Questions about recently Acquired 1941 Series 62 Convertible

[Alfred]

After having been involved with early 60's Cadillacs for many years I finally delved into something a bit older and purchased a 41 convertible.  As I am unfamiliar with cars of this era, I have a few questions for all of the experts out there.

1) Could someone help me decode the Paint and trim codes? Paint 55 (which I think is El Centro Green), Trim 85A, Top 5.

2) I am unfamiliar with the solenoid wiring and would like to hook up a remote start while I tune the engine.  I obviously attach one lead to the battery cable, but where does the other lead go, (ie, which is the "s" terminal?) to the frontmost or rearmost terminal on the solenoid?  FWIW this car has been converted to 12 volts from 6, if that makes a difference.

3) My shop manual does not list a dwell spec, only a point gap spec.  Anyone know what it is?

4) What is the knob above the ignition key that is connected to a bowden cable operating the throttle plate...is this a curb idle setting?

5) My car has the hydromatic, which I was told to shift into reverse by shifting into low first or it will grind.  Is this normal?  If so, why?

6) Any advice on sources of parts? (I particularly need a rebuilt water pump, and preferably one which will not require constant greasing)

Many thanks in Advance

Alfred Bradshaw
CLC #24066
41 Series 62 Convertible
63 Eldorado Convertible
64 Deville Convertible

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

Hi Alfred, welcome to the 41 club. 55 is El Centro green, 85A is green & buff leather & 5 is a tan top. Send me or post the body # & I'll add it to my list of survivors. The knob is a for a throttle.  The reverse procedure is correct, but I'm not sure why. HTH, Bob

[Alfred]

Thanks Bob, the body number is 2474.  Car is reputed to be an Arizona car which spent some time in Deleware before spending the last 24 years in NJ.  The previous owner was not a CLC member but it has a CLC decal on the windshield, so some club member must have owned it at some point...would be interesting to see if it is already in your database.

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

Alfred, I did not have it on my list. I  have 50+ cars of which over 20% are SO cars. So if anyone else has a 41 convertible car, please contact me. Also remember I'm still offering a $2000 reward for info leading to the purchase of 41 conv. cpe. body #3. Check those body plates on cars you see.  I'd really like to spend that money. Thanks, Bob

[Otto Skorzeny]

Why do you want body number three? Did you used to own it at some point in it's life?

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

It's a SO car that was painted two tone. I'd like to restore it to original. It might not even exist anymore.

[Otto Skorzeny]

Bob, What colors were they and how were they applied? ( body and fenders, striping, upper and lower body,etc) What color was the top? That sounds like a pretty neat car.

[baxterculver]

Alfred,
First of all, congratulations on your purchase.  The '41 convertible is a jewel--one of the best Cadillac's to own.  Yours, with the green paint, green and buff interior and a tan top has to be a beauty. 

A good source for mechanical parts is Cooper's (Burbank Ca).  Bob Cooper can probably supply a water pump with the lip seals--they don't need periodic greasing.  If not, he should be able to supply a rebuild kit that will include the seals, a new impeller, shaft, and the bearings/bushing.  Or, contact Terrill Machine (Texas) or Egge Machine (Los Angeles).  All have a good supply of parts for your '41.

For your remote start button, just pick one of the two terminals on the solenoid and try it.  Only one will work.

There is a manual throttle on the car which can be used for tuning, crossing parts of Nevada, or Nebraska, or warming the engine.

I don't think anyone knew about let alone published dwell specs in the 1940's.  Just set the point gap to spec and it will run just fine.

[Rusty Shepherd CLC 6397]

What you were told about shifting into reverse is correct although it doesn't matter whether you stop in Hi (later renamed Drive) or Lo, as long as you wait for it to engage before going on to R. The post-war cars had a modified valve body that forced you to wait in a forward range before going on to Reverse.  Starting with the '51 models, you could shift directly from N to R without gear clashing. Another thing about the pre-1956 Hydra-Matics:  Reverse can be used as Park to lock the transmission, but I would also use the handbrake just to be sure.

