1968 DeVille Convertible - driver restoration

[Bob Steur]

Memorial Day weekend and time to get going again. New battery cables, set the timing and idle speed, installed Pertronix Flamethrower II ignition and coil, new rotor, cap, and wires. It purrs like a kitten! A 4600 pound kitten.

There were two 1968 convertibles at the Mancini's dinner so I'm freshly inspired to get this beast on the road.

Replaced the center link to remove steering play, but it's not all gone - I need to replace the idler arm and probably the steering box, too.

More work to do, much more.

[Bob Steur]

Replaced steering box, drag link, and idler arm. The bolt holding the flex coupling is 12 point. The pitman arm pulls off with this handy tool (and a lot of force.) Had trouble bleeding the power steering system at first - lots of groaning from the pump - but got it right the second time.

Also replaced the wiper transmission and both wiper arms (obtained from a parts car.) The old ones had stripped splines and spun useslessly when the wipers were turned on. Wiper arms remove/install by putting a DRILL BIT in the little hole, something you wouldn't know unless you read the manual!

[Rob Troxel]

Thanks for the u[date Bob!  The pictures really help.  Keep on keep on!

[Gene Beaird]

Bob, nice work!  Now get that air cleaner cleaned and repainted!     The air cleaner lid on our Calais looked like the one on your vert.  I cleaned it and painted it so it looks pretty original.  Although not original, I did clearcoat over the gold basecoat in an effort to keep it from getting rusty like the OEM paint job did.  That looked so good I started on the air cleaner base.  Although I'm having a real problem getting the black paint to lay down well (I'm now about to start my third paint strip job)I think when I get it finished it will really dress things up under the hood.  I located a vendor online who stocked the '472' as a vinyl decal, but have opted to have a friend who does vinyl recreate it only as a 'negative' so I can use it as a mask to paint the label on so it looks more like OEM. 

Do it, you'll be glad you did.

[Bob Steur]

Hi Gene and fellow club members

It has been very hot and humid all summer, not good painting weather. That has changed now so I am working on painting the interior parts. Sometimes I think part of what drives this project is the parts that I happen to find for sale. More about that later.

I replaced the right rear control arm. Somehow that got bent too by the previous owner. Only explanantion is this car was used in The Dukes of Hazzard for jumping canyons. Now I know why the back of the car did not sit level!

It took a sawzall and four hacksaw blades to get the bolt off, but I got it off and replaced the arm. Finally she was sitting level.

I also replaced the front shocks. Old ones were from K-Mart, with a groovy rainbow logo.

Then today Andover Frame was able to successfully align the front end. That's what I would call a major milestone!

[Gene Beaird]

My money is on someone trying to lift the car putting one of the arms of the lift on that LCA.  That's pretty far under the car to not have any other damage to neighboring parts.  The arm doesn't have much strength in the direction it's bent, and the back of a Cadillac, even being the light end, is still a lot of weight. 

Nice work so far. 

[Bob Steur]

Found a dash with stereo speakers! Painted it with vinyl paint - took me a few tries to get the right shade of red. Painted the A pillars and replaced lower dash with red dash. Painted steering column. I already had a red steering wheel but had to swap parts around to keep the tilt/tele. Even painted the rear seat leather red with vinyl paint. It doesn't work as well on leather.

Installed the seatbelts (still tan, not red) and rear seat. Backed off the timing just a hair, so it wouldn't knock. Then went for a few drives with everyone! It feels so good to be finally driving this thing. Still lots of work to do. But she rides so nice! So smooth, tracks so straight, engine is powerful and quiet.

Next: (2 year plan)
Trunk Floor
Top Mechanism
Convertible Top
Replace rad cradle, front fenders
Cylinder Heads? Carburetor?
Strip and paint!

Gene - good theory about bending the control arm on a lift, that makes sense.

[Bob Steur]

Now comes the fun part - driving! The idea is to begin with short trips and gradually build up more confidence in the car, as I go longer distances without any major problems.

Drove to work this morning, with the top down (wore a hat.) Saw 80 on the speedometer. Slight shake, possible wheel imbalance, otherwise drives great. This may be the smoothest riding car I've ever been in.

Took my coworkers for a lunchtime drive, then four car shows in three daya! Northstar Cadillac Club, Culvers, Ramsey (bottom picture), and Anoka.

[speach]

Im doing a 68 conv too and when I shook out my oil pump it looked just like yours. Ha crazy and my car still ran pretty good. Not sure how.

William

[Bob Steur]

Hi William,

I suppose the chunks of plastic from the timing gear are big enough that the screen on the pump stops them from going further. I just remember being amazed when I shook it out - what is all this crap? Ha ha ha....

Where are you and how far along is your convertible? I'm in Minneapolis - St. Paul area. Isn't 68 a classic year? I just love it. Last year of the old school style, first year of the new engine!

