Hi Everyone,
I'm new and I signed up because I just bought a 75 fleetwood talisman with a very interesting history.
Although I'm very happy with the new caddy there is just one thing I find unusual for this car.
It has no cruise control.. I have heard of one person who is a cadillac fanatic that a lot of fleetwoods from the 70's did not have cruise control. Is this true? Was it an option as well for the Talisman?
Thanks guys and I would appreciate all the information I could get!
Congrats! Very cool car.
Talisman was an appearance option group so it did't really feature any mechanical options like cruise control. Cruise was $100, which was still a nice chunk of change even for a Cadillac buyer in 1975.
http://automotivemileposts.com/cadillac/cadi1975optionalequipment.html
Jeremy
I too assumed that most Cadillac's would have had cruise especially by the 70's but just a closer look at my own fleet indicates that wansn't the case. I have 3 73 Eldo converts all quite differently equipped, only one with cruise. The one with cruise has the least other stuff. Another one appears to have every option but cruise.
I wonder if its partly the stereotype of the rich guy that doesn't like to spend money? I don't use cruise so I'm not paying for it.
I also think it was more common for people to order cars then rather than take what is on the lot.
Thanks guys!
I appreciate the help and information! :D
This car has a few minor things to be fixed, any experience with a ticking A/C unit by coincedence? Placed by the feet of the passenger seat.Now I have to drive with window open to fully relax.
Also I was think of converting the R12, does this influence value of the car? Air is relatively cool but not like what you would like it to be.
When Air is turned off it can get pretty warm inside the car.
Working on getting the car in top condition.
Regards,
Matt
I would strongly recommend sticking with R12. Not only will the system work better but it will be far less inclined to leak the refrigerant as R134a conversions are notorious for doing.
Sounds like an interesting car. Feel free to post some photos when you get the chance.
Welcome to the CLC Forum.
Yes, welcome!
And pics. We love pics!!
8)
Hi guys,
To pleasure your needs I have pictures in three parts - first the exterior.
Second - interior
Thanks for posting these photos. Appears to be an exceptional example. Congratulations on your acquisition.
Be sure to join the Cadillac & LaSalle Club!
Not to sound creepy, but I wanna lay down in the back.
;)
Definitely a beauty.
I just went thru a/c repairs last week on my '75 & '76.
Replaced leaking compressors on both cars plus the v.i.r. Unit on the '75.
Kept them both on R12...... $2775 later I have cold air again.
Chrisntam,
If it was a 1974 Talisman you could NOT have laid down in the back seat. ;)
Some saw that a step down for 1975.
I had mine regassed with R-134 in 2008, after replacing the VIR unit. at the risk of speaking too soon, have had no issues. It won't blow as cold as R12 but R134 will be fine if you're not in a tropical climate.
What a flashback. My dad had a Fleetwood Talisman Brougham, not sure of the exact year, had most of the same interior except his had a console in the rear also. I don't know how true it is but I heard said that there was an option that included a ice bucket to fit in the rear console and a name plate to go at the top of the desk.
Great color combo.
I have converted over a dozen Cadillacs from R12 to r134, and the 1970 and older do not seem to do as well. However, the 1971 (especially the 1974 and newer) work really well. I drove a 1975 Talisman with an r134 charge 200 miles on a hot 95'F sunny afternoon on the highway with it set on "low" and was completely comfortable. It will easily manage 100'F sunny days set on auto. One 1976 Fleetwood I changed to r134 and the owner said it was too cold.
The ticking at your passenger feet is the programmer starting to go (or it has gone). That is a fairly easy replacement, read shop manual - and be sure to calibrate it - very easy. Cadillac Tim (google, he is in Iva, SC) rebuilds them.
Enjoy!
I have nothing much of value to add to this other than to say, I don't care about or ever use cruise control.
Forgot my car(s) had it until I read this post. So, doesn't so much surprise me that someone may order a car without it, at a time when that was an option.
Cruise control is nice. I use it on my 1970 SDV when driving on the highway. It amazes me that this was an option back then (guess 1959 was first year), and it works very well. Even in busy Metropolitan Washington, DC there are opportunities to use it.
The options of the 1970's and 1960's I cannot live without are tilt/tel steering column, automatic turn lights on when dark (twilight sentinel), trunk release. I always add those on if the car did not include them when I bought it. Climate control or a/c is nice, but I would not add that on, but rather just buy a car with it if I have to have it. Then cruise and other options I can live without, but probably like to have. I'm adding dual comfort seats to one of my 1970 Cadillacs right now - floor pan has to be modified. We should start a thread on this - options you have to have. I wish that 1970 offered reclining seats like in 1976 and newer (maybe it was earlier, but I know not back to 1970).
Very nice car, I agree those seats look really comfortable. Did the Talisman come standard with that center console? Looks original but still custom?
Front center console was a part of the Talisman package; 1974 had one in the rear as well. It was the only year that was done.
Nice,
What years was the Talisman offered; just 1974 & 75 or was it also kept for 1976? What about 1973? I can't remember.
Offered 1974 thru 1976 only. The 1973 was the first year for the d’Elegance package on the Brougham
1974 first year, and with rear bucket seats (4 bucket seats total), then 1975 and 1976 with just front bucket seats (rear bench)
All three Talisman model years were represented at the 2015 CLC Potomac Region Fall Car Show at Capitol Cadillac. Read about it at http://www.clcpotomacregion.org/forms/CLCPR.1511Newsletter.pdf (http://www.clcpotomacregion.org/forms/CLCPR.1511Newsletter.pdf) starting on page 15.
Quote from: Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621 on November 05, 2017, 01:32:52 PM
I would strongly recommend sticking with R12. Not only will the system work better but it will be far less inclined to leak the refrigerant as R134a conversions are notorious for doing.
Sounds like an interesting car. Feel free to post some photos when you get the chance.
Welcome to the CLC Forum.
My R134a conversion doesn't leak and it performs just as good as an R12 system. I know, because for the first 17 years I had it, mine was an R12 system. You need to have an AC expert adjust it all correctly.
Hi Guys!
Thanks for the many replies! The years that the Talisman was produced were from 74 till 76 and indeed only the the 74 had the rear console, this car is nowadays considered very very rare..
I have a new questions, my fuel gauge is not working..
Do you guys have any advice where to find either an original fuel gauge or a replica for a 75/76 fleetwood?
I think they were basically the same for all models in 75 and 76 but I might be wrong.
Any help would be really appreciated! ;D
Regards,
Matt
Problem is probably in the sending unit in the tank, ground connection or anywhere in the wiring. Failure in the dash gauge unit itself is extremely rare. More diagnosis is needed.
Thank you Eric, they have researched the sending unit actually.
The problem occurred as followed over the last year..
- Gauge worked fine
- Gauge started to fluctuate
- Gauge came below E and came back up some times
- Gauge is permanently below E, Red light indication still works.
They have tried grounding the fuel gauge by looking if it would react, but it didn't. How likely is it that the problem could be in the wiring to the fuel Gauge?
Thanks again!
It's been my experience that maybe 40-50% of the Cadillac Fleetwood line cars (including Eldorados) had factory cruise control. People who reallly love that option can upgrade their car and add it (Same with Twilight Sentinel / Dimming).....it might take some doing, but it's certainly not the highest level rocket science to add (remember that off-the-shelf cruise units were available back in that era!). Dash switch, servo, actuator, another speedo cable, vacuum connection, power lead & wiring, cutoff switch......I have all of those parts & factory cruise diagrams. Let me know if you are interested in upgrading.
Regards
James