1959 Cadillac Biarritz

[Michel Cadorin]

Hi, I'm restoring a 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz bucket seats and the color that is in the bottom floor is the same car. I do not know if this is the original color or black.

This car is in Brazil

Thank you!

M. Cadorin

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

If you can either post a picture of, or list the information shown on the data plate - all will be revealed. It is located on the driver's side cowl, visible with hood open.

Good luck with your '59 Biarritz and welcome to the CLC Forum.

[Michel Cadorin]

Hi,

vin 59E045205

thank you

[Jon Riley #13576]

Paint code 90 is Olympic White.  The car associated with that data tag was originally painted white.

Trim 11: Black Cardiff and Florentine Grain Leather, Black carpet

[Michel Cadorin]

ok, thanks for the information, but need to know the part of the color under the floor. Attached example of 1955 cadillac I'm restoring.

[quadfins]

My '61 shows the original red oxide primer on the bottom of the floor pans, with no other paint over it. It was a New Mexico car, and does not have any undercoating on the bottom of the pans, either, just some sound deadener in the usual places.

It is my understanding that body-color paint was not applied to the bottoms of the body exteriors. Perhaps a '59 expert will confirm or deny...

Jim

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

My '60 CDV had the red oxide paint underneath.

Bruce.

[Jeff Wilk]

Firewall body color all the way down to floor boards with transmission tunnel being red ixide with some body color overspray. Rest of floor board underside red oxide.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

What top is "2B"?   

[76eldo]

It's probably an 8, not a B.

Brian

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Sure looks like a B to me...

In any case, top codes are supposed to be single digit - or so the list shows.

It's quite a mystery to me.

[76eldo]

Paging Mr. Rafekis...

I have my 60 reference material at home.

Brian

[Quentin Hall]

The B denotes bucket seat car. The rear bow has the courtesy light in it with the switch in the rear lh bolster. ( only on bucket seat cars. )

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

The B denotes bucket seat car. The rear bow has the courtesy light in it with the switch in the rear lh bolster. ( only on bucket seat cars. )

I had noticed the B suffix on the trim code which denotes bucket seats.

To be clear then, logic follows that all cars equipped with buckets should also have the B suffix in the top code in addition to the trim code. Correct?

[Michel Cadorin]

Yes, 2B.

This car has never been restored and the floor was still in white original paint is the same color as the body. Has no red oxide signal.

The question is: the floor is white in body color? Oxide red? Or Black?

[Quentin Hall]

It's my belief that the floors were painted in red oxide under and over. The bodies were sprayed and overspray can be seen inboard of the sills They didn't mask them up but they must have had some sort of screen that got not all, but most of the overspray .  It was probably  a panel that propped up along the sill.
My old 59 Biarritz had been tarred so I can't give a definitive answer but  I'm going by other 50s caddies I've played with .

[Jon Riley #13576]

It is my understanding that the floors were left red oxide primer.   Occasionally, you will see original cars, without any undercoating, and the floors are all red primer. 


Many restorations have  painted the floors body color, though.


  I have seen some people paint the underside with a single stage urethane paint in the color of primer.  If I were doing a "factory correct" restoration, that is how I would do it.

[76eldo]

I think he is talking about the INSIDE of the floor, nut the under car finish.

I have a white 60 and I needed to do a repair to the bracket that holds the convertible top cylinder to the floor.  The plate is spot welded to the floor and the spot welds gave way.  The inside of the floor under the carpet was white, which matches the color of my car.

The data plate below is from a car I used to own.  It was a one owner, 60,000 mile 1960 Eldorado, original paint, top and interior.
White, white top, red buckets.  The "B" is on the trim code, not the top code.

The light in the rear bow was NOT there, and the car was never touched.  It was either a mistake or they did not all come with it.

The car had most options except air conditioning.

Brian

[59-in-pieces]

Michel,
I agree with Quentin and Jon and others - who have 59's - that the red oxide could be found on the floor under the car and the floor inside the car.
You will find that there is over spray of the outside color of the car in many cases from the rocker panels on to the under floor and from the sills on the inside floor.
Here is a photo of one of my original low miles no repaint 59 Eldos to show the red primer inside the car with sill white over spray.
I have posted a number of photos on this subject in previous threads, maybe you can still find them.
Have fun,
Steve B.

[Michel Cadorin]

I'm really convinced by friends that the original painting is red oxide with overspray in body color. Your help was very important for the perfect restoration of another 1959 Cadillac (1 of 99?)


I thank you all and especially to Mr. Quentin and Mr. Steve


M. Cadorin