1973 Eldorado fender trim

[rikard454]

The last bit of rear right fender trim has broken on my 1973 Eldorado - a small stud has broken off so it "swings around " so I guess I need to locate a replacement part. But a question here, is the 1974 part the same? It looks the same when looking at pictures:



The part from my 1973 Eldo is 305 mm (12") long and 16 mm (0.63") wide at it's widest point, the fastening "bolt" is 68 mm (2.7") from the rear tip and the stud was 27 mm (1.1") from the rear tip.

Anyone that know if these are the same parts on both a 1973 and a 1974 Eldorado, would make it easier to locate a replacement in that case.

Cheers!
/Rikard, Lulea Sweden

PS The part from my 73 pace car replica is marked 9625473 on the back side....

[Scot Minesinger]

Your pictures show that the 74 is longer and it cannot be the same. 

Until you find a replacement, I would drill a hole through the trim exactly where the stud was (drill from inside trunk) and install a flathead screw to secure the trim and paint head of screw to match trim.  If you are really good you could use kind of a counter sunk beveled head screw and a corresponding drill from outside car to accommodate head and no one will ever know.

Good luck, your Cadillac looks beautiful.

[rikard454]

Hello Scot, I am not sure that the 74 part is actually longer... In the picture I think it looks like the section ahead of the "pointed end section" is longer but that the end section is the same... At least if I were an engineer at GM in those days I would try to re-use as much parts as possible :-)

Maybe some that has a 74 could have a peek at their Eldorado?

Thanks for the tips on how to secure it Chris, but I have lot's of time though up here before summer - we have still have plenty of snow up here so I hope to be able to locate a replacement part before spring/summer arrives

Cheers!
/Rikard "from way up by the Arctic Circle, further North than Anchorage Alaska"

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

GM has never tried to save money that way. If it's different, it's different, period. They do use the same parts over, such as the 1941 tail lamps on the post-war hearses and limos. The parts are available on the web and many times the vendor will let you purchase just the side you need. However, guess what? As soon as you replace on, then the other cracks. It is such a "bear" to take the bumper off, replace both at once. You can get spray bombs to match the paint as well except they have to go surface mail.