Eldorado Brougham 56- sold
1960 Eldorado Brougham 83- sold
1998 Deville d'Elegance
1955 Eldorado #277
1964 Studebaker Commander
2012 Volt
CLCMRC benefactor 197

Director and Founder, Eldorado Brougham Chapter
Past President, Motor City Region

Rare Parts brand suspension parts Retailer via Keep'em Running Automotive