The "last" one??? 1981 Seville

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

Over the years, I have driven, drug, and otherwise hauled home some 50 Cadillacs to use as daily drivers, restoration projects, and prized possessions. As my wife will attest, each and every one has been "the one I've always wanted." As long as her car is a "turnkey" Cadillac of some kind, she has put up with my obsession with amazing good grace.

The latest started out with Jeff Shivley posting two cars as surplus to need at the Kokomo (IN) Auto Museum some twenty five miles from me. Mainly, they were too new.

Both were 1981 "personal" cars from Cadillac. One was an Eldorado and the other a bustle back Seville. What was unusual was that both were the V-6 credit optioned car, and both had been pampered all their lives by their owners. I.E. No Indiana rust or body damage except for the plastic fillers. The Seville had been stored for some twenty years, so carefully that even the towels placed on the seats were the same color as the upholstery. The car was also covered with a high quality car cover.

I had owned a 1981 slick top Eldorado with the V-8/6/4 engine which soon developed an engine problem I chose not to repair, and the car sat until it was sold due to illness. (My wife got sick of looking at it.) I had always liked the bustle back styling on the Seville, going so far as to test driving one while looking for a "driver." I got a SDV instead, and so my low-key quest for the Seville languished on the vine, so to speak until I judged Art Riley's lovely car at GN this last year. So I was open to finally owning one of these unusually styled cars.

Then, having a car so close, one wintry afternoon, I promised Gay dinner out and drove over to see the car(s). She loves brown cars, and so that helped some. Also, when I had a couple of mini-strokes in late winter, she made up her mind that  I could do what I wished (within reason) car-wise. So, after her usual five minute walk around the car and sitting in it momentarily, she retired to a bench nearby to work word puzzles while I inspected the cars. (Guys, Gay has been "looking" at Cadillacs for so long that she can pick up at a glance what it takes a team of judges to do at a show.)

The Eldo was nice, but I liked the Seville better. It had an Astro-roof, CB, and a tape deck radio. Seats were velour and quite clean. No droop on the headliner yet. All the paperwork was in the dash including the window sticker. This was a NICE car. The door jambs were clean and the  door seals nearly perfect. Doors closed with a nice thunk. I was beginning to think that this was a car I'd never get to judge in the preservation class at a GN. My fellow Past Presidents would be asking ME their questions about this and that. It is that nice, and all original. The only major problem is having to replace the fillers front and rear.

I opened the hood and compared to the rest of the car's condition, it was a mess. Very dirty, and crowded. This was where I was going to have to clean, and clean, and clean. I took several pictures and went home, wondering what to do. Jeff's asking price was out of my reach, so I thought and thought about making an offer. Finally, I asked him to get it ready for me to drive it. So we drove over again. The car was at the back of the museum, close to a door and we got it out and I drove it across the large, empty parking lot. It felt very tight and precise in handling but by the time I got to the far side of the museum, the radiator light flicked on red. So I backed up and turned around and brought it back to go inside. No road trip today. Also, the LH front window fell off the track.

The offer I'd made Jeff was contingent on the car driving and operating satisfactorily. So he promised to look into the overheating problem and fixing the window. One of his docents fixed the window quickly, but late winter storms kept him from loading the car onto a truck and sending it to his mechanic some twenty miles away. After some investigation, he found that the water pump was leaking. He obtained one and we made a date to change it ourselves. I went over one afternoon, and after about fifteen minutes of "looking" under the hood, I decided that it would take the two of us "forever" to change it ourselves.

So, we went over to a tire shop about a half mile away and made an appointment to have it changed there. The afternoon that the shop was supposed to start on the car, I got a call from Jeff that they found that the radiator was leaking badly also, and they didn't know of any shops locally that still "fixed" them. So, I had a radiator sent to my home and when it arrived, dropped it off at the shop. It took about ten days for them to complete the job. I had told Jeff that I would pay for the repairs and take the total from the selling price. I was getting concerned about them taking so long, but when I got the bill, found it to be reasonable after all.

Now I am ready to pick up the car this week and start cleaning. I plan to put a new fuel pump on the car, being somewhat concerned about twenty year old gas. We will also check the brakes, tires and belts as well. Having the car covered in storage may have helped in some respects. To pick up garage space, either the '41 or the '79 might go. I have come to the conclusion that given my age and health, that the '41 needs another owner. I also have trouble fitting in the driver's seat at present.

Whether this will be my "last" collector car, only the good Lord knows, but it seems likely. Not having to do anything but clean and polish  will be nice, given that no further gremlins appear.

[59-in-pieces]

Barry,
This has got to be the best line I have read or heard - EVER.

