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Am I Nuts...?

Started by Whit, March 03, 2015, 08:46:17 PM

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Whit

I am about to pay $2250.00 for two pieces of chrome (rear quarter 'C's) and a tri-power air cleaner for my 1960 Eldorado Biarritz convertible. One minute I say 'this is crazy" and the next minute its "but I need them". I have looked a while and I can find the air cleaner here and there, but not the 'C's...so far.

Any advice and council for this novice...?

Whit

76eldo

Whit,

Not crazy.  The air cleaner is a $1500.00 piece all day long.  The moldings are rare, so the big question is what does your wife think you are spending?

Brian
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

Whit

Maybe it's the wife that thinks I'm nuts...

Bobby B

#3
Whit,
  Don't ask me what I paid for 2 rear quarter window frames to be fabricated and show chromed. It's actually obscene, and I'm embarrassed, but how do you go without rear windows in a car.  It is what it is……

Quentin had a great saying in another recent post:
The rule of this hobby is of course. . . When you need to buy you have to pay a King's ransom. . . But when you have to sell, you can't give it away. . .

                                      Bobby

1947 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Coupe
1968 Mustang Convertible
1973 Mustang Convertible
1969 Jaguar E-Type Roadster
1971 Datsun 240Z
1979 H-D FLH

Whit

Bobby:

Just bought a pair of rear quarter window frames for my '60 Eldorado convertible so I know your pain.

Whit

n2caddies

I guess if we aren't holding up liquor stores to support our habit or the wife hasn't sprung a "family intervention" it's ok. Of course you are appealing to the largest group of Caddiction enablers on the planet. Just bought the red 60 steering wheel off eBay that's been haunting me for 2 years.
Randy
Randy George CLC# 26143
1959 Series 62 Convertible
1960 Series 62 Convertible
1964 Deville Convertible
2015 SRX

James Landi

You're not nuts... just consider how much "immediate depreciation" occurs when a new Cadillac drives off of the dealer's lot.  Also, you'll get some fraction of your investment back when you (or your family) sells the car.  Have fun, and don't look back!  Happy day, James

wrench

Tri-power stuff is always expensive no matter what make or model.

It's a fact of life.

And, nowadays, chrome pieces, ready to go, are expensive too.

Just compare the price of a piece plated and ready to go, with the price of actually plating it minus the rusty acquisition price and often it is the seller who is taking the loss.

Ha, how's that for irony?
1951 Series 62 Sedan
1969 Eldorado
1970 Eldorado (Triple Black w/power roof)
1958 Apache 3/4 ton 4x4
2005 F250
2014 FLHP
2014 SRX

David Greenburg

Not at all nuts. The tri-power stuff is always expensive and I have seen NOS moldings advertised for 1500 a piece. If it makes you feel better, I have more than that tied up in my fender skirts, although I had to replace one that fell off. Fortunately, my wife is accepting. She figures that what I spend in the garage is keeping me out of other trouble. As she likes to tell people, I have a 55-year-old mistress.
David Greenburg
'60 Eldorado Seville
'61 Fleetwood Sixty Special

Scott Anderson CLC#26068

I agree with all of these.

For what it's worth, I sometimes have the same grumbles to my wife about my car, (and it's kind of the '57 Chevy of Full Classics so everyone's had or has one and there's a relatively decent parts availability for it (1941 6227)). Despite her one time lapse in judgement (marrying me) she's pretty insightful otherwise. She reminds me that it's much the same with other hobbies. Price golfing, skiing, etc and pretty soon the incremental costs aren't so surprising. Plus your car will always be 1960 Eldorado Biarritz and worth something from more than one perspective. A big deal from the get go, and while there once was a time when it was just a used car with yesterday's styling, that time is long gone. You're investing time, money, blood/sweat/tears and all that into something more than just a fleeting experience, it's a piece of art that you and your family can enjoy.
1941 Cadillac 6267X Convertible Coupe
2014 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe

59-in-pieces

Whit,
The pieces you need are like LAND - they just aren't making it any more.
MAN UP.
As the Nike people say - GO FOR IT.
Regret is a terrible thing to drag around.
Although I focus on 59 Eldo's, the 60 Eldo - with baby brother fins - is a car you shouldn't hesitate in getting back on the road and looking as good as you can.
Have fun.
Steve B.
S. Butcher

