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1958 convertible top boot (??)

Started by cadillac ken, January 18, 2014, 11:15:46 AM

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cadillac ken

Hi everyone.  New here, but not to Cadillacs or the CLS club.  I have a few '58's and my "lifelong" project is a 58 Biarritz.  I would like to know something that I always wondered about and have gotten mixed reports on:

Were the OEM supplied hard boots for the 1958 Cadillac convertibles made in steel or were they fiberglass?   I could swear I saw a steel one advertised years ago--  But my memory my be wrong.  And if they were fiberglass from the factory, what or how is a good way to discern a reproduction from an original?

Thanks, k caskey

Wayne Womble 12210

#1
I am sure someone here that knows these things better will respond, but I bought one for a customer many years ago at Carlisle.  It was absolutely complete and beautiful.  As I remember, it was certainly fiberglass and it was press molded or vacuum formed fiberglass with a smooth underside finish, like the Corvette fiberglass. The vinyl was the exact same pebble grain material as the 58 Corvette.

76eldo

They are Fiberglas and there is one on ebay right now, nice shape for $1500.00
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

cadillac ken

Thanks guys: still a ways away from needing one but always looking.  I have amassed just about every part I need over the past 10 years and am still doing the restoration.  I saw the one on e-bay.  It is sold, I guess.  It was shown as removed and no longer available.  I guess someone bought it locally.
I was looking for a 1957 Biarritz when I found my 1958 model here local.  Looking for the top boot since my surround moldings are not drilled for snaps-- nice and clean well opening with the top up or down.

When I bought it years ago the floors were gone and it was a mess-- missing all the unique parts for the Biarritz (tri-power, rear quarter trims, etc.)-- the top frame was rusted solid with the rear fins cut off and smoothed over to boot!!  I have a restoration shop (22 years) and I'm not scared easily, so I bought it.  I have rounded up everything except the door panel trim that says "biarritz".  I have since put a rear clip on the car from a totally rusty Seville I bought ( to restore the original fins on the Biarritz).  It's slow going but I am making headway.  It is an air conditioned car with air ride and every other option except the vacuum door locks.  The color combo is kind of unique: Iris blue metallic (I think that's the color, it's a light silver blue) with a silver and gray interior.  Should make for a unique car when finished.  But as I grow older I see time to work on the car is harder and harder to come by-- but I'm not giving up.

Thanks for the replies and the warm welcome.  I will be back here soon.