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74 Eldorado sitting for a decade. Here's what works and what doesn't

Started by Crow331, February 04, 2018, 03:51:42 PM

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Crow331

OK forgive my ignorance I know nothing about cars and I am the proud owner of a 74 Eldorado Convertible (not my daily driver). I bought this car because it appeared in my favorite movie of all-time True Romance. Great reason to buy a car lol  :D

I'm going to learn a lot about this car over the rest of my lifetime and until my owner's manual arrives I'm going to have a lot of dumb questions, and probably even afterwards, so please forgive!

Any idea on these:

Wipers: Work
Horn: Disabled but works. Wouldn't shut off
Blinkers: Don't work
Headlights: Work
Tail lights: Work
Windows: Only the drivers side front window works. The rest do not. The drivers window stopped working for a while but for some reason turning other things like wipers and lights on and off the window started working again
Convertible top: Doesn't work but it's making noises like it wants to work.
Power Antenna: Doesn't work
Cruise Control: Didn't test
AC: Doesn't work
Speedometer: Doesn't work
Dummy lights don't work and this dummy already ran out of gas in it once. lol

The steering column is really wobbly and I suspect the problems with the horn and the blinkers might be tied to the wobbly movement

I checked the fuses (visually) and didn't see any breaks though they have a lot of crud on them so maybe I'm not seeing it. Are these all the same amps? I'm thinking just replace them all, but I don't see any info on the fuse itself, probably cause they are old and have rubbed off

Lastly can anyone tell me what this thing is?  It's hotter than a mother f***** and that's with the car being off all night. It's dangling under the fuse box area

Thanks all!


Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373

#1
That's a relay for something. Take a picture of it so you can rewire it in the future and then unplug it now for safety. What it does depends on where it is and what the wire color matching is (you will find that out when your manual arrives). However you may see what it is for after you unplug it because something won't work anymore. It could be a stuck horn relay which is why it is on all the time.

As it has been sitting I would suggest doing a critter nest search. They show up everywhere and a nest could catch fire. Look in the tailpipe and by the hvac blower motor. Look for signs that wires have been chewed on as well.
Good luck --- and the best way to get help on this site is to post plenty of car pictures!! :)

And, I have asked plenty of really stupid questions on this site myself so don't worry about it.
Jeff
Jeff Rosansky
CLC #28373
1970 Coupe DeVille (Big Red)
1955 Series 62 (Baby Blue)
Dad's new 1979 Coupe DeVille

The Tassie Devil(le)

Quote from: Crow331 on February 04, 2018, 03:51:42 PM

I checked the fuses (visually) and didn't see any breaks though they have a lot of crud on them so maybe I'm not seeing it. Are these all the same amps? I'm thinking just replace them all, but I don't see any info on the fuse itself, probably cause they are old and have rubbed off.......
The numbers on the fuse holder at each fuse is the Amperage of that fuse.   25,  10,  7.5 etc.

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

bcroe

Somebody has run the car down, it likely has even more problems
to be discovered.  Thinking here is, to drive a car like that, you
either need to learn to properly fix it yourself, or you need to have
a lot of money and access to a very good old time mechanic. 

The electrical problems can be solved, eventually.  The loose steering
column may be a tilt unit with loose bolts inside; it will need to come
apart and be repaired.  It mostly likely needs a new timing chain set,
certainly check out the brakes with all new hoses, how old are the
tires, and the trans probably needs to come out for a refresh. 
good luck, Bruce Roe

67_Eldo

I wandered into a similar situation with a 1967 Eldorado that had been sitting for 10 years. The owner before me brought it out of its 10-year slumber, but didn't put a whole lot of energy into waking it back up gently.

The mechanical piece that bit me unexpectedly was the transmission. Some of the grippy parts of the transmission need to be bathed in fluid on a regular basis to retain their integrity. If a car really isn't driven for 10 years, those grippy parts deteriorate.

Bruce Roe is right: sooner or later, the transmission will probably have to come out. That is not a cheap endeavor. In my case, the surprise cost me $2500.

In the meantime, I'd completely flush the transmission fluid and refill with the correct stuff (Dexron III). Some folks recommend additives but I'm not one of them. Transmissions are scary beasts so I'll just stick with what GM told me to do. Don't take the guy at the parts store's word for it because he probably doesn't know (unless he's an old guy). :-)

And don't try to beat the 5-liter Mustangs at the stop lights.

Also, when the car is up on the lift, pay close attention to the rubber covers over the constant-velocity joints (on the insides of the front wheels). If there is any sign of cracking or ugly aging, have them replaced pronto.

Good luck!

Bob Hoffmann CLC#96

#5
To the OP,
Realistically... this is the wrong car for a novice like you.You need a shop manual, Fisher Body Manual and LOTS of mechanic friends.
Good Luck, Bob
1968 Eldorado slick top ,white/red interior
2015 Holden Ute HSV Maloo red/black interior.
             
Too much fun is more than you can have.

76eldo

Steering wheel "wobbly" turn signals don't work and horns work but are disabled.

I'm going to make an educated guess that the ignition was re-keyed at some point.
Whoever had the wheel off and was inside of the steering column did not know what they were doing.
There's a plastic insulator that keeps the horn switch in the steering wheel from making contact until you press in the horn on the wheel. They are always brittle and break when you try to remove them.
It's even more complicated if it's a tilt/telescopic column.

The hot relay is most probably the horn relay. It's getting constant voltage and not designed for that.
I'd disconnect the battery and let it cool down and remove it.

Good luck wit the car.

