News:

Due to a technical issue, some recently uploaded pictures have been lost. We are investigating why this happened but the issue has been resolved so that future uploads should be safe.  You can also Modify your post (MORE...) and re-upload the pictures in your post.

Main Menu

Trim Bits, 76 Eldorado

Started by joeinbcs, April 28, 2016, 10:52:21 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

joeinbcs

Howdy,
Just picked up a '76 Eldorado, Briarwood Green Firemist/White. A nice car under the grime, with 33k miles (including the 400 I put on it yesterday driving from Tulsa to College Station, after my hauler had a breakdown).
Anyway, I noticed that several of the "chrome-like" finishers on the rear are missing, and that the gray plastic piece beneath the gas tube has a hole in it.
Anybody know if these are available new?
Thanks, Joe
Joe Northrop
9633 Whispering Ridge
College Station, TX  77845
joenorthrop@yahoo.com
979-324-6432

1967 Eldorado, Atlantis Blue Firemist (slick top), Blue leather.

J. Skelly

Joe,

Cadillac was too cheap to use stainless steel moldings on the filler pieces for these cars.  Unfortunately, there are not any good reproductions.  Some members have recommended using a roll of chromed plastic door edge molding.  Aftermarket filler pieces are available, but much work is needed to make them fit properly.  I bought the license plate filler at a GM Parts depot shortly before the '02 show, but I think the part has been discontinued.  It is available as an aftermarket part.  There are numerous articles on the forum pertaining to this.  It's too bad someone doesn't make the moldings in stainless steel.

That's a great color combination, as are the combinations on your other Cadillacs.   
Jim Skelly, CLC #15958
1968 Eldorado
1977 Eldorado Biarritz
1971 Eldorado (RIP)

joeinbcs

Thanks, Jim,
I know a couple guys who might be able to make some...it can't be very difficult to make these parts out of SS.
I'll check and see what I might be able to have made...
This is the first car of this era I've owned, and while I like many things about the car, this aspect seems unbelievably cheap and half-assed.
Some SS bits wouldn't really clean up a hodge-podge of trim bits, but at least it might not look so DIY!
Yes, the color is pretty beautiful...Jim Jordan found this car for me, and helped me determine that it was a great car, in great colors.
Main issue I have now is a broken back window...I have to decide if its its worth it to try and fix it, or if I need to put on a new top.
The top is actually in pretty good shape, with a bit of the edge piece on one side coming apart...maybe this can be re-sewed if I can replace the glass without doing the top?
Joe Northrop
9633 Whispering Ridge
College Station, TX  77845
joenorthrop@yahoo.com
979-324-6432

1967 Eldorado, Atlantis Blue Firemist (slick top), Blue leather.

Jeff Moffo

Joe,
I made a set for my 76 Coupe
PM me for pictures. Looks identical to the original.
There was also a NOS set on eBay that just sold for $400. Ridiculous in my opinion.
Best,
Jeff
Jeff M
North Jersey
Best of all, it's a Cadillac....
'76 Coupe DeVille - Claret (Sold)
'73 Series 60 Fleetwood (Sold)
'76 Coupe DeVille-Dunbarton Green

76eldo

Let us know if you have any luck with fabricating something out of stainless.  It's going to be tough duplicating the curves and miters on the upright sections.

NOS is currently the only solution.  The fillers are a problem area on these cars.

You can do a decent job with a roll of door edge molding.  You can try making relief cuts on the back side to try to get the mitered corner look but they usually end up looking kind of rounded.

Your fillers have already been replaced I would assume and the chrome beading left off.

Here some tips on dealing with the fillers, not much on the plastic chrome trim.  I wrote this article several years ago:

www.sheffieldgarage.com/fillers.htm

Welcome to the forum and 76 Eldo ownership!

There's a Facebook page too:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/950307375022334/

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

joeinbcs

Thanks, Brian.  Very interesting page on the installation of new fillers. 
I was told by the seller of my car that his dad had molds made for the bumper fillers and sent them to a guy in Virginia who made fiberglass examples, providing three sets (the father had three '76 convertibles).
Maybe this was done before replacements became widely available?  I believe the ends on my car were done a long time ago, but I have no documentation.
Thanks for the FB Page too, I've sent a request to join.
Best, Joe
Joe Northrop
9633 Whispering Ridge
College Station, TX  77845
joenorthrop@yahoo.com
979-324-6432

1967 Eldorado, Atlantis Blue Firemist (slick top), Blue leather.

joeinbcs

I found the gas filler panel at USA Parts Supply.
I also bought enough feet of plastic chrome stuff to re-do the trim...until I can find someone to do it in SS.
Thanks.
Joe Northrop
9633 Whispering Ridge
College Station, TX  77845
joenorthrop@yahoo.com
979-324-6432

1967 Eldorado, Atlantis Blue Firemist (slick top), Blue leather.

David King (kz78hy)

Joe,

I have a NOS trim piece that goes around the license plate opening on the decklid.  Yours seems to be nice, so you probably don't need it.