Bill Balkie 24172

#11
Whit ,
   I watched a original Parade Boot for a 1957 Eldorado Biarritz sell for 7,500.00 . You can get the after market for  just over a 1000.00 without hardware .  I would much rather have the original .
that's  why it is so important to buy a complete car.  The standard items can be purchased for a somewhat reasonable price . it is when you get into The early Eldorado's that have special features that made it the Eldorado . Q code engines,  deluxe interiors  .  2 X 4 air cleaners and tri power . The list goes on and on . Somewhere you have to draw the line .


  Bill
Bill Balkie
1970 Coupe DeVille
2009 CTS

Quentin Hall

YOU ARE NUTS. . . But you are in very good company.
Now for a moment imagine my daily pain when you add international shipping and a 75c exchange rate plus 10% tax on both item and shipping costs.
>:( >:( >:(
53 Eldo #319
53 Eldo #412.
53 Eldo #433
57 Biarritz
53 series 62 conv
39 Sixty Special Custom
57 Biarritz

Bill Balkie 24172

Quote from: Quentin Hall on March 04, 2015, 02:25:16 PM
YOU ARE NUTS. . . But you are in very good company.
Now for a moment imagine my daily pain when you add international shipping and a 75c exchange rate plus 10% tax on both item and shipping costs.
>:( >:( >:(
Quentin ,
   I'm beginning to think there is more of these old Cadillac's over in your part of the world . It seems like a lot of the old Caddies are being purchased in Germany , Sweden, Denmark , Australia   more and more everyday . Pretty soon we will be the one paying enormous shipping charges to get these parts back into the U. S.

  Bill
Bill Balkie
1970 Coupe DeVille
2009 CTS

Bobby B

#14
I see by a lot of these posts that we have somewhat become Masters at the Art of Justification…….. ::)
                                                                                                                                Bobby
1947 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Coupe
1968 Mustang Convertible
1973 Mustang Convertible
1969 Jaguar E-Type Roadster
1971 Datsun 240Z
1979 H-D FLH

David Greenburg

Some people would think we are all nuts for owning what we own and spending what we spend on them.  For those people, a car is an appliance, not a mistress, and should certainly never have a name or pajamas (a cover).  Personally, I've always found supposedly completely sane, rational people to be boring.
David Greenburg
'60 Eldorado Seville
'61 Fleetwood Sixty Special

kav

Quote from: Quentin Hall on March 04, 2015, 02:25:16 PM
YOU ARE NUTS. . . But you are in very good company.
Now for a moment imagine my daily pain when you add international shipping and a 75c exchange rate plus 10% tax on both item and shipping costs.
>:( >:( >:(
im feeling your pain . Daily !
If you guys are thinking that you are wasting money buying parts to restore something that will be worth money eventually , go check out what a good fishing rod or a set of golf clubs will cost you and how much you will get back on those investments .
1953 series 62
nicknamed  SERENA

Whit

Thanks to all for your kind encouragement...at least I'm in the company of a lot of nuts. This is a great hobby...since retirement my brother and I have done two Jaguars ('52 XK120 and '70 E-Type), a '76 Jensen Healey, a '62 Corvette, a '62 Austin Healey 3000 and now the '60 Cadillac Eldorado convertible. Interestingly, the Cadillac has been the hardest car to find parts for. Strangely the British car parts are plentiful.

Thanks again to all    Whit

Quentin Hall

That's cos those Pommy cars were so bad that for every car assembled, there were three cars worth of spares made to accompany it.
53 Eldo #319
53 Eldo #412.
53 Eldo #433
57 Biarritz
53 series 62 conv
39 Sixty Special Custom
57 Biarritz

Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373

Scott,
Your WIFE reminds you that other hobbies cost more???
I give up, you win!!

Just had the engine rebuilt on mine.  I know what you mean.
Jeff
Jeff Rosansky
CLC #28373
1970 Coupe DeVille (Big Red)
1955 Series 62 (Baby Blue)
Dad's new 1979 Coupe DeVille