You have a lot of work ahead to get the car all he way back to 100 percent but it's worth it.
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

Tpicks55

Well I am in the same situation.  My 75 eldo conv sat for 15 years.  Right now I have replaced :
Tires,brakes, cv's, radiator, a/c compressor, condenser, ignition, spark plugs, wires, interior, working on steering wheel as it wobbles, holes in  the floor pan, relined trunk, and still have the top to do and repaint.  I like working on the car  so thats why I am doing it.  It takes time and it wears on you as to all the work but little by little it will get done.  Hope you enjoy your project.  Take lots of pictures when taking things apart.  Some times you can forget how it came apart.  Tony
75 Eldorado Convertible
94 Deville Concurs
2019 Lincoln Continental
2016 Cadillac XTS

Crow331

Thanks all for the information!  This novice is keeping the car and I'll learn along the way! 

It is the horn relay in the upper picture, so thanks for that info! I ordered the part from OPGI and I will be making my first repair to this car myself! Ha!  Looks easy enough! We'll see! :)


Crow331

Quote from: Tpicks55 on February 05, 2018, 09:40:25 AM
Well I am in the same situation.  My 75 eldo conv sat for 15 years.  Right now I have replaced :
Tires,brakes, cv's, radiator, a/c compressor, condenser, ignition, spark plugs, wires, interior, working on steering wheel as it wobbles, holes in  the floor pan, relined trunk, and still have the top to do and repaint.  I like working on the car  so thats why I am doing it.  It takes time and it wears on you as to all the work but little by little it will get done.  Hope you enjoy your project.  Take lots of pictures when taking things apart.  Some times you can forget how it came apart.  Tony

Ha!  I've pretty much had to do the same thing. Throw in Brakes, rotors, freeze plugs, axle bearings and more!  My soft top is the next order of business and then I'll work on the interior

Eldorado James

Good morning,

Judging by the looks of the other items in the fuse box and floor pan, I'd speculate that your car has had a damp interior for many years, especially at the firewall.  Water source could be from a poor top, floor rot (corner under driver left foot is a volatile area) or the driver windshield pillar post (under the moldings.  Look near the VIN..lots of rust?).  Anyway, a car that has been damp that long is going to have a lot of electrical issues, especially relays (your conv top issues might be related to that).  Yes, that was the horn relay, good job getting a replacement....but the problem might be the column itself as somebody else alluded to.  Likely somebody else tried to replace/repair it before (thus loose, it basically only 2 bolts to hold it to the dash frame tightly).  Inspect the column closely and test it....if you find lots of rust/hazy connectors then the column would best be replaced with one that had a dry life (I have them).  Are the levers all rusty (tilt, turn signal, shift)?  Usually they are spotted with rust and pits in a car with long term dampness issues.

What part of the country are you in?

Regards
James
~Eldorado James~

Currently:
1972 Eldorado Convertible
1975 Eldorado Convertible

Past Cadillacs:  Too many to remember.

Crow331

Thanks James, there is a hole in the soft top, the windshield is also cracked, also the 40 amp breaker has rust so you can bet there is water coming in. I bought myself a car cover online and I'm waiting for it to get here :D I hope to have the new top on by this weekend. The VIN in the window is rusty as hell, yep. Steering column levers are spot rusty. yep

Obviously I have a project car :)  I'm in Los Angeles by the way


Eldorado James

Ah yeah, you've got your worked cut out there, allright!   :D :D

I've done project cars like that....that California sun, sand and rain sure take their tolls!  Know what I would do though?  Pull the mid-dash and the side windshield trim moldings to see where that water is coming in.  If it's like the Eldorados I have worked on, that whole driver side pillar could be Swiss cheesed.  Especially look down near the cowl/upper wiper area...if it's rotted there to the right of the wiper transmission mount.  If the pillar is cheesed, the windshield may end up cracking easily (flex).  I've sold windshield frames that people had welded in to repair this.  Big job. 

Good idea on the car cover....200% waterproof I hope!  Getting a new top will trap in moisture just like it prevents it from getting out....so keep those windows vented til you seal up the water issues.  Welcome to the fun world of Eldorado restoration!  (Note: I have just about every interior /exterior part you would ever need, feel free to contact me anytime).

Regards
James
~Eldorado James~

Currently:
1972 Eldorado Convertible
1975 Eldorado Convertible

Past Cadillacs:  Too many to remember.

Highwayman68

From what is visible in the picture of the interior that car is lucky to have you as it's new owner. Glad to see you have a committed enthusiasm to getting the car safe and running otherwise that car would probably never see the road again without you.

Oh yeah... More pictures of the car. You will receive more comments than you can handle with pictures.
1968 Fleetwood Purchased in 1981

Crow331

Quote from: Highwayman68 on February 06, 2018, 02:14:04 PM
From what is visible in the picture of the interior that car is lucky to have you as it's new owner. Glad to see you have a committed enthusiasm to getting the car safe and running otherwise that car would probably never see the road again without you.

Oh yeah... More pictures of the car. You will receive more comments than you can handle with pictures.

Haha!  Thank you sir. Yes, I suspect you are right. The previous owner kept it up for a while but when it started having issues he just let it go to hell. A decades worth of never starting it and having it sit in the sun. That's why the interior is a disaster. The sun! I'm the creator of TRUE ROMANCE FEST .... a festival for my favorite movie, so there is no one better to own this car than me! :) The one good thing I have going for me is that the car was a hunk of junk in the movie! haha. So I just want to get it back to a more presentable and driveable hunk of junk :)  Ok well better than that but you get my drift. It doesn't need a complete "restoration" THANKFULLY!