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the restore project continued pic's

Started by Brett Cottel, December 20, 2009, 06:56:19 PM

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Brett Cottel

Here is some of the progress I have made on the restoration.
Ready to send out the interior pieces for upholstery.....what do you guys think of a black with cream accent interior?






1955 Cadillac Meteor Combination Coach
CLC #27535
Pic's at http://s981.photobucket.com/albums/ae293/brettcottel/

jeff1956

Nice progress brett.  About the black and cream colored interior all I can say is that I've seen it on newer cars and it looks very classy.  I think it would all depend on how it was put together and what materials were used.  All the interiors I've seen done that way have been leather, so I can't say if you were doing it in cloth if it would look as classy as the leather interiors I have seen.  I'm sure others will chime in....

Jeff

Brett Cottel

well, noi extra chimes yet but I do think your right and leather would be the way to go.....want to keep the old fella classy.
brett >:D
1955 Cadillac Meteor Combination Coach
CLC #27535
Pic's at http://s981.photobucket.com/albums/ae293/brettcottel/

Mark Lowery

Brett,
Looks like you had some leaves replaced on the rear springs.  I'm assuming these are not entirely new units, so I am wondering who did the work and what you think of their work.  Looks like they found a good match for the clips that hold the leaves together.

Mark Lowery, CLC#25216

Brett Cottel

hey mark, The clips are actually the original's that missed the first primer round but I did have 2 springs per side replaced due to being broken. I used a local shop who took the old ones and manufactured the new......cost $50 for all 4 leaf's.  Metal doesn't match perfectly as the trench down the center is not present on the new ones but the guy making them said that it was not a good idea for the trenches anyway as they collected dirt, water, etc and really didn't do much anyway.  He also recommended against lining the leafs the way the factory had.....said that idea did not work that well either.
I had CW Williams in Modesto, CA do the work.
Brett >:D
1955 Cadillac Meteor Combination Coach
CLC #27535
Pic's at http://s981.photobucket.com/albums/ae293/brettcottel/

Andrew Pullin

#5
Nothing better than seeing a bare hearse chassis .... so immensely long!
Andrew Pullin
1940 La Salle Superior hearse
http://andrewpull.in/hearse/

J. Gomez

Quote from: brettcottel on December 21, 2009, 10:23:05 PM
He also recommended against lining the leafs the way the factory had.....said that idea did not work that well either.
Brett >:D

Brett,

I would agree with his comment on the old lining method with materials used for lining the leaf springs, and the maintenance involved to keep them lubricated. However that was then, today there are products that required little or no upkeep maintenance such as poly insulator specially designed for leaf springs.

The main reason for the manufacture to place the insulator between the leafs was to restrict the metal to metal contact, avoid friction and eventually the annoying squeaking. You could try using silicone grease between the leafs to minimized the friction, but this gets messy.  I would suggest using some type of insulator, especially with the extra weight of that chassis.

Again this is just my suggestion; others may have different opinions/ideas..!   

Good luck.
J. Gomez
CLC #23082

Brett Cottel

Hey Mark, sorry spaced out here....replaced 3 leafs...2 on one side and 1 on the other......
1955 Cadillac Meteor Combination Coach
CLC #27535
Pic's at http://s981.photobucket.com/albums/ae293/brettcottel/

Brett Cottel

Hey jose, thanks for your input......guy at the spring shop feels that the new liners and so tough that they actually wear out the metal and he recommends nothing at all.  says the metal will quickly wear to the proper fit and not squeek.....I don't know...guess I am going to leave them alone at this point and I'll report back if I have squeek issues.
1955 Cadillac Meteor Combination Coach
CLC #27535
Pic's at http://s981.photobucket.com/albums/ae293/brettcottel/

Brett Cottel

Hey Pullin, show me a pic of your hearse...would love to see it......and yes, the frame is really long and heavy......took 4 guys to SLIDE it on a trailer.
Brett
1955 Cadillac Meteor Combination Coach
CLC #27535
Pic's at http://s981.photobucket.com/albums/ae293/brettcottel/

Andrew Pullin

Here ya go:

More at http://andrewpullin.org/hearse/

Actually, I should put that in my signature now...

I'm still trying to figure out how the body comes with the steering column still on...
And did you pull it with the doors in place? I was worried about the body buckling upon removal.

And I don't have 4 guys to help me :( I'm currently devising a ridiculous plan to lift the body using a frame of 4x4's and come-alongs!
Andrew Pullin
1940 La Salle Superior hearse
http://andrewpull.in/hearse/

Mark Lowery

Andrew,
Hopefully, Brett and others with hearse bodied cars will reply, particularly to the issue of potential for "buckling".  My two cents worth, having pulled the body from my 37 4-door sedan (model 5019) is that you should certainly pull the doors (in your case, 5) and the windshield(s).  I am assuming you have also pulled the seats and the catafalque.

In the case of my sedan, I then used a nylon web eye-by-eye sling (2") through each door opening.  No damage to body and easy to position.  Has just enough friction to allow it to be positioned and stay put.

As to the steering column;  I raised the frame enough to allow removing the steering box & column from underneath the car.  I know we've all seen photos of frames fitted w/ the steering box and column on an assembly line, but I suspect that they have the capability to move the body fore and aft as it is lowered.  Using Come-Alongs, we amateurs do not.  Your probably going to want to do some work on the box anyhow, so why not remove it now?

Mark Lowery, CLC #25216

Brett Cottel

Hey Andrew, Definitely remove the doors, windows and interior before pulling the body off......my doors in the back probably weigh 100+ lbs a piece stripped out! We actually pulled everything off before removal from the frame.  At that point we used a floor jack or 2 and jack stands, jacked the whole thing up, got caster wheels underneath the frame, lowered to the ground, removed the body by jacking back up and slid the frame out the front of the car.  I also had help from my forklift where we needed it. We then just lowered the body back down onto moving dolly's, added a leftover axel from the back of my shop and can now wheel the body back and forth as needed.
Hope this helps.
Brett
1955 Cadillac Meteor Combination Coach
CLC #27535
Pic's at http://s981.photobucket.com/albums/ae293/brettcottel/

Brett Cottel

1955 Cadillac Meteor Combination Coach
CLC #27535
Pic's at http://s981.photobucket.com/albums/ae293/brettcottel/

Andrew Pullin

#14
Ha,thanks! Actually, after looking at picture of a frame from a '37,it looks like it should be doable in the clever way that you describe, creeping the frame out from underneath the body.

Just for clarification on one point: how much, if any, of the suspension did you pull out before separating the body from the frame?
I don't have a forklift, so I have to really have to try to every vertical inch I can get!

Edit: Actually, if you're near Modesto, then perhaps out hearses will some day meet... my workshop is in Sacramento.
Andrew Pullin
1940 La Salle Superior hearse
http://andrewpull.in/hearse/

Brett Cottel

Ah! cool a valley boy from Sac o tomato! We removed all the suspension parts, rear end, driveline, motor, tranny, gas tank & all.  Basically had just the frame to roll out.
Have a nice holiday!
Brett
1955 Cadillac Meteor Combination Coach
CLC #27535
Pic's at http://s981.photobucket.com/albums/ae293/brettcottel/