[Joe Gildea]

Hi -
Dick Garbitt of Cape Cod rebuilds the water pumps and does a good job. Contact Dick at  1941cad60S@aol.com or cad60S@aol.com.
- Joe Gildea, N.E. Region CLC

[Doug Houston]

I have two '41 convertibles; one a coupe, and the other, a 4 door. The coupe has a Hydra-Matic, and I have installed a '51 Cadillac transmission in it. The 1951 transmissions ae the latest ones where the selector detent matches the selector head on the steering column.

The reason for the tricky reverse is that reverse is accomplished by manipulating the units in the transmission. Without going into detail, the reverse planetary must be totally stopped, as a pawl in the selector valve body has to engage into its serrated periphery to accomplish reverse. The prewar transmissions border on being terrifying if you don't do it "by the numbers". Also, when selecting reverse on any of the pre-51 transmissions, the rear wheels must be totally stopped.

It isn't out of the question that Alfred Bradshaw's car could have a postwar transmission in it (if he's lucky).

To clarify a bit, in order that reverse be used for a park function, the engine must not be running when reverse is selected for parking. Stating it otherwise, with the transmission out of motion, the drive shaft is locked with  reverse selection.

Now, for Bob Hoffman.  The earliest '41 convertible I know of is one here in the Detroit area. It was probably a show car. The body color was Managua Beige, and the body has some factory mods that were not on the later cars.  The invoice was done as a pre-priced car.  In addition, the frame on that car had no reinforcements, which were added in later production.  The owner is Jerry Karasinski (Detroit), and as I write, the body is off of the frame, but ready to paint. When the body was setting on the frame, bolted on, the frame was so pliable, that the body would distort badly if the frame were jacked. He has the sheets from Cadillac, showing how to add the brace plates and the rear frame kickup appliques, found on later cars.  He had to look at mine to clarify the installation of all that stuff. It's the same on the 4 door convertibles, of course.

Certainly, this isn't the car you're looking for, but from the way Jerry's car was built, the one you want was probably junked because it was flimsy!

Is my convertible coupe in your database?

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

Hi Doug, thanks for the response. I'll be interested to know what his body # is if I can get it. I don't think I have either of your cars. I'm doing both conv. cpes. & sedans, so please provide both. Thanks, Bob

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

Bob, What colors were they and how were they applied? ( body and fenders, striping, upper and lower body,etc) What color was the top? That sounds like a pretty neat car.

Forrest, it's painted 2 tone just like a 62 series coupe except it's a conv. The bottom color was yellow & the upper color was black. The top was also black. Cadillac did build other 2 tone convertibles, both cpes. & sedans. They all seem to have been repainted before any of us knew what we were looking at. I'm sure it was a striking car. Bob

[Alfred]

Many thanks to all for the helpful replies.

[John Polychron]

About reverse in your '41. I have a '41 and a '46 with Hydramatics.
I try shifting into LO before trying to shift into reverse. Sometimes
this does not help. What I learned to do by accident was to put
the shifter into HI or LO and move the car forward a foot or two,
stop, and then shift into reverse when it feels that it will shift in
easily without binding or resistance.  Try it.

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

John, do I have your 41 in my data base? If not ,please send me all the info on your data plate. Thanks, Bob

[Steve Passmore]

Hi Bob  Whats with this database? Does my old 41 convertible count now its no longer in the US? I pulled it out of a yard in Maine back in the 90s where it had sat for 30 yers and its still the only one in the UK.

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

Hi Steve & others. I'm trying to get a roster of all surviving 41 convertible cars, both cpes, & sedans. It's very hard as many people will not take the time to look at their plates. I have lots of SO cars on my list so far. Of course I'm still looking for body #3.   Two thousand dollar  reward for info leading to it's purchase.  Bob