..."the car sat until it was sold due to illness. (My wife got sick of looking at it.)"

The story was pretty cool too.

Oh, and by the way - a me too comment.  When did the steering wheels get so close to the back of the front seat.  Never used to be that way when I was younger.

Have fun,
Steve B.

[Bill Young]

My ex wife used to say " If we could make money from useless information , with me around we would be millionaires "

[bcroe]

The latest started out with Jeff Shivley posting two cars as surplus to need at the Kokomo (IN) Auto Museum some twenty five miles from me.

Both were 1981 "personal" cars from Cadillac. One was an Eldorado and the other a bustle back Seville. What was unusual was that both were the V-6 credit optioned car
The Eldo was nice, but I liked the Seville better.

I opened the hood and compared to the rest of the car's condition, it was a mess. Very dirty, and crowded.

we got it out and I drove it across the large, empty parking lot. It felt very tight and precise in handling but by the time I got to the far side of the museum, the radiator light flicked on red.

Also, the LH front window fell off the track.  the water pump was leaking.
they found that the radiator was leaking badly

I plan to put a new fuel pump on the car, being somewhat concerned about twenty year
old gas. We will also check the brakes, tires and belts as well.

Not having to do anything but clean and polish  will be nice, given that no further gremlins appear.

Your experience is a little like mine, buy a very pretty car, but the PO wasn't nearly
as good a mechanic as me.  Its OK, I can fix anything needed; a bad body is impossible. 
I haven't had that many cars, because once mine are "restored", I drive them very long
and hard till they are REALLY done. 

When I get a "new" old car that has been off the road, I expect to do A LOT of work on
it to make it into a driver again.  New tires, new timing chain set, about everything that
touches brake fluid gets replaced.  Vacuum, radiator, & heater hoses, usually a new extra
duty radiator.  I pull the trans and throw in all new rubber parts to avoid a premature
failure from lost pressure at aging seals; the rest may be fine.  I can tell you, the 79-81
FWD trans has a way of developing a very sloppy shift.  This can be fixed without any
harshness, with a mild shift kit.  This kit replaces the big accumulator spring located
under a round cover, on the left side.  In fact every trans of this type I have taken apart,
had this spring broken, which might be the actual problem; check that first. 

Another thing is any sealed bearings.  The rear wheel bearings can be removed and some
new grease shot into them.  The fronts have no access, but I managed to add grease
fittings to them for my 79 Eldo.  I can assure you the grease in these will be dried out
and useless; its a shame to lose a good bearing over that.  There is another bearing in
the distributor.  I was driving in NY (5 states from home) and smoke came out from
under the hood.  The A/C compressor clutch idler bearing (sealed) had failed (only
25,000 mi) and gotten so hot, it melted the clutch wiring.  Blew the alternator fuse
too, but I got home anyway.  Those bearings can be changed without losing any
refrigerant.  The alternator has a couple. 

Do check out your fuel tank, mine are a 15 year maintenance item; there are RENU
spares on my shelf.  I also sent the 8 injectors out for cleaning, and all the high
pressure seals there were replaced.  Failure to do these can result in a fire, not
so uncommon on these cars. 

There can be any number of minor accessory and electrical issues, but these
aren't much of a problem for this retired EE. 

Check the CV boots, and don't be surprised if the ancient rubber in the suspension
soon turns to mush (mine did).  Low miles, just replace them; no need for a total
from end rebuild.  The factory ball joints are probably better quality than replacements. 

After 2 decades of ownership, I am redoing quite a bit of this on the 79 Eldo, so I
can get it to the nearby GN this summer, and some other shows. 
good luck, Bruce Roe   CLC # 14630

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

Thank you Bruce. You've covered items that many long time mechanics might not know of. I hope that many of our readers check what you said out. Best regards, BW.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

I will second that; some excellent tips for 2nd gen FWD Cadillac owners.

Interesting tip about the transmission spring. Never heard of that before but was well of the sloppy nature of the transmissions in these cars.

Always thought that's just how they were. Now I know better.

Good luck with the car Barry. I know you've been looking at bustlebacks for a while. Appears a straight & honest car.

Is the V-6 equipped with the overdrive transmission? (My knowledge of '80s trivia is getting a bit rusty these days... )

*Will keep an eye out for a pair of 4.1L V-6 plaques, if they're missing...

[936CD69]

4.1L emblems from a great ebay vendor

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-NEW-OEM-GM-PART-80-82-Cadillac-ALL-MODELS-V6-4-10-Fender-Emblems-Ornaments-/180959664183

I've always been more than pleased with my purchases from him

HTH

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

What a great organization the CLC is!