[Bob Steur]

Confirmed I had the incorrect wheels on the car, thanks to fellow club members! This club is the greatest for restoration information.

See the photos below.
1. A regular rim from a Chevy or other GM car - not a Cadillac. Note how narrow the outer "lip" of the rim is.
2. The correct Cadillac rim. The lip is wider than in the first picture. Note marks where the "teeth" of the wheel cover have contacted the lip.
3. The special Cadillac balancing weight. It is "inboard" to clear the wheel cover when it is installed on the wheel.

Without 2. and 3. above, the wheel cover will not fit.  This is what I love about restoration work, you have to track down details like this and get them right.

I am getting some rims off a 68 that I think are original, will find out next week.

Quote from "Cadillac Tim:"
"The 68 rims were similar to the 65-67, with the inside hub area  four "tabs" welded to the outer rim from the front. In other words, the welded tabs are visible from the front of the rim. The tabs on 69 and up rims are welded on the backside of the outer rim.
The 68 rim is different from the 65-67 in that it has a deeper and flatter recess for the disc brakes. The rims from a 69-76 will work fine on your 68, just aren't technically correct."

[66 Eldo]

Even painted the rear seat leather red with vinyl paint. It doesn't work as well on leather.

For Leather SEM makes their Sure Coat line. It is water based vs the solvent based Color Coat you are using. Red is a hard color to respray because it is somewhat transparent. It requires multiple light coats. Looks nice though even the leather.

[Bob Steur]

Hi 66 Eldo, thanks for your comment, I will try that! Water based sounds like it would be gentler on the leather, letting it breathe and not drying it out... Should I strip the Color Coat off the leather first, and if so, what is the right way to do this - without harming the leather?

[speach]

Yes I totally agree on 68 being one of the classic years. It is surely one of my all time favorites, and still relatively affordable. Some people like the 67's better. Not me I think they made the 68 so much more elegant by redoing the grill area and hiding the windshield wipers. Although I do have plans to put in 67 door panels and side mirror. The interior is the only downfall of the 68's in my opinion. Yea when I started seeing the plastic pieces coming out of the oil pump they just kept coming and coming.
    I have redone most of my motor, I have a bad ground that is keeping my battery from charging some how. I hope soon to install a new under hood harness. My most recent fun has been getting my windows to operate fully. I heard for disc brake conversions the later wheels are what you need.

William

[blue68deville]

Looking good! The more you drive it, the better you'll like it.

I had to use the later wheels to fit discs. My spare had a disc compatible type wheel but the others were drum-style. I'm pretty sure those were the wheels the car was shipped with in 68.

[mgbeda]

Hi Bob,

I'm enjoying your blog.  I agree that '68 is one of my favorite Caddy years, and a convertible is always my favorite body style.  The gold over red color scheme actually looks pretty nice, though I think you said your long term plan is to paint it white.  Seems like in that era every car on the road was gold.  Back then I hated it, but now I kind of like gold for the nostalgia of it.

Enjoy your good work!

-mB

[mrleibel]

Bob,

Your blog is great and appreciate your time to posting pictures and insights on doing the repairs.  I recently bought `68 DeVille Convertible myself and truly love the style and ride; the 472 is a nice plus! . 

This upcoming summer I need to replace exhaust gaskets on mine as the passenger bank is starting to leak.  I'm looking for a shop here is the St Paul (MN) area that can do this as I do not have the equipment tapping and drilling out the bolts that will most likely snap off.  Any advice in a reputable shop would be appreciated.

Matt

[Bob Steur]

Hi Matt! This is a common problem as the head bolts on 68 are smaller than on later years and can easily snap off. If you can't just live with the leak, you are looking at removing the head to take it to a machine shop. I can't recommend anyone as so far I have done most of the work on my car by myself - not always the best, but I'm learning.

My plan is to remove both my heads and replace them with exchange rebuilt heads, thus solving the exhaust leak problem as well as the sticking exhaust valve I have on one cylinder. I might do this in summer, stay tuned, and good luck with your car. Agree these are great cars, so easy to work on and so nice to cruise in.

[cadillacmike68]

Awesome work Bob, And to think you did most of it yourself!

I really like my 1968 DVC, some great firsts and lasts with them:

Firsts:
All new  V8 472 CI engine with accessories like AC compressor provisioned fro the start
Longer hood hiding the wipers
Shrouded rectangular mirrors (with an optional and hard to find right side)
Front disc brakes as an option in the RWDs

Lasts:
Real wood trim in the interior (for many years)
Vent windows (and power rear vents on Fleetwood 60 series)

Plus that awesome rear bumper will the fully chromed lower and chromed tail light housings.

I had to have most of the work one mine done by others, but I had a large hand in exactly how things were done. I really admire what you've done with yours.  I might have to start a thread on mine - which underwent a the scenic route on restoration!