That looks like a nice car.  Good find

David.
David King
CLC 22014  (life)
1958 Eldorado Brougham 615
1959 Eldorado Brougham 56- sold
1960 Eldorado Brougham 83- sold
1998 Deville d'Elegance
1955 Eldorado #277
1964 Studebaker Commander
2012 Volt
CLCMRC benefactor 197

Director and Founder, Eldorado Brougham Chapter
Past President, Motor City Region

Rare Parts brand suspension parts Retailer via Keep'em Running Automotive

LenInLA1976

Joe,

I have a 76 Eldorado in exact same color.  Beautiful, isn't it?

I have also been trying to find the chrome trim for the fillers for the past several months. No luck.  I've followed Brian's advice and used plastic chrome edge molding.  The results are so-so; better than no trim at all, but I'm too clumsy to make a good fit.

So, if you do find a good solution, let me know please.

Leonard

Jeff Wilk

Hey folks.....this is nuts....but here is another original set of these trim parts on ebay....ending tonight.......already up to $345 with 13 bidders.....I'd say these will approach $500 at this rate......

http://www.ebay.com/itm/262407694605?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Jeff
"Impossible Only Describes The Degree Of Difficulty" 

Southern New Jersey

1959 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special
1975 Eldorado Convertible (#12 made)
1933 Phaeton Chevrolet - "Baby Cadillac"
1933 Master Sedan Chevrolet - "Baby Cadillac"

SOLD
1976 Cadillac Mirage (factory authorized Pick-Up)
1958 Cadillac Sixty-Special
1958 Cadillac Sixty-Special
1958 Cadillac Sedan
1958 Cadillac Coupe Deville

76eldo

$405 with a half hour to go.

I have a set or two that I am hanging onto for my Eldo.  I paid about $100.00 each and thought I got hosed then.

Keep looking on ebay.

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

joeinbcs

Were the originals stainless, or plastic?
Joe Northrop
9633 Whispering Ridge
College Station, TX  77845
joenorthrop@yahoo.com
979-324-6432

1967 Eldorado, Atlantis Blue Firemist (slick top), Blue leather.

Jeff Wilk

"Chromed" Plastic all the way
"Impossible Only Describes The Degree Of Difficulty" 

Southern New Jersey

1959 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special
1975 Eldorado Convertible (#12 made)
1933 Phaeton Chevrolet - "Baby Cadillac"
1933 Master Sedan Chevrolet - "Baby Cadillac"

SOLD
1976 Cadillac Mirage (factory authorized Pick-Up)
1958 Cadillac Sixty-Special
1958 Cadillac Sixty-Special
1958 Cadillac Sedan
1958 Cadillac Coupe Deville

Jeff Moffo

Joe,

The photos I sent you of my Cadillac cost NOTHING NEAR those Ebay prices!!!!
I heard that some of the old, NOS stuff does not fit on the newer fillers as well.  Although, I am not sure if someone can confirm that.

I am attaching a photo of my previous 1976 Cadillac I sold a while back that had its original plastic "chrome".  You can see, even though it was in tact, the silver-ish coloring began to fade after thirty-something years.  Luckily, I kept these photos as they helped me reproduce my new ones.
Jeff M
North Jersey
Best of all, it's a Cadillac....
'76 Coupe DeVille - Claret (Sold)
'73 Series 60 Fleetwood (Sold)
'76 Coupe DeVille-Dunbarton Green

joeinbcs

Thanks for all the comments.
I've made some progress. Ordered the gas filler panel from USA Parts Supply.
It came the other day. It was easy to install, and fit pretty well.
I also bought some plastic trim that I used on the pieces that rest on the bumper, and found the missing tail light trim in the trunk.
Still missing the driver side tiny (metal, I think?) corner piece, and am having trouble getting the plastic trim to stick bordering the license plate.
This is an interim measure until I can get my metal guy motivated!
Joe Northrop
9633 Whispering Ridge
College Station, TX  77845
joenorthrop@yahoo.com
979-324-6432

1967 Eldorado, Atlantis Blue Firemist (slick top), Blue leather.

76eldo

Joe,

A little dab of clear silicone helps keep things in place.

If you have someone that can truly make these pieces out of stainless you can sell a zillion sets.

I think you will find that it's a complicated piece to make though and it will need to be cut with the bevels done and then stamped into the U shape with a die, then somehow folded on the cut lines to form the angled shape.

The cost for tooling will be astronomical unless he can figure out a different way.

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