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66 Cadillac Key Blanks and Trunk Cardboard Lining

Started by Seans 66, October 17, 2012, 04:15:53 PM

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Seans 66

I'm looking for some stock key blanks for a 66 Cadillac.  I recently ordered key blanks from Cadillac USA and the trunk key has the Cadillac crest but the ignition key does not.  They are unable to get a ignition key with the crest.  If I put both of those on a key ring it is going to drive me crazy.  I'm sure they are available out there.  I think I even saw an ad in the Self Starter a few times.

I also had a question about trunk cardboard lining.  I got a set from Cadillac USA but it does not match the stock lining.  The color of the stock lining is a lighter gray and has a speckled finish as well as piping stitched around the edges.  The lining I got from Cadillac USA is well cut, solid and nice, but the finish is not factory correct.  Does anybody make factory correct trunk lining for this car?  If not, any hints on how I might be able to duplicate the factory finish with the parts I have?

Sean

Brad Hemingson CLC #18437

Send a PM to Ralph Messina. He's done an Eldorado and a Fleetwood and has an enormous amount of knowledge on the '66's. Plus, he's a great guy to boot.

Ralph Messina CLC 4937

Sean,

First I should thank Brad for the kind words…. Mark Twain said “I can live a month on a good compliment” .

The original gray burlap like cloth is no longer available. The last stash of NOS I heard of was about 4 years ago. I used Jenkins for the trunk in my Brougham and was  very satisfied with the fit, finish and overall quality. The original material was a “mouse fur” gray and rather utilitarian in appearance. Jenkins’ material is the correct weave and has speckles of color, but the overall color has a slight bluish cast to the gray. I think it looks much better than the original.

HTH,
Ralph
1966 Fleetwood Brougham-with a new caretaker http://bit.ly/1GCn8I4
1966 Eldorado-with a new caretaker  http://bit.ly/1OrxLoY
2018 GMC Yukon

Seans 66

Ralph:

Thanks for your response.  What I'm specifically looking for is the proper trunk cardboard-- not the fabric.  The cardboard I recently purchased is nice, but the color isn't right.  I'm uncertain what to do about the fabric.  I never liked the stock Cadillac fabric-- it always looked like it was too low grade for the status of car a Cadillac is.  I also have a 67 Lincoln Continental and the trunk fabric they used is gorgeous.  Its a really nice thick poly weave 0 pile carpeting.  Lincoln came stock with a matching spare tire cover too. 

I don't know why Cadillac didn't put the same attention in the trunk as they did with the rest of the car.  They were certainly on the top of their game on everything else!

Sean

Ralph Messina CLC 4937

Sean,

Fleetwood series cars had fabric on the card board side panels and included a spare tire cover also.  They also came stock with a medium gray rubber trunk mat optional on other series. My ‘66 experience is on Fleetwoods and Eldorados and I suspect Jenkins makes the same high quality items for 62 Series cars. They might be worth a phone car. - For the record, I'm not affiliated with Jenkins, nor do I have any business association other than a paying customer.

Regarding other suppliers of so called NORS items, I've been disappointed too often with several of them, and try to find original parts whenever possible. Buying a NORS item represented as accurate and original quality, only to receive low grade trash, results in dropping the seller like a bad habit.

And yes, I agree with you about Lincolns. A '57 MKII is definitely on my bucket list.

Ralph
1966 Fleetwood Brougham-with a new caretaker http://bit.ly/1GCn8I4
1966 Eldorado-with a new caretaker  http://bit.ly/1OrxLoY
2018 GMC Yukon

Seans 66

Ralph:

Aha!  So they saved the nice trunk treatment for the Fleetwoods!   My car is a DeVille Convertable which is in the middle of the model line.  I didn't even know this Jenkins place existed and wish I had.  It took me two years to get leather I was satisfied with from SMS auto fabrics in Oregon.  Dealing with them was a nightmare (not an uncommon story I'm told) but as far as I could tell, they were one of the few places that could get the specially perforated leather for the seats.  Bill Hirsh didn't have the right perforations and the only other place I found had the right perf but the panels they could provide were a few inches too small. 

So you say that trunk mat only came in grey-- no other colors?

I'll call Jenkins and see what they have.  Thanks for the tips!  If you ever want to get that Lincoln for your bucket list let me know-- I'm in the Lincoln club too.

Sean

Ralph Messina CLC 4937

Sean,

Regarding a recommendation for SMS, my parents taught me to only speak well of people. Therefore “I can’t recommend them too highly”.

Non Fleetwood series cars had the gray burlap fabric floor with gray painted cardboard sides. I believe the edges had a sewn binding. The spare tire did not have a tire cover but the gray rubber mat was optional at extra cost. I believe the same gray mat was used from ’65 through ’70. From ’71 through ’76 the trunk mat was a different style and was black…….I guess product planners thought any passenger in the trunk would not be concerned with color matched appointments.

Regarding a bucket list MKII, I’m a member of the MKII Forum and spent two years in seriously pursuit of a real nice one. Then one day my current ’66 Eldorado just followed me home and is now completely apart………The surprising thing is that I should know better.

Ralph
1966 Fleetwood Brougham-with a new caretaker http://bit.ly/1GCn8I4
1966 Eldorado-with a new caretaker  http://bit.ly/1OrxLoY
2018 GMC Yukon

Jake

Check ebay. I was able to get 2 very nice OEM sets of key blanks for my '67 there. HTH

Seans 66

Ralph:

Sorry you have had a bad experience with SMS too.  The sad thing is they have purchased SO much NOS fabrics they have a captive market and can be jerks because they know you'd have a hard time getting it somewhere else. 

I am seriously considering putting in a Fleetwood trunk in my DeVille.  I know its not factory correct but I never intended to make a serious show car out of my Cadillac.  I want it to be correct and nice but leave some flexibility for my preferences and I just never liked the trunk treatment it came with.  My 67 Lincoln is my show car.

You may not have got that Lincoln yet but you made a great choice.

Sean

austingta

Quote from: Seans 66 on October 17, 2012, 04:15:53 PM
I'm looking for some stock key blanks for a 66 Cadillac.  I recently ordered key blanks from Cadillac USA and the trunk key has the Cadillac crest but the ignition key does not.  They are unable to get a ignition key with the crest.  If I put both of those on a key ring it is going to drive me crazy.  I'm sure they are available out there.  I think I even saw an ad in the Self Starter a few times.



Here they are. I bought a set a few years ago and they are correct, and very cool. I'm a stickler about correct keys too.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1967-CADILLAC-Key-Blanks-2-key-set-NOS-original-1966-/200837261099?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ec